The Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur has kicked off the 2025-26 placement season with remarkable success, with five of its students already securing annual pay packages that have crossed the coveted Rs 2 crore mark. The first phase of the recruitment drive, which commenced on December 1, has seen an impressive start, setting a high benchmark for engineering placements in the country.
Record-Breaking Offers and Aggressive Recruitment
The highest domestic pay package offered so far stands at a staggering Rs 2.5 crore per annum. Alongside the five offers above Rs 2 crore, another seven students have received offers ranging between Rs 1 crore and Rs 2 crore per year. The institute demonstrated exceptional momentum by achieving the fastest 1,000 job offers among all IITs early on the second day of the drive. By the third day, Wednesday, the total number of offers had climbed to 1,170, which included 10 international offers.
The international opportunities are spread across the globe, with five offers originating from Japan, two from Dubai, and one each from Europe, London, and Singapore. More than 3,000 students from undergraduate (BTech & Dual Degree), postgraduate (MTech & MS), and PhD programmes across various departments registered for this placement season. The first phase is scheduled to continue until December 12.
The Shift Towards Specialised and Core Engineering Roles
A significant trend observed this year is the aggressive hiring by High-Frequency Trading (HFT) firms and quantitative research organisations. These entities have been the most prominent recruiters, offering top-tier compensation for roles demanding advanced mathematical and algorithmic skills. There is also a marked surge in demand for DeepTech profiles, particularly in areas like semiconductor design, AI infrastructure, and advanced computing.
Simultaneously, core engineering sectors have shown renewed vigour. Industries such as energy, aerospace, ocean and naval architecture, and automotive are actively offering competitive Research & Development roles that now rival traditional technology packages in terms of remuneration. This balanced approach was a deliberate strategy by the institute's Career Development Centre (CDC).
Professor Sanjay Gupta, a Mechanical Engineering professor and Chairman of the CDC, who assumed his role in August 2025, stated, "We focused on inviting eminent recruiters from the core engineering sector, alongside leaders from finance, consulting, and analytics. We renewed our emphasis on core engineering jobs and highlighted to students the importance of balancing salary packages with professional fulfilment and sustainable career growth. This has opened doors for students to choose valuable careers in diverse fields."
Pre-Placement Offers and Diverse Recruiter Pool
A notable highlight of this placement season is the substantial number of students who entered the process with Pre-Placement Offers (PPOs) secured during their summer internships. This reflects a growing preference among companies to hire talent they have already evaluated through practical work engagements. One of the premium offers was made to a student who had a PPO.
The recruitment process features a stellar line-up of companies from across the spectrum. According to a student, notable participants include:
- Technology & Product: Apple, Google, Microsoft, Qualcomm, Nvidia, Amazon, Samsung, Databricks, Postman.
- Finance & Consulting: Goldman Sachs, JPMC, Standard Chartered, Edelweiss, American Express, BlackRock, Deloitte US, Accenture.
- Core Engineering & Manufacturing: Airbus, Boeing, Mercedes, Siemens, Caterpillar Inc, Texas Instruments, Schlumberger Limited, Denso, Bajaj, ITC.
- Emerging Startups: Early growth-stage startups like Graviton and Harness are also actively seeking candidates for specialised technical roles.
This diverse recruiter pool underscores the broadening landscape of opportunities for IIT graduates, where cutting-edge finance, deep technology, and traditional core engineering are all vying for top talent with highly attractive compensation packages.
