IT Firms Cautious of "Over-Hiring" During IIT Placements

In the backdrop of a global economic slowdown, the placement season across India's premier technical institutes, the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), has kicked off with a mix of optimism and caution.

The first-generation IITs, including IIT-Bombay, IIT-Kanpur, IIT-Delhi, IIT-Guwahati, and IIT-Madras, have encountered an uneven start, witnessing a balance between successful placements and a cautious hiring environment.

Placement executives from these institutions note that while the first week of interviews has seen a good number of students securing offers, many recruiters, particularly international firms, are exercising caution against over-hiring.

Some are delaying their hiring decisions, choosing to wait until the end of the season before making offers, reflecting the impact of the global economic situation.

The placement interviews, spanning from December 1 to May next year, have highlighted a shift in the recruitment landscape.

The second and third-generation IITs, facing a particularly challenging year, conduct their sessions earlier in the year, starting as early as September.

While the overall placement scenario has been affected by the economic downturn, students remain optimistic, noting comparable numbers to the previous year.

IIT-Delhi, for example, reports around 480 job offers, including pre-placement offers (PPOs), with notable recruiters like Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, and Texas Instruments.

At IIT-BHU, executives acknowledge a stable number of companies visiting the institute compared to the previous year.

However, they highlight a shift in the profile of recruiters and a decrease in companies seeking pure software profiles. The institute remains positive, securing over 850 offers so far, including PPOs, despite the cautious approach taken by recruiters across industries.

As economies face downward trends, major tech firms have been notably reserved in their recruitment efforts. IIT-Guwahati, however, reports a diverse set of recruiters across domains, including core, design, software, finance, product management, and consulting.

The trend of maximum PPOs in disciplines like computer science and engineering, mathematics and computing, and electrical and communication engineering is evident, reflecting the dynamic nature of the current placement landscape.