Why hybrid hiring & placements are becoming the new norm at Indian top institutes like IITs and IIMs
Leading colleges and B-schools in India, including the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institute of Management (IIM), have embraced hybrid hiring in the post-Covid era. These institutes, which had to switch to fully online hiring during the pandemic, are now offering both online and offline recruitment options to hiring companies, according to an ET report.
Despite the return to normalcy after Covid-19, IITs in Delhi, Bombay, Roorkee, Kharagpur, Kanpur, and IIMs in Ahmedabad, Indore, and Kozhikode have decided to keep the online recruitment option open, placement sources at these colleges said. This move benefits recruiters who save time and travel costs by opting for the online mode. Additionally, institutes located in remote areas now have equal opportunities compared to those in central locations like Delhi, Bombay, and Bengaluru.
“Online hiring is preferred, especially for institutes in difficult locations. It is also preferred by recruiters in case of exigency and sometimes it is just convenient,” said Himanshu Rai, director of IIM Indore. Rai added that the impact of Covid-19 has led reputable institutions to transition their infrastructure into a virtual environment for activities such as hiring and teaching.
Apart from convenience and preference, a mixed approach to hiring has proven beneficial in certain situations. For instance, IIT Madras faced disruptions in the past due to heavy rains and floods, while IIT Guwahati and IIM Shillong were impacted by the unrest caused by the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in 2019. In such cases, a combination of online and offline hiring ensures a smooth recruitment process.
Hybrid hiring has emerged as a practical solution for top Indian institutes, allowing recruiters to choose the mode that best suits their needs while providing equal opportunities to students across locations.
While a few recruiters were already hiring online before the pandemic, the number has significantly increased across IIMs and IITs.
Companies have become comfortable with online hiring, and it has become a behavioral preference, says Debashis Chatterjee, director of IIM Kozhikode.
However, companies seriously invested in hiring talent prioritize face-to-face interactions for in-depth evaluations.
At IIT Roorkee, about 20% of recruiters now prefer online hiring compared to 5-10% before the pandemic, says Ashish Singh, member, placement and internship cell. However, recruiters offering higher packages still prefer in-person conversations to better assess candidates, he says.
Despite the return to normalcy after Covid-19, IITs in Delhi, Bombay, Roorkee, Kharagpur, Kanpur, and IIMs in Ahmedabad, Indore, and Kozhikode have decided to keep the online recruitment option open, placement sources at these colleges said. This move benefits recruiters who save time and travel costs by opting for the online mode. Additionally, institutes located in remote areas now have equal opportunities compared to those in central locations like Delhi, Bombay, and Bengaluru.
“Online hiring is preferred, especially for institutes in difficult locations. It is also preferred by recruiters in case of exigency and sometimes it is just convenient,” said Himanshu Rai, director of IIM Indore. Rai added that the impact of Covid-19 has led reputable institutions to transition their infrastructure into a virtual environment for activities such as hiring and teaching.
Apart from convenience and preference, a mixed approach to hiring has proven beneficial in certain situations. For instance, IIT Madras faced disruptions in the past due to heavy rains and floods, while IIT Guwahati and IIM Shillong were impacted by the unrest caused by the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in 2019. In such cases, a combination of online and offline hiring ensures a smooth recruitment process.
Hybrid hiring has emerged as a practical solution for top Indian institutes, allowing recruiters to choose the mode that best suits their needs while providing equal opportunities to students across locations.
While a few recruiters were already hiring online before the pandemic, the number has significantly increased across IIMs and IITs.
Companies have become comfortable with online hiring, and it has become a behavioral preference, says Debashis Chatterjee, director of IIM Kozhikode.
However, companies seriously invested in hiring talent prioritize face-to-face interactions for in-depth evaluations.
At IIT Roorkee, about 20% of recruiters now prefer online hiring compared to 5-10% before the pandemic, says Ashish Singh, member, placement and internship cell. However, recruiters offering higher packages still prefer in-person conversations to better assess candidates, he says.