JOIN USThe placement season has begun in Delhi University and companies have started streaming in. Students of many reputed colleges, though, are left disappointed.
Those pursuing BCom and Economics Honours mainly, are complaining that most companies are restricting themselves to SRCC (Shri Ram College of Commerce) and often not even visiting other colleges in the varsity. These are students not only from the lesser-considered South Campus but also premiere colleges of North Campus like Hindu, Hans Raj, Kirori Mal and Ramjas.
Every year, hundreds of students in DU are placed in good companies through on-campus placement drives. The courses most in demand, though, remain Bachelor of Commerce and Economics Honours. Finance companies like Deloitte, PWC, Bains and Essex, and banks like American Express, Citi, Deutsche etc. recruit these students as audit, sales operation and user operation analysts to begin with.
Students, however, say that several companies have stopped visiting colleges other than SRCC. Ishan Sharma, pursuing Economics Hons. at Hindu and president of its placement cell, says, “It’s been a few years since this trend started. We hear of companies visiting the campus from our friends in SRCC but never get to see them in our colleges. It feels bad as some of us fail to make it to SRCC by margins like 0.1 per cent. It doesn’t mean that we’re any less meritorious.”
“Also, not getting the companies in our college means that we have to apply off-campus where we compete with not just our batchmates but lakhs of other students. We are not afraid of competition, but what’s the point of making it to Hindu if you can’t be even heard once?”
The problem doesn’t end there. Himani Joshi, a student of Economics Hons. at Hans Raj College adds, “Many a time, the job profiles offered to us are not commensurate with our courses. Many big companies offer us BPO jobs and recently Google asked us to check spelling mistakes in their advertisements. How does one utilise three years of Economics Honours in doing that?”
“Besides, we have also noticed a difference in postings and packages. While SRCC students, who are interviewed first, bag Gurgaon jobs, we are given postings in Hyderabad. The salary package also comes down when big companies don’t come to your college.”
Many students say that DU’s Central Placement Cell (CPC) should become more proactive to protect their interests. Abhinav Kakkar, pursuing BCom Hons. at Ramjas and in-charge of its placement cell says, “When companies are left to themselves, they obviously head to the college with the biggest brand name, recruit students from there and finish with the placement drive.”
“CPC should be one step ahead of them. It should start central registration of all students interested in placement beforehand and present them for interviews to the companies. This way the focus stays on students and not college names, and students of South Campus, even Off-Campus colleges get a fair chance.”
The CPC is not completely oblivious of the problem. Seema Parihar, founder-chairman of the committee, says, “It’s true that companies bear a bias towards SRCC, but it’s a matter of perception and will take some time to change. I would say that companies should change their mindset and be open to recruiting from other colleges as well. It will help them in widening their own choice and acquire better quality of trainees.”