IITs Rethinking Campus Placements? What Students and Faculty Say

Some IIT professors argue that Indian students are conditioned to expect job placements from their colleges, unlike their Western counterparts, who are encouraged to achieve financial independence early on. As Mr Lakshmi Narayan points out, in India, the expectation of campus placements is a natural outcome of paying tuition fees, reflecting a broader cultural norm that values guaranteed returns on substantial investments.

Mr. Ramasubramanian, an assistant professor at IIT Delhi, notes that cultural differences significantly influence policies in premier institutions like IITs. In Western countries, parents support their children's independence and career self-sufficiency. As a result, adopting Western career service models in India might not be practical due to differing societal attitudes.

The 'Western Model' of career services involves universities supporting resume building, job search processes, and organising job fairs without guaranteeing placements. Students are expected to secure their employment through these resources independently.

Experts argue that applying Western models to Indian institutions without considering local societal contexts could be problematic. However, understanding these contexts can enlighten and empower us to make more effective decisions. Prof. Ajay Saini of IIT Delhi emphasises that factors such as caste, class, gender, and socioeconomic background significantly affect students' access to quality education and job opportunities.

Due to these structural inequalities, marginalised students may face additional challenges in securing prestigious jobs. Therefore, the urgency and importance of adapting Western practices to India's specific social dynamics must be considered. Additionally, the disparity between the number of job aspirants and available opportunities must be considered.