85% engineering, 74% B-School students graduating this year remain unplaced: Survey

Around 85 per cent of engineering students and 74 per cent of business school students graduating this year remain unplaced, according to a survey by hiring platform Unstop.

Undergraduate students face the steepest challenge, with 84 per cent unplaced and the highest offer disruption rate of 17 per cent. The report underscores that this is not a cyclical slowdown but a structural gap, where employer demand and student access to opportunities remain deeply misaligned.

The report noted that placement remains low despite strong hiring intent among employers, with 88 per cent of organisations actively in hiring mode. This indicates a stark disconnect at the ground level.

The ‘Unstop Talent Report 2026’, based on a survey conducted during January-February 2026, covering over 37,000 students and 500 HR leaders across industries, points to shifting trends in job discovery among students.

Nearly 95 per cent of students are open to off-campus opportunities if better roles are available, signalling a move beyond traditional campus placement pipelines. At the same time, significant disparities remain across institutions.

Students at campuses where over 150 companies visit annually are nearly 2.9 times more likely to secure placements, compared to campuses with fewer than 30 recruiters.

The report also underscores growing disconnect in early-career hiring. As per the survey, 78 per cent of companies in India now run internship programmes, but only 16 per cent convert a majority of interns into full-time roles.

Beyond employer preferences, the report highlights how GenZ professionals are redefining workplace expectations. When choosing their first job, learning opportunities emerge as the strongest motivator for GenZ, with 60-65 per cent of respondents prioritising learning and skill development. This is followed by salary considerations at 11-13 per cent.

The findings also show that transparent pay and clear career progression are critical expectations, with nearly 27 per cent of candidates dropping out of hiring processes due to a lack of salary transparency.

“GenZ is entering the workforce with a very different set of expectations compared to previous generations. They value transparency, learning opportunities, and meaningful growth over traditional markers of employment,” said Ankit Aggarwal, Founder and CEO of Unstop.

The report also highlights challenges around early career retention. HR leaders cite higher studies (38 per cent), better pay (30 per cent), job-role mismatch (23 per cent), and better company brands (22 per cent) as the leading reasons for early attrition. Additionally, around 26 per cent of freshers remain on bench for 3-6 months before receiving meaningful work, increasing the likelihood of early job switches.