Amid news of job cuts by multinational companies globally and in India, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras has said that "it is not facing any dip in placements". The placement trend "has been good" with top companies including MNCs coming for recruitment, Professor V Kamakoti, the Director of the premier institute, told NDTV.
Mr Kamakoti, however, added that students inside the campus are being encouraged to launch their own start-ups or to take up jobs in companies formed on campus than depending on multinational companies. "This way our intellectual property and our development will be owned by us, everything will be within our shores. The IP is going to be extremely important," he said.
He added, "The sixth largest recruitment this time is our own start-up".
IIT Madras is ranked number one in India.
The premier institute, however, has witnessed incidents of student suicides - three deaths on and off campus - this year alone. These incidents have "shattered" the campus, the Director of the institute said, blaming student suicides on COVID denting socialising among students.
"Two batches of our M Tech students have got their degrees without visiting the campus. The lack of socialising and backlogs during the online phase of learning from remote areas over weak internet are responsible. Its a huge eye opener for us", he said.
IIT Madras has taken various initiatives including a "Be Happy" website that aims to evolve a stress free campus and "Kushal meetings with faculty" to develop a positive attitude among students. Various schemes are also on the cards as part of this. "We are reaching out as much as possible. We hope this will bear result" he said.
Though IIT aspirants largely take coaching from private centres to crack the tough joint entrance examinations, a section of successful candidates find it difficult to cope with the demands and pressures after securing admission.
Recently, a 32-year-old PhD Research scholar, died by suicide in his room outside the campus. Hours before he was found hanging in his room, the student had posted a WhatsApp status saying "Sorry, I am not good enough".
Earlier this year, a third-year BTech student and a research scholar died by suicide at the IIT campus in Chennai.