Shaking off Covid-19 Gloom, KIIT on Track to Achieve Record Placement for 2020-21 Graduating Batch

Bhubaneswar (Kalinga Voice) : The Covid-19 pandemic brought life to a standstill in the country and the entire globe. Even as the student community is among the worst-hit – academic activities are yet to resume in schools and colleges – KIIT Deemed to be University was the first institution to adapt to the “new normal”. It is the first university in the country to start online classes for its 30,000 students in 50 countries right from the beginning of the lockdown. Online teaching-learning, which is continuing successfully and effectively, has helped the university to maintain its academic schedule perfectly. KIIT has smoothly conducted all academic processes like examinations, convocation, seminars, workshops, etc. on virtual mode due to its good technology and high internet bandwidth.

KIIT was founded in 1992 as a modest vocational training centre by eminent educationist and social activist Prof. Achyuta Samanta. However, it was opened as a centre of higher learning in 1997, which is considered as the base year. The first batch of degree engineering students passed out in 2001. KIIT is known for its very successful track record in campus placement since its inception. Maintaining the trend, it achieved excellent campus placement for the 2019-20 graduating batch.   

Despite the prevailing pandemic situation, the university is on track to achieve record campus placement for its 2020 – 21 passing out batch also. The process, which commenced online from July 1, has already resulted in the placement of about 80% eligible students of the Schools of Technology (SOT) of KIIT Deemed to be University.

Shaking off Covid-19 gloom, as many as 90 companies have visited online for campus placement for the 2021 passing out batch generating 3500 job offers. Over 2500 SOT students have already been placed in different national and multinational companies. As many as 1000 students have multiple offers in their hands. Students have bagged jobs offers with high pay packages of Rs. 30 lakh, Rs. 24 lakh and Rs. 19 lakh, while the average salary is Rs. 6 lakh. Going by the commitments from companies, KIIT is set to achieve placement of 700 more students by April 2021.

Even though the campus placements are being conducted online, KIIT has bettered its record compared to the last academic session. Campus placement in KIT School of Management and KIIT School of Law has just started and it is hoped that these two Schools will also achieve cent percent success like every year.

Parents and students are very happy over the placement achievement in KIIT. After the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, parents and guardians of students had become disheartened about the future of their children, particularly in terms of campus placement. The job market scenario was looking very bleak with the entire corporate world resorting to reduced staffing and even mass retrenchment due to the prolonged lockdown. However, against all odds, KIIT has been ensuring very good campus placement for its 2020-21 graduating batch. It has been possible due to the leadership of its founder Prof. Achyuta Samanta, who has ensured a strong branding of KIIT in the corporate world and an exceptionally proactive Training & Placement Cell.  

KIIT has academic tie-up with 195 international universities providing an excellent opportunity for students to pursue higher education abroad. KIIT facilitates the academic placement of about 500 students every year in reputed national and international institutions for higher studies.Renowned academicians, industry leaders and prominent personalities from all walks of life visit KIIT and students gain immense exposure by interacting with them. Under the innovative platform Nobel Lecture Series, 22 Nobel Laureates have delivered lectures at KIIT on subjects ranging from medicine, chemistry, physics, biotechnology to economics.

Research accomplishments of the faculty and students demonstrate the positive impact of KIIT’s focus on quality academics, research and innovation. Currently, nearly 100 research and consultancy projects are funded by various national and international funding agencies. Faculty members and research scholars of the University have published about 12,000 papers in various national and international journals of repute. Over 4500 research papers have been indexed in international databases like Scopus with a high citation index.

Besides a truly world-class infrastructure, KIIT’s focus on quality academics and research are reflected in its accreditation in high grades by various national and international accreditation bodies. It has been recognized as an ‘Institution of Eminence’ by the Govt. of India. It is accredited by NAAC in ‘A’ Grade and by NBA in Tier 1 (Washington Accord) for engineering streams. Its B.Tech programmes have also got the coveted Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), UK accreditation.

KIIT has been ranked 1st among self-financing institutions of India in the Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) 2020, an annual ranking by the Govt. of India. It is the winner of ‘Awards Asia 2020’ in the category ‘Workplace of the Year’ by the Times Higher Education (THE). Among several accolades, it has been conferred with the 13th Quality Council of India – DL Shah Quality Silver Award and Viswakarma Award by the AICTE. KIIT also has impressive positions in national and global rankings like NIRF, Times Higher Education (THE), Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) and many others.

KIIT has the highest contribution to promote sports and games in the country as a university. It has the most elaborate and comprehensive sports infrastructure located at an educational institution.KIIT has produced hundreds of talented sportspersons who have brought glory for India at various international level meets like Olympics, World University Games, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.