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Lucrative jobs in hand, but Chandigarh graduates stare at hazy future amid Covid-19 lockdown
Most of the students, who got placed before the lockdown began, are apprehensive about their joining. Also, the looming crisis has increased the fear of offers getting revoked
Even after landing lucrative offers during campus placements, students of tricity’s educational institutes are uncertain about their future amid the Covid-19 lockdown.
Most of the students, who got placed before the lockdown began, are apprehensive about their joining. Also, the looming crisis has increased the fear of offers getting revoked.
At University Business School (UBS), Panjab University, a total 103 students have been placed in companies such as American Express, Tolaram Group, HSBC and Infosys, during the campus placement drive this year.
A 23-year-old UBS student, Parth, bagged the highest package of ₹55 lakh.
He said, “I have to join in Nigeria after my examinations, but we do not know when examinations will be conducted. A lot depends on the operation of international flights.”
Chairperson of UBS, Deepak Kapur, said, “So far no offer has been revoked by any company. The university is yet to decide on how and when to conduct the examinations.”
Over 5 lakh students are enrolled in Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh University (CU), Punjab Engineering College (PEC), Chitkara University, over 10 PU affiliated colleges and other technical institutes in the city.
Students, who are already placed, have not received the final offer letters. At PU’s University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET), around 300 students were placed this year. “Due to the lockdown, many students have not received final offer letters from the companies,” said Shagun Priya, placement coordinator at UIET.
Dheeraj Sanghi, director of Punjab Engineering College (PEC), said, “We are in touch with the companies and no withdrawal of job offers has happened so far.”
Himani Sood, director of placements at Chandigarh University, Mohali, said, “We have not stopped our placement drive. There could be deferred joining and I think few offers may even get cancelled.”
An official from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Mohali, said, “A large number of our students have received offers for research from institutions around the world. Because of the Covid-19 outbreak and the consequent measures implemented by various countries, there has been an effect on the operationalisation of many of these offers. The PhD and master’s thesis research offers received by students still stand. However, students have been informed that the start of their respective programmes may be delayed.”
Around 150 students were placed this year at Goswami Ganesh Dutta Sanatan Dharma College in Sector 32. “There would be a delayed joining of those students who have been placed. And chances are that those companies may cancel the placements, which were underway before the lockdown began,” said Kapil Dev, training and placement officer of the college.
