Bhubaneswar, Oct. 2: Never mind it’s just October, blue-chip companies are heading to various colleges and universities in the state to conduct intensive recruitment drives. And quite a few students in premier institutes of the city already have offer letters in hand.
Earlier, most companies conducted the recruitment process only in November and December, according to recommendations of the National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) to IT companies in 2010 to start hiring only after students entered the last leg (eighth semester) of their respective courses.
But this year, it has been different. The placement drive at International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Bhubaneswar began as early as September 17 in which 64 of the total 238 students secured job with various firms. The highest pay package offered, so far, is Rs 5.6 lakh per annum.
“While ITC-Infotech selected seven students, Samsung India Software Centre recruited 13 students. Capgemini gave offer letters to 44 students,” said professor in charge of the institute’s training and placement cell Debasish Jena.
The campus recruitment process has also begun at College of Engineering Technology (CET) here in which IT major Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) offered jobs to 144 students and Mindtree selected 22 students. Students are getting recruited as system analysts, junior managers and trainee executives, with the highest salary offer made at Rs 3.15 lakh a year.
“Companies, including Maruti and Tata Steel, have already conducted online written tests and will complete the process anytime soon,” said professor in charge of the training and placement cell at CET S.K. Pradhan.
Placement drives have also begun at the capital’s KIIT University and Siksha O Anusandhan University as well as at Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology, Burla.
Premature recruitment drives notwithstanding, colleges fear hitting a rough patch in placements this season. “We have seen a drop in the hiring scenario. Last year, TCS had recruited 230 students, but this year, they took only 144. The number of recruiters has also nose-dived, thanks to recession,” said Pradhan.
“Last year, every student of CET has two offers to choose from, but this time, we doubt if all students would be placed,” he added.
Authorities at IIIT also apprehended the same. “Placement is very uncertain this season because of the economic slowdown. However, we are trying our best to see that all our students get placed,” Jena said, adding that the institute had even organised special “finishing school” training for students for pre-placement preparations.
Further, various corporate firms have deferred their campus placement plans for this year. Many firms cited “tough global economic conditions” as the reason. “So, we are finding it very difficult to get recruiters this season,” said authorities of a private engineering college, which has not managed to get any recruiters yet.
Even students are not being choosy and accepting whatever is coming their way. “I had planned to take up a job in the field of mechanical engineering, my core subject, but I do not want to take a chance considering the recession scenario. So, I accepted an offer from TCS. I would rather switch over to my desired field when the market situation improves,” said Brinda, an engineering student.
