Campus Hiring Rebounds at Top IITs
Early placements for the 2025-26 academic year at premier Indian Institutes of Technology are displaying encouraging signs, bucking recent trends with modest improvements in hiring numbers and compensation. This uptick is attributed to more strategic campus planning and a gradual resurgence in recruiter confidence, particularly for roles involving technology, data analytics, and artificial intelligence.
Modest Gains, Growing Sentiment
While not a dramatic surge, campuses report an increase in job offers, especially pre-placement offers (PPOs). Recruiter participation has widened, welcoming new companies alongside established firms. Compensation packages are also showing stronger trends, contributing to a more optimistic outlook across these institutes.
IIT-BHU Leads the Pack
IIT-Banaras Hindu University (BHU) reported a nearly 7% rise in job offers during its first placement phase, which concluded in December. The average salary saw a significant 20% increase, climbing to ₹29.45 lakh per annum from ₹24.29 lakh last year. IIT Kanpur observed a 4% growth in placed students, while IIT Roorkee recorded an increase of over 5.5%.
Diverse Recruiters, Emerging Roles
The number of visiting companies at IIT-BHU jumped approximately 8.1%. Notable first-time recruiters like FloQast, Glean, BNP Paribas, and NatWest Group were active, focusing on data-driven technologies, banking, fintech, and product development. Sushant Kumar Shrivastava, coordinator of IIT-BHU's training and placement cell, stated that Phase 1 saw offers increase from 1,029 last year to 1,100 this year.
Tech Skills in High Demand
Hiring activity was most vigorous in software development, machine learning, data analysis, and business analyst positions. This reflects a strong industry requirement for advanced technical proficiencies. Major companies recruiting included Google, HCL Technologies, Amazon, Oracle, Goldman Sachs, and JP Morgan, alongside others like Graviton Research, Databricks, MasterCard, L&T Construction, Navi, and Qualcomm.
IIT Kanpur also saw over 15 new companies participating, with key recruiters such as Accenture Solutions, BlackRock, Deutsche Bank, Genpact, ICICI Bank, Meesho, and SquarePoint Capital. The trend underscores a clear industry push towards specialized technical and analytical talent.