IITs Grapple with Job Placement Woes as 38% of Students Remain Unemployed: Reports

The prestigious Indian institutes of Technology (IITs) students are facing job challenges for this academic year, causing confusion and stress among students. As per the data gained through Right to Information (RTI) requests by IIT Kanpur alumnus Dheeraj Singh shows that about 8,000 IIT students, or 38 percent across 23 campuses, are still looking for jobs this year.

In 2024, out of the 21,500 students who applied for placements, only 13,410 have gotten jobs, leaving 38 percent still searching—a sharp increase from two years ago when 3,400 students, or 19 percent, remained unplaced. The original nine IITs are particularly affected, with 16,400 students registered for placements this year and 6,050 (37 percent) still jobless. The newer 14 IITs are in an even tougher situation, with 2,040 (40 percent) of 5,100 registered students still unplaced.

Dheeraj Singh pointed out on LinkedIn that "33% of students at IIT Kharagpur didn't secure jobs through placements last year. Unplaced students are facing considerable stress, anxiety, and hopelessness due to the challenging job placement situation," he stated. Adding to the problem, IIT Delhi has observed 22 percent of its students being unplaced over the past five years, with 40 percent still jobless in 2024. "As per the RTI response, 600 students were unplaced at IIT Delhi in the last two years," Singh mentioned.

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The data shows a worrying trend: from 2022 to 2024, the number of registered students at the older nine IITs grew by 1.2 times, while the number of unplaced students increased by 2.1 times. In the newer 14 IITs, the number of registered students climbed by 1.3 times, but unplaced students surged by 3.8 times. This crisis is having a severe impact on students' mental health, with six IIT students having died by suicide this year, indicating the intense stress and anxiety many are enduring.

"The doubling of unplaced students reveals a precarious situation in our top engineering schools. Approximately 61% of postgraduates are still unplaced. This unprecedented job crisis is affecting our leading colleges and young graduates significantly," Singh stressed.

In response to this crisis, IITs are reaching out to their alumni networks for assistance. IIT Delhi has requested its alumni to help place current students or refer them to companies in need of engineers. "On behalf of the Office of Career Services (OCS) at IIT Delhi, we urge you to consider supporting our students. Your help will be greatly appreciated and will play a crucial role in guiding these students as they start their careers," the institute reportedly mentioned.

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Similarly, IIT Bombay has contacted its alumni for support. While placements are ongoing and will continue until the end of June, about 10% of the batch, or around 250 candidates, are yet to find employment. Last year, 329 candidates remained unplaced, with 171 from the class of 2022. The Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) has also reached out to its alumni network, as have many other institutions. V Ramgopal Rao, Vice-Chancellor of BITS Group, remarked, "Placements in general have seen a decline of 20% to 30%. Even if an institute claims full placement, the quality of jobs offered may not meet expectations. This year marks the emergence of ChatGPT and other large language models, influencing hiring practices. With the capabilities of two individuals now consolidated into one, there is a noticeable drop in hiring demand. Overhiring has been prevalent, and with several countries holding elections this year, companies are taking a cautious approach."