Campus placements decline: Engineering graduates face tough job market

Campus placements in engineering colleges across the country are witnessing a sharp decline, raising concerns among students and parents alike. Even computer science and information science graduates—traditionally considered in high demand—are struggling to secure jobs, casting doubts on the assumption that these degrees guarantee employment.

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According to placement reports, recruitment in engineering campuses for the 2024–25 graduating batch has dropped significantly. Only about 40% of students secured jobs in 2024, and early indications suggest the 2025 batch may face similar challenges. Experts say this downward trend has slowed admissions for the 2025–26 academic year as well.

Reduced hiring by large IT firms

The fall in placements is being attributed to reduced hiring by large IT firms, which previously absorbed a major share of engineering graduates. Instead of traditional campus drives, companies are increasingly shifting toward coding competitions and online recruitment processes. As a result, the number of recruiters visiting campuses has declined, making placements highly competitive.

Adding to the challenge, saturation in computer-related disciplines is limiting opportunities. While smaller firms in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and data science are hiring, the scale is too small to absorb the growing pool of graduates.

This mismatch between college promises and industry reality has left many students jobless or settling for low-paying call center roles. Experts warn that unless hiring patterns improve, engineering graduates will continue to face an uncertain job market.