Campus Drive @ Sri Indu
The campus of Sri Indu College of Engineering and Technology was screaming with huge banners, cut outs and everyone craned for a view. The huge banner welcoming the delegates for campus drive was towering above all. Companies like Gen Pact, Mahindra Satyam, GE Money, Dell and Bloom Soft Technologies were to grace Sri Indu campus. The campus was spruced up and shamianas were put up as large a number of students were expected to turn up. The ‘Campus’ Drive was on for two days i.e. on 25th and 26th of March 2010. All the 4th year students turned up in droves and were busy seen preparing for the tests and interviews. The companies pulled up one by one. The first company was Bloom Soft Technologies, Lakdi Ka Pul. They arranged a written test for thirty minutes having a total of 25 questions, 15 from maths and 10 from C language. The consultancy which conducted the exam was the “Peoples’ Connect” Consultancy.
Many people were seen dejected and strolling about the campus and when inquired, poured out their woes. “I had come for the campus drive at Sri Indu College after seeing the paper ad in the vernacular daily Eenadu. The news was false as it was an On-Campus drive and outsiders were not allowed. We came to know about it only after coming to the campus”, said Mr Naveen Kumar, an Osmania University PG College student. Many students like him were very angry and approached the management, who then apologized for the misinterpretation in the newspaper, especially the placement Officer, Mr. Murthy.
Students Preparing for the Rounds. Credit: PEarl RIve
The Vernacular Daily advertised that a Job Mela was to be held and gave a complete list of companies which did not highlight that a majority of them were only BPOs. Only Bloom Soft Company was IT related and the others were BPOs. Around 500 students were present for the written round for about 30 minutes. The written round started around 10 A.M in the morning and ended at 12 noon. There were 25 questions, 10 from Maths and 15 from C language. “The paper was quite easy and I managed to solve all the bits. But I am not sure about qualifying etc. The company expects us to give a bond for 1 year which I am not ready to. The company was established only in 2009 and our future prospects there sound quite bleak. It is better we avoid such companies and go for the better known ones”, says Manoj Sheetal, a fourth year IT student of Sri Indu College of Engineering and Technology.
Display of the selected candidates for technical round. Credit: Pearl Rive
It was rumored that there was malpractice and many students were disqualified. Out of 500 only 59 were shortlisted for the next round namely HR interview. It was basically a test on the language abilities of the student. It was in the afternoon session. The technical round was to be held the next day. Only Bloom Soft Technologies had their rounds on the 25th and the other companies were expected on 26th.
The other leading BPO companies selected students through the same consultant namely, Peoples’ Connect. They conducted the next round for 70 students. Only 30 were shortlisted but majority did not want to take up the offer. The Company offered only Rs. 7000/- during training period and promised to pay Rs. 10,000/- to Rs. 15,000/- if they are absorbed into company. The bond was to be written immediately by 27th . A sum of Rs. 30,000/- had to be paid or original certificates were to be submitted. Many students feared that the original certificates will not be returned till the bond period was over; hence there was no chance of taking up fresh and more lucrative offers elsewhere during that period.
The Final list. Credit: Pearl Rive
On 26th morning, not many turned up when compared to the previous day. Top companies like Dell, GENPACT, GE Money and Mahindra Satyam all turned up the next day for recruiting students into their BPOs. Tech Support recruited students for all the BPOs in the morning. A JAM session was conducted for 6 students at a time. They had their Personal Interview round later in the afternoon.
Those who qualified the HR interview round held on 25th March, came for the technical round on 26th. They were supposed to sign the bond immediately within two days. Many were skeptical about joining the company as it was a newly established company. The drive ended successfully in the evening and the results were put up immediately.
The campus drive was a moderate success on the whole. Many students decided to strike rich with lucrative offers, later on, with better Multi National Companies. Recession is on the verge of being pulled out and there are surely better opportunities ahead. There are surely good prospects for people aiming for better jobs. Joining well known companies is a must in order to avoid disappointments later on.
