The Placement & Internship for the academic year 2023-24 was led by Nidan Ali Basheer. The primary goal was to reduce setbacks and streamline the process while able to provide career opportunities for the final and pre-final year students of the institute that fulfill their potential and aspirations while minimizing inconvenience and setbacks. By streamlining these processes, the team enabled students to focus on their preparation, thereby enhancing their performance and outcomes.
The key objectives included timely communication of schedules, reduction in bureaucratic hurdles, and support systems for students during the placement season. The types of companies and profiles coming for placements must mirror the diverse aspirations and career goals of the student body. This involves inviting companies from various sectors and ensuring a broad spectrum of job profiles. The placement team was successful in doing this despite the recession. The type of companies that opened up to the department was higher compared to last year, despite some companies withdrawing.
In light of the ongoing global recession, The rate of offers were able to be maintained if not exceed the high number of placement and internship offers from the previous years. This was done with proactive engagement with recruiters, leveraging alumni networks, and exploring emerging sectors.
One of the manifesto initiatives was to be more transparent. This includes transparent processes, equitable opportunities for all students, and continuous feedback mechanisms to improve services. They released bluebooks ,put out regular mails informing the GSB and also responding to any queries. Effective dissemination of information is critical. Utilising platforms such as DoHSS Connect & HS Intern Updates ensures that students are well-informed about opportunities and processes. Regular updates and clear communication help in reducing confusion and ensuring preparedness among students.
Nidan believes that one of the key focuses was on promoting placements as a valuable and viable path for students. The aim is to sustain and enhance the upward trend in placement numbers and ensure that the quality of offers improves continually.Throughout the year ,they actively communicated the benefits of placements to the department student body. This involves organising seminars, workshops, and alumni interactions to highlight successful career paths initiated through campus placements.
They also wanted to build upon the upward trend and aimed to increase the quantity and quality of placement offers.The department team should be a fun, collaborative, and inclusive place to work, fostering a positive work environment. This ensures high morale and productivity, which translates into better outcomes for the students.
The new Master in Arts program was started in 2023 . So, they had to start from scratch and the team assisted in laying the groundwork for the smooth integration of the new MA batch into the internships and placements process.
The outreach process was also improved and tailored to improve timeline-wise and sector allocation-wise. This included setting clear timelines for each stage of the placement process and ensuring that different sectors are adequately represented in the recruiter pool. Crafting effective pitch mails and developing comprehensive placement books were crucial for engagement with potential recruiters.
Expanding the internship database and creating an Internship Bluebook are excellent steps forward. The Bluebook provides detailed information on the types of companies that offer internships, the profiles available, and the experiences of past interns. This resource will help students make informed decisions and prepare better for their internship applications.
The team focused on enhancing Department Internship Coordination. Handling department-specific internships more effectively can significantly increase the number of opportunities available to students. Coordinating closely with companies that have been reached out to for placements can also yield internship opportunities, thus maximising the benefits of their outreach efforts.
Improving the quality of placements and internships involves not just increasing numbers but also ensuring that the roles offered are substantive and aligned with student aspirations. Enhancing the placement portal to make it more user-friendly and resource-rich can aid in this process. This includes adding features for personalized job recommendations, interview preparation resources, and feedback mechanisms.
Exploring new industry trends and sectors is essential in the current economic climate. The team identified emerging industries and proactively reaching out to companies in these fields can open up new avenues for students which were not open in past years.
These are some of the statistics that are taken from the department placement and intern reports which were sent in mail to the students of the department. The Department of Humanities and Social Sciences (DoHSS) saw a significant increase in internship and placement opportunities for students in the 2023-24 academic year. Here are the key highlights:
Second-year student internships: A 350% increase in offers, including the highest number of day 1 offers (4) in the department’s history.
Full-time offers: The joint-highest number of full-time offers (16) ever offered to graduating students, including the department’s first-ever on-campus PPO.
Increased profile diversity: A 50% and 20% increase in internship and placement profiles offered, respectively, with new sectors like publishing and marketing participating.
Enhanced internship support: The department team revived the HS Intern WhatsApp group and kept the DoHSS Connect LinkedIn group active for off-campus opportunities.
Department Placements :The department placement process was conducted by the dept.team through the even semester. Despite many companies backing out due to the recession, this year saw a record-breaking nine offers being made to the students including the highest-ever CTC offered in department placements.
Overall, these statistics showcase a successful year for DoHSS placements and internships, with a focus on expanding opportunities and supporting students in their career aspirations.
The Placement & Internship Cell for 2024-25 is poised to build on the solid foundation laid by Nidan Ali Basheer and his team. By focusing on improving outreach, increasing internship opportunities, enhancing information dissemination, and engaging with new sectors,They were able to maintain and enhance the high standards of placements and internships at our institute. The department team will continue to foster a collaborative and supportive environment, ensuring that all students have the resources and opportunities to achieve their career aspirations. The team also actively looked for off-campus opportunities for the students. By and large, the Placement Core for 2023-24 has done a good job, and Article 19 wishes the upcoming Placement team the best of luck for their tenure.
Article 19 