Fourth-year engineering students at the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, have a tough choice to make when they reach in their fifth semester. They have to choose between a
recommendation letter for higher
studies and a placement. It is not a simple choice if you know the riders with each. ICT is possibly the only engineering college in India
which provides such an option.

According to Prof. Virendra
Rathod from the Department of Chemical
Engineering, the choice between a recommendation letter for higher studies and a placement, is given to offer ICT students a plethora of directions once they
pass out. Explaining the process
in simple terms, he said, “As a policy, we cannot provide students with both the choices. They
need to inform us at the beginning
of their fourth year and sign an undertaking”. He further adds,
“Students are segregated in the two groups in their final year and by signing the undertaking they
agree not to interfere with the
other group”.

Students have their own reasoning while choosing
between the two. PaGaLGuY spoke to a cross section of them and those who opted for the letter say that ICT’s
Letter of Recommendation helps them in getting better mentors for their higher studies.

On the
other hand, Akshara Tarkas, a B.Tech student said, placements are preferred by those who want to start working and
be independent.

Generally, students are not
allowed to cross over from one option to the other. But if a student is not content with the offered job
profiles or is rejected by Universities then a
detailed application stating ‘why’ to the
college will allow him to choose
the other option.