IIT Kanpur faced a notably difficult placement season for the academic year 2023-24, experiencing a 12 percent decline in overall placements compared to the previous year. This downturn was particularly pronounced in international job offers, which saw a significant reduction despite a rise in Pre-Placement Offers (PPOs). The institution's placement figures fell from 1,215 out of 1,382 registered students in 2022-23 to 1,096 out of 1,448 students in the current year, resulting in an overall placement rate of 76 percent.
While the PPOs increased by 6 percent, with 66 companies extending 220 offers this year compared to 60 companies offering 208 PPOs last year, the overall hiring rates were impacted by global economic conditions and automation trends. The hybrid placement drive, conducted in two phases from December 2023 to January 2024, involved 481 organizations but still needed to fully mitigate the lower placement rates.
Undergraduate programs at IIT Kanpur had a better placement rate, with 81 percent of students securing jobs, while postgraduate programs saw a placement rate of 68 percent. Many graduating students chose higher education or entrepreneurship over traditional placements, reflecting a shift in career preferences.
A significant drop was observed in international job offers, with only 22 offers this year compared to 81 in the previous year, of which 73 were accepted. This sharp decline highlights the impact of the global economic slowdown on international recruitment.
Department-wise, Computer Science Engineering (CSE) students had the highest placement rate at 87 percent, though this was down from 95 percent last year. No department achieved a 100 percent placement rate this year, unlike the previous year when three departments had full placement rates.
Top recruiters included Goldman Sachs, Deutsche India, EXL, Google, Futures First, Microsoft India, Oracle India, Tata Projects, BPCL, Navi, Qualcomm, Jaguar Land Rover India, Reliance Industries, Prutor, and Texas Instruments. Despite the involvement of major companies, the overall placement figures were affected by the prevailing economic conditions.
The challenging placement season at IIT Kanpur reflects broader trends affecting many leading institutions due to the global economic slowdown and increased automation. The rise in PPOs and the efforts of the Students' Placement Office highlight the institute's commitment to providing opportunities amidst these difficulties.
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