IIT PhD Graduates Less in Demand than B.Tech Graduates!

IIT placement trends, year after year, indicate that the placement rate and median pay packages for IIT PhD students is much lower than that of B.Tech graduates. In 2011-12, IIT-B placement report explicitly stated that while 78% students of Bachelors’ course in a particular field got placed, only 14% PhD graduates in the field received job offers.

Unlike the US and most other advanced countries, the IIT story of India indicates that M.Tech and PhD graduates far lower salaries than B.Tech graduates. There can be several reasons for such dismal placement scenario for IIT PhD, such as:

• There is higher demand for B.Tech level skills rather than PhD level or M.Tech level specialized and research-oriented skills.
• In India, it is assumed that those who opt for PhD want to either join academics or want to become scientists. In fact, most of the IIT PhD graduates do go for post-doctoral courses and ultimately join teaching jobs. Many PhD students at IIT already hold such jobs before submission of their thesis and hence, they hardly rely on IIT campus placements.
• If we look at the other side of the coin, we will find that most B.Tech graduates abandon their respective fields of study to join software companies and investment firms offering big bucks. They are more enthusiastic to do whatever comes their way and learn new things. Once they realize that money alone is not enough to satisfy their career dreams later prepare for GATE and other Master-level entrance exams and go for further studies in their respective disciplines. M.Tech and PhD pass-outs have already been through that phase and have chosen a particular field of study for themselves. They prefer specific jobs only or target higher education, teaching or research fields that they love.

Last but not the least, B.Tech students from IITs are cream of Indian students. They are the ones who cracked IIT JEE, one of the toughest and most competitive entrance exams in the world. PhD admissions at IITs take place through GATE or other engineering entrance exams which are considered comparatively easier. Naturally, companies assume that a B.Tech graduates have higher IQ and are ready to take up any given job and consider PhD IITians to be experts of specific areas, suited for specific jobs.

What do you think about IIT PhD courses? Share your thoughts at blog@askiitians.com.