Students Now Prefer Campus Jobs Over US Plans

For years, going to the US for higher studies was seen as the biggest career goal for many engineering students. But that trend appears to be changing. With uncertainty around US visa rules and the overseas job market, more students are now looking at campus placements as a safer option.

Many engineering students who earlier planned to spend lakhs on an MS in the US are now thinking twice. Instead of taking the risk of going abroad and struggling to find a job, they are choosing to get placed through campus recruitment and gain work experience in India.

Engineering colleges are also seeing increased interest in campus placements. Many students are registering for recruitment drives much earlier than before, while colleges are preparing them for interviews from the second year itself.

However, the situation on the recruitment side is not very encouraging. Colleges say the number of companies visiting campuses has been falling over the past three years. While 50 to 80 companies reportedly used to visit some colleges for recruitment, the number has now come down to around 20 to 30 in many cases.

There is another concern too. Some companies reportedly select students and issue offer letters but delay their joining for months. Similar issues have also been seen at premier institutes, where several companies have reportedly faced action over delays in joining.

The changing situation in the US is one of the major reasons students are reconsidering their plans. Tougher visa rules and uncertainty over jobs are making students more cautious about spending huge amounts on overseas education.

Some students now prefer to work in India for two or three years, gain experience and then decide whether to move abroad. Even if the initial salary in India is lower, many feel that having a stable job and experience first is a safer approach.

The shift does not mean students have completely given up on foreign education. But for now, getting a campus job and building a career in India appears to be gaining more importance among engineering students.