Mumbai: IITs set to start virtual interviews in first phase of placements from Dec 1

The first phase of placements, to be held virtually, across IITs commences on December 1 and continues for a week or two depending on registration of companies and students opting for placements.

Virtual interviews, written exams and group discussions will replace the in-person interviews at the much-awaited placements in the premier Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) that kick off on December 1. Most institutes have already finished training their students in advance to ease into the virtual-mode in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic this year.

Over 1,700 students from various programmes of Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay will seek employment through the placement drive this year. (HT File Photo)

“The format of interviewing will be through online software via video conferencing and in some cases telephonically,” said BV Ravishankar, training and placement officer, IIT-Bombay. Over 1,700 students from various programmes of the institute will seek employment through the placement drive this year. Most other IITs confirmed to HT that their placements will be done online this year in the interest of health and safety of students.

HT has previously reported the surge in pre-placement offers (PPOs) across IITs compared to 2019. Earlier this month, most IITs had managed to bypass the total PPOs received last year, bringing cheer and hope to students in general. “This entire virtual interview concept is new and while our placement cell has encouraged us to attend virtual workshops to understand the concept, we’ll know more only once the interviews begin. Most of us are anxious about it,” said a final-year BTech student of IIT-Bombay.

This year too, students are expecting annual packages for domestic as well as international job offers to match up to previous few years.