The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ranchi is banking on its current batch profile, comprising a majority of experienced candidates, to tide over the slowdown in hiring this year.

According to M.J. Xavier, Director, IIM-Ranchi, nearly 44 (approximately 65 per cent) of its batch of 67 students heading for campus recruitments this year have prior work experience. These students are eligible for lateral placements offered to management graduates with prior work experience.

Better offers

This is the second batch to graduate from the three-year old institute. Its first batch (2010-12) had 44 students, nearly half of whom had work experience.

“This is a tough year as far as recruitments are concerned. However, candidates having prior work experience are getting lateral offers and are, in fact, better placed when compared to a fresher,” Xavier told Business Line .

The average work experience duration for the current batch ranges between 12 months to more than 36 months, he said.

Corporate engagement

IIM-Ranchi has been undertaking several corporate engagement programmes, including an HR Conclave, apart from getting in touch with corporates from diverse sectors to ensure smooth placements for its increased batch of students this year.

The institute has received good response from financial sector companies, particularly banks. IIM-Ranchi, Xavier said, has been approached for roles in corporate as well as retail banking and in credit research too.

The institute is also focusing on emerging areas such as the KPO (knowledge process outsourcing) to facilitate campus recruitment.

“Apart from the traditional sectors such as finance and consulting, we are targeting the KPO segment. We feel our students have an edge in business analytics and this will be an advantage in KPO firms,” he said.

>shobha.roy@thehindu.co.in

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