A total of 265 students from the Post Graduate Diploma Management (PGDM) and Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Management (PGDCM) from the batch of 2007-09 were eligible for placements. By the end of the first phase, a total of 207 offers were made, which includes students with multiple offers. 56 of these were pre-placement offers (PPOs) made to students based on the summer internships. A few PPOs were rejected by students themselves due to the expected curb on H1B visas and location preferences. Out of the 207 offers, 33 are for international locations with assignments in US, UK, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.

A total of 49 companies visited IIM-C in the four days of Phase I while 25 companies came for recruitment during lateral process. A total of 107 companies visited the campus for hiring during the complete placement process last year. 45 pc of the students placed till now opted for finance portfolios; Consulting attracted 25 pc of the total and 23% of the visiting companies offered marketing roles.

Slot 0 companies made 89 offers including 50 Slot 0 PPOs and 39 Slot 0 final placement offers. Companies making the highest number of Slot 0 offers (PPOs and finals) are McKinsey, BCG, Frost and Sullivan, Merrill Lynch, Barclays Capital and Morgan Stanley. Firms such as Hindustan Unilever, Procter & Gamble, ITC and Nokia were among the preferred companies in Slot 0.

According to the press release, aThe compensations offered by the companies, contrary to predictions, have not fallen. Firms offering a posting similar to those offered the previous year ensured that the remuneration was competitive, and in many cases better than their previous offerings.a

Effect of the Global Recession
As with every other business school in the world, IIM Calcutta too faced an unprecedented challenge in placing its students this year. A noticeable change as compared to last time is the number of offers made (or accepted) per company. Many international firms affected by the downturn had reduced the number of offers made, while in quite a few instances, students rejected lucrative international offers to opt for more secure jobs in other firms in the same sector.

Phase II
The Final Placement week this time in IIM Calcutta was split into two phases due to the final examination of the graduating batch of students. Therefore, Phase I, consisting of the first four days (Slot 0 and Slot 1) happened on February 21-24. Phase II will commence after the examinations are done. This is scheduled to begin on March 2.