The IIT placement crisis: What does it mean for Indian Engineering?

 

 

 

 

THE Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) have long been considered the pinnacle of engineering education in India. However, the placement scenario for the 2024 batch paints a troubling picture. With thousands of graduates still unplaced, even at these prestigious institutions, the situation for other engineering colleges across India could be far worse. If IITs are facing a placement crisis, what does this imply for students from other institutes with fewer resources and industry connections? The facts on the ground indicate that 2024 is a tough year for the IITs. Traditionally, IIT graduates have been offered attractive salary packages. But, this year has seen a noticeable dip. The average salary package has dropped to a modest Rs 15-16 lakh per annum, compared to previous years when salaries were often much higher. In some extreme cases, students received offers as low as Rs 4 lakh per annum, an unusually low figure for IIT graduates. Even the top-tier IITs like IIT-Bombay, IIT-Delhi, and IIT-Madras faced significant placement challenges, with many students either receiving lower-than-expected offers or not getting placed at all. Out of 16,400 students registered for placements, only 10,310 were placed, leaving 6,090 unplaced. The unplaced percentage rose sharply from previous years, marking a worrying trend. Newer ones such as IIT-Bhubaneswar, IIT-Gandhinagar, and IIT-Jodhpur have been hit harder. With limited industry connections and smaller alumni networks compared to their older counterparts, newer IITs saw 40% of their graduates remaining unplaced, doubling the number from the previous year.

 

When discussing the placement scenario at IITs, many colleagues and academic professionals quickly point to global economic slowdown as the primary cause. While many attribute the placement slowdown at IITs to the global economic recession, the author wishes to bring out far more complex set of issues. The global slowdown is not as large a factor as often portrayed. Instead, three primary issues stand out -- a rapid increase in student seats leading to an oversupply of engineers, shifts in global hiring practices favouring more specialised inter-disciplinary roles, and a rigid IIT curriculum that has not evolved to meet the changing demands of the job market. Only by addressing these issues can IITs maintain their reputation as the country’s premier engineering institutions. 

 

The placement scenario for IIT students over the next five years is expected to be shaped by several global factors. These include global economic conditions, shift in demand for skills, regional and global talent competition, sectoral shifts, and supply chain shifts. The economy is projected to recover slowly, but hiring in sectors like technology, healthcare, and finance will remain cautious due to automation and cost-cutting. Specialised skills in areas like AI, data science, and sustainability will be in high demand. Traditional engineering roles may decline, and IITs must adapt by offering courses in these emerging fields to remain globally competitive. The rise of remote work is leading to companies hiring across borders, intensifying competition for IIT graduates, who now compete with talent from around the world. The tech sector is evolving, with a focus on niche roles like AI, cybersecurity, and quantum computing, while traditional sectors such as manufacturing may slow down due to automation. The post-pandemic supply chain changes may tighten the job market for traditional engineering roles, making it necessary for graduates to pivot toward sustainable technologies and green solutions.

 

 

IITs need to revamp their curricula to focus more on inter-disciplinary studies, offering students the chance to gain expertise in emerging fields like AI, robotics, and sustainability. They should collaborate more with industries to ensure that students are being trained in skills that match the demands of the job market. This will ensure that IIT graduates remain competitive in a global context.

 

 

The Government should slow down the pace of seat expansion and conduct a thorough demand-supply analysis to understand the job market before further increasing seats. Additionally, it should work with industry leaders to create more internship and research opportunities that align with the evolving demands of the job market. 

 

 

IIT students must be more flexible in their learning and adapt to newer trends. By gaining additional skills in areas like data science, AI, and green technologies, they can better position themselves for the future. It’s crucial for them to focus not only on technical expertise but also on soft skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving across multiple disciplines. IITs, the government, and students must all play their part in adapting to the new realities of the job market, to turn things around. (The author is Dean (Commerce & Management), Gondwana University, Gadchiroli.)