Dhanbad: The placement season at IIT(ISM) Dhanbad got off to a great start with around 280 students landing plum jobs during the first phase of selection that began on December 1.

Vedanta Computers lapped up 55 bright minds, including 45 BTech and 10 MSc-Tech students, at an annual pay package of Rs 8 lakh per annum.

Uber Car Service offered the highest package of Rs 36 lakh per annum on the first day of the placement when eight recruiters picked 31 students.

While Goldman Sach and Maruti Suzuki selected seven students each for a package of Rs 32 lakh and Rs 8 lakh, respectively, Cairn Energy picked six students for Rs 13 lakh each.

Schlumberger recruited five students for Rs 32 lakh while Samsung R&D picked three students for Rs 25 lakh each. One student each has been hired by De Shaw & Co and Accenture for Rs 31 lakh.

On December 2, 64 students, including 21 for Tata Motors at Rs 6 lakh each, 12 for Flipkart at Rs 24 lakh and nine each for Samsung R&D Bangalore and Future First for Rs 18 lakh and Rs 12.5 lakh respectively, got lucky.

On the same day, Gammon India recruited seven students for Rs 6 lakh each, Tesco Technologies hired five for Rs 17 lakh and Exxom Mobil two for Rs 9 lakh.

On December 3, Tata Steel selected six students for an annual package of Rs 6 lakh each. Sling media chose three students for Rs 14 lakh per annum and Sandvine Technologies picked two students for Rs 13 lakh.

On December 4, MAQ Software hired four students for a package of Rs 10 lakh each and also gave internship offers to seven.

The next day, four bright minds landed lobs with Fortitude while two were recruited by Deloitte US for Rs 10 lakh and Rs 12 lakh per annum, respectively.

On December 6, four recruiters, including FMC Technologies, Samsung R&D Noida and Vedanta Computer, conducted placements.

IIT(ISM) training and placement officer Amit Dixit said, "The campus placement is very good so far. Fifty per cent of computer science engineering students have already been placed."

The government's Digital India initiative is the main reason behind the upsurge in the placement of CSE students. The automobile sector is also witnessing a turnaround this year and recruiters such as Maruti and Tata Motors have selected students from the campus this year."

Around 85 recruiters have been allotted slots during the first phase of campus selection that will conclude on December 23.