IIMs vie with one another to get best recruiters first

The A-B-C (Ahmedabad-Bangalore-Calcutta) of the placement coordination cell at the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) is changing.

DNA has learnt that the placement units of IIM-A, IIM-B and IIM-C, which earlier used to coordinate among themselves to make sure placement dates did not clash, now seem to be functioning independently.

After holding a series of meetings and negotiations with IIM-B and IIM-C, IIM-A has perhaps decided to go it alone as far as placements are concerned.

DNA tried to reach the authorities concerned at IIM-A but could not get confirmation or denial on the issue.

Similarly, an e-mail enquiry sent to professor Amit Dhiman of IIM-C seeking details of the issue remained unanswered. Dhiman chairs the placements committee at IIM-C.

A member of the placements committee at IIM-B, however, insisted that all IIMs have the liberty to go independently for placements.

If reports are to be believed, IIM-A’s decision to adopt a cohort-based placement system has caused the split. Placements committee members of IIM-B and IIM-C believe that IIM-A has broken the traditional way of providing placements and parted ways with them.

IIM-C’s fear that the cohort-based placement system is emerging as a differentiator for IIM-A students is also cited as one of the reasons.

Now, IIM-A is chalking out the details for the final placements for the 2011 batch in February. If the dates are different from those of IIM-B and IIM-C, then it would indicate that the dates for summer placements and final placements for 2012 batch would be different. And they may also announce the summer placement dates after February.

Experts believe the move may lead to chaos in the placements schedule, as it might trigger competition among the three IIMs to get placements done first and get the best recruiters for their students.

Besides, lack of co-ordination for placement dates might ruin opportunities for the students. They will be left with fewer options to be absorbed by the best of the recruiters according to their specialisation and merit.