Entrance to Utkal University

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 30: After a gloomy recession, head hunters have once again set their eyes set on Utkal University, the state’s premier educational institution.

Two days ago, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) arrived on campus to recruit 10 students, eight from the integrated master of computer application (IMCA) course, one from master of computer application and one from M.Sc. (computer science). Professional Assistance for Development Action, one of the pioneers in promoting self-help groups, recruited eight students.

The recruitment scene has apparently brightened post-recession.

Sources said while Mahindra Satyam, Tech Mahindra and Aditya Birla group were all set to begin their recruitment drive on campus, significantly enough, the Indian Air Force has also evinced interest in employing Utkal University graduates.

In a letter to the university, Wing Commander Vikram Bakshi said: “Considering the availability of candidates with various academic qualifications in the university, we propose to conduct Fast Track Selection (FTS) for metrology, education and accounts branches of the IAF.”

Wing Commander Bikash Kanungo said the Air Force selection team would conduct a written examination. “Those who qualify the written test will undergo Phase-I Test (picture perception & discussion test) either on the same day or the next day. After this test, the qualified candidates will be issued call letters for subsequent tests at one of the Air Force Selection Boards in Dehradun, Mysore and Varanasi. The selected candidates will then be commissioned as officers. The students from other institutes can also appear the FTS on February 1,” he added.

Final-year IMCA student, Rajesh Kumar Mohapatra, who was recruited by TCS, said: “I am really happy to get a job. My parents paid Rs 1.5 lakh for the five-year course, and now I am going to get a salary of Rs 3.3 lakh per annum. I am happy to have been recruited by a reputed company.”

Sources said 337 students were recruited from the university in the past four years but it hopes to break all records this time. The course co-ordinator of the IMCA course and registrar of Utkal University, Prof. L.N. Sahu said: “We have already started training students for campus recruitment. Our students will shine in the coming days.”

For the university, which has been in the news for all the wrong reasons lately, especially for student agitations, the arrival of corporate giants on campus is cheering.

Professor of commerce and dean of management studies professor Jayanta Parida said: “After the recession, not only software companies but also those from other sectors are showing interest in recruiting students from the state. The good thing is that these companies are not limiting themselves to private engineering colleges alone. We have to take advantage of this opportunity.”

Utkal University placement officer Sarit Panda said: “We plan to reach out to all students of 45 different disciplines at the university. The recruitment season has just begun. It will continue up to June. We are in touch with almost all major companies and will urge them to focus on recruiting graduates from the university. The university has tremendous resource talent.”

In December, top companies had recruited around 150 students from Ravenshaw University. Companies such as Tata Consultancy Services, Visa Steel, HCL, Tech Mahindra, Sesa Goa and Reliance Group of Industries had held a series of campus interviews and made recruitments.