BITS Pilani’s Clarification On Viral Placement Mail To Alumni
V Ramgopal Rao, the vice chancellor of BITS Pilani, issued a clarification regarding a viral email from the institute”s Dean of Alumni Relations seeking assistance from alumni for student placements. Rao emphasized that such outreach to alumni for placement support is a standard practice for esteemed institutions like BITS Pilani and IITs.
Addressing the email”s widespread interpretation, Rao stressed that leveraging the alumni network for placements is essential to enhance job opportunities for students. He highlighted the positive response received from alumni following the Dean”s outreach, with many expressing willingness to assist.
Additionally, Rao highlighted BITS Pilani”s proactive efforts in facilitating placement opportunities for students, including hosting a startup week to encourage well-funded startups to recruit from the institute. He underscored BITS Pilani”s strong alumni presence in leadership positions across global corporations, indicating the valuable resources available for student placement initiatives.
Rao concluded by affirming that institutions failing to tap into their alumni networks for placements may be overlooking a crucial resource. He urged stakeholders to perceive such communications from BITS Pilani as routine engagement aimed at enhancing placement prospects for students.
After IIM Lucknow, BITS Pilani was seeking alumni groups assistance for recruitment opportunities to their unplaced students. Arya Kumar, the Dean, Alumni Relations in their message requested the alumni to help place their students in this situation of industry downturn.
BITS Pilani in their message wrote: “You are well aware of the current industry downturn and its effect on the businesses and prospective hiring. The global economy has not experienced this kind of slump since decades. The technology sector is radically impacted, with around 4 Lakhs employees being laid off globally since January 2022. This global uncertainty has a cascading effect with a funding winter setting in, resulting in cost-cutting in small and large businesses alike, with hiring being affected at all levels, including the campus level.”
The institute added that even in the middle of business adversities, BITS Pilani has remained strong, with closing placement statistics for the academic year 2022-23 secured 89.2% for Indian Campuses. However, the hiring slowdown has only deepened and added that even though placement teams are working for their best, the support from the alumni would be appreciated to “tide through the current crisis.”
Sharing the post on X, Ravi Handa, a user wrote: “First IIM Lucknow, now BITS Pilani asking alumni to help out with placements. This is the first time I am seeing such groveling after 2008.”
First IIM Lucknow, now BITS Pilani asking alumni to help out with placements.
This is the first time I am seeing such groveling after 2008.
“help them tide through current crisis”
“gentle request to please keep this in mind”
“Thanking you very much in advance” pic.twitter.com/TI27X7THk6
— Ravi Handa (@ravihanda) February 22, 2024
