COVID-19: HRD Minister asks recruiters to not withdraw job offers

NEW DELHI: To ease the worries of graduating students about placements, Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhiyal 'Nishank' has appealed to the recruiters to not withdraw any job offers made to students during campus placements.

Taking note of the economic slowdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, the minister assured the recruiters that the government is actively working to ensure that the ongoing COVID-19 situation does not have a long-lasting effect on the economy.

"It will be unfair not to hire these students who are actually bright and can contribute to pulling the country out of this situation," Nishank told the Press Trust of India.

Business Standard reported that the minister’s appeal came amid reports that some recruiters have revoked job offers made to students of Indian Institutes of Technology, or IITs, and Indian Institutes of Management, IIMs.

As per various reports, there are serious concerns about jobs because of the economic slowdown and uncertainty among companies in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

Incidentally, last week, the HRD minister had directed the IITs to prepare the academic calendar for new sessions and ensure that students do not lose summer and winter internships. He had also advised that a task force be set up to liaise with various companies for placements and ensure that the placements not be below the levels of past years at respective institutes.

The All IITs' Placement Committee (AIPC) has also written to recruiters requesting them not to rescind placement offers made for the academic year 2019-20.

IIT Delhi Director V Ramgopal Rao, had also issued a public appeal pleading the recruiters to be “considerate” and “not complicate the lives of these brightest children in an already complex environment.”

He had pointed out, “If at all, they are capable of getting you out of recession faster than you can imagine."

Business Standard quoted Rao arguing that since IITs strictly follow the equal opportunity principle, that is, one candidate, one job, withdrawing a job offer now would mean students "will end up not having any job right now".

The institutions have requested the recruiters to delay the joining date by a month.
The students join the new firms in the month of July or August.

Also read:

• COVID-19: CBSE threatens action against those spreading fake news
• COVID-19 may hit IIM and IIT placements badly: Reports