Lakhs of students across India dream of getting a seat in the top engineering colleges. For these students and their parents getting into a good college which provides campus placements often signifies that the future of the student is completely secured. However, the reality of campus placements is very different.
Campus placements are often talked about but very few people know what happens behind the scenes. How the companies hire engineers and what they look for is not transparent and leaves uncertainty in the minds of many students who are not selected.
In this article, we are cutting through the noise and bringing you the truth about how campus placements work, what companies actually want, and how the rules of career success differs in the AI age.
- Campus Placements Don’t Guarantee Jobs
It’s a common belief that once you get into a good college, the job will follow. But the uncomfortable truth is that campus placements are not a job guarantee. Even in some of the best-known colleges, a large percentage of students either don't get placed or end up with roles that have little to do with what they studied. Why does this happen? Because most colleges are still stuck in a decades-old model of education. Their curriculum is theory-based, light on practical skills, and completely disconnected from the demands of today’s tech industry.
Even if the colleges provide adequate updated curriculum and hands-on learning, there are various circumstances that affect campus placements. For example, according to recent placement trends[1], there has been a cut in hiring of freshers by recruiters because of factors like global geopolitical turmoil and market volatility which are lowering the business growth.
- Companies Want Skills, Not Just Degrees
Big tech companies aren’t impressed by just a BTech certificate anymore. They want professionals who can build, problem-solve and work with new-age tech tools from the very get-go. Recruiters look for hands-on experience in modern tools and technologies like cloud computing, data analytics and machine learning. One of the biggest issues with campus placements is the mismatch between university curriculums and industry requirements.
Whether you're a Btech student aiming for a role in AI, data science, full-stack development, or cloud engineering,employers want proof of skills. And sadly, most students in India today graduate with a degree, but no portfolio, no project experience, and no idea how to showcase their skills and talents.
- Being Job-Ready Is More Than Just Good Grades
Getting a high CGPA might get your resume shortlisted, but that’s no longer enough. Today’s hiring process involves coding tests, technical interviews, group discussions, and problem-solving rounds. Recruiters are evaluating your communication skills, creativity, teamwork, and adaptability. Hence, students require much more than just textbook knowledge.
Yet, most colleges still treat grades as the only goal. There’s minimal focus on confidence building, job interview preparation, or soft skills which are essentials for cracking these interviews. Students are left to figure things out on their own and navigate this shift from students to professionals.
Students today also lack visibility and personal branding. They might have amazing grades but struggle with showing proof of work like coding experience, apps built and deployed and internships. This makes it difficult even for capable students to get hired.
- Lack of Mentorship Leaves Students Directionless
One of the biggest silent problems in traditional engineering colleges is thelack of quality mentorship. At traditional colleges, students sit through long lectures, take notes, and study for exams but few ever get personal career guidance.
They don’t know how to choose between product roles and research, or between working for a startup vs. a big company. Many students don’t even realize the kinds of tech jobs that exist in AI, machine learning, cloud, and data science in today’s age until it’s too late.
- Most Engineers in India Remain Unemployed
According to a report by Unstop[2],around 46% of B-school engineering graduates in India are unemployed or without internship offers. Many students seeing this either accept jobs outside their field or settle for low-paying roles that don’t match their potential.
This isn’t because Indian students aren’t talented. It’s because the system isn’t preparing them for the world they’re entering. With AI evolving at lightning speed, the tech landscape is transforming too and the gap between what is taught in colleges and the expertise required for jobs in the real world is becoming fatal.
How Mirai is making a real difference.
Mirai School of Technology’s AI-first Btech degree program is built to be future-first. It’s more than just another engineering college, it’s a launchpad for tomorrow’s tech innovators.
Students here start learning, building and experimenting with AI from day one. They create AI-powered apps, dashboards, and real-time systems instead of mere text book-based assignments. Therefore, by the time placements arrive, their GitHub profiles, deployed projects and AI projects, and hackathons awards do the talking for them.
Here, job-readiness is a mindset, built into the students. They learn to build andtalkabout what they project. They collaborate on real projects, give presentations, write articles, and take part in sprints and international hackathons. So, when they walk into campus placement rounds, they already feel like professionals and not just students hoping to get lucky.
Students at Mirai are guided by mentors fromglobal tech companies like Google, Amazon, and leading startups. These mentors act as personal guides, career coaches, and industry insiders who help students discover where they can shine and how to get there.
Want to be job-ready for a career in AI? Admissions are open at Mirai School of technology. Secure your sear and build your AI-powered future.
