Engineering grads ‘treated like cattle’ by IT companies in Bangalore

Many IT companies in Bangalore have once begun their recruitment drive with renewed vigour. However, job aspirants, mostly new engineering graduates, are not happy with the way IT companies are treating them. Aspiring IT professionals allege they are being “treated like cattle” by IT companies, and have to endure harassment and humiliation just for an interview.

A commotion was witnessed at Richmond Town on Saturday morning, when around 300 new graduates from various parts of the country came for a walk-in interview for an IT company, Unisys Global Services.

However, only candidates who had interview call letters were allowed to appear for the interview. A Unisys Global Services official said candidates from the top 100 colleges of India were short-listed to appear for the interview. When candidates who did not have call letters tried to enter the office premises, security personnel intervened, and graduates were pushed to the road.

“I came to know about the walk-in interview at the company from a job portal. However, after reaching here, I was asked by the guards at the gate to show my call letter. Since I don’t have one, I have no option but to go back,” said Sudha P, who’s passed out from a reputed engineering college in Bangalore.

“It is quite surprising. They say it is a walk-in interview. But now, they’re asking for call letters. Why do they have to harass us like this?” added Sudha.

Several candidates said it was a humiliating experience as security guards shoved them away from the gate. Many aspirants waited in the queue — which was very long and spilled onto the road, thus blocking traffic — for several hours, before being asked to leave.

Candidates who came from far off places like Bhubaneshwar, Kolkata, Patna and Chandigarh said it was a complete waste of time, money and energy. “I have come from Bhubaneshwar for the interview. All my efforts have been wasted, as I have not been allowed to appear for the interview,” lamented Soubhik
Mahapatra, an engineering graduate.

Engineering graduates in Bangalore say that most IT companies don’t respect job-seekers. Often, IT companies book star hotels to conduct walk-in-interviews. However, only few are allowed to appear for the tests and interviews.

“Companies are on a hiring spree. They see no dearth of job aspirants, as thousands of engineering graduates from across the country are coming to Bangalore to seek jobs. These companies reject candidates at their gates,” said a professor of Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIM-B).

Candidates have demanded companies should streamline recruitment policies and adopt transparency in recruiting people.