Gujarat University gets better at finding jobs for students

It is common for people living in a city like Ahmedabad, which has several reputed educational institutes, to hear of high-profile campus placements and staggering pay packages.

However, what few know is that the Gujarat University (GU) is also making its presence felt in terms of placements, even in areas beyond the conventional banking and finance.

Signing of memorandums with organisations like ICICI has added to the kitty of students passing out of GU. Students are now being placed in organisations like Mundra Port, Mormugao Port Trust and HSBC Bank, to name a few.

Vice-chancellor of GU, Dr Parimal Trivedi, says that placement cells have been formed in every faculty, especially in those dealing with management branches. "The university has placement offers in place, even for faculties like Science," he says. Students who have completed degrees in finance from GU-affiliated management schools have been placed in companies like Kotak Mahindra Bank and Zydus Cadilla, apart from ICICI.  

Students, on their part, say that placements mainly depend on the prestige of the institute, but also on the merit of the student and the requirement of the recruiting company.

Rakesh Patel, a student of KS School of Business Management and employed with a private company in Vadodara, says that several companies approach the institute at the time of placements, from a wide variety of areas. "However, a student is finally placed, depending on his capability and the requirement of the company,'' he says. He, however, does feel that completing a course from a recognised university has an advantage.

Students point out that placements have improved across sectors, not just in banking and finance. Mansi Jethva, a student, testifies that after her summer training with HDFC Standard Life, she began looking at options beyond finance for her career. Bijal Jani who is now placed with IDBI Bank, says, "The placement scenario is definitely not bad.''

She says that companies inquire about students' profiles during summer training itself, and the name of their college does have an impact.

Dr Trivedi says that the placement officers of the university see to it that the students are placed as per their capabilities and the requirements of the company. Most of them generally get a package that they expect. "It is ultimately the student's calibre that matters, but the college's reputation plays a pivotal role as well,'' says Trivedi.