The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), long considered the pinnacle of engineering education in India, have witnessed a noticeable drop in BTech placement rates across the board over the last two years. 

According to government data shared with the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, 22 of the 23 IITs recorded a decline in placements in 2023–24 compared to 2021–22. 

The only exception was the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) (BHU) Varanasi, which reported a modest improvement.

As highlighted by The Indian Express, more than half the IITs reported a fall of over 10 percentage points. The largest percentage dip was at IIT Dharwad — from 90.20% in 2021–22 to 65.56% in 2023–24. 

Other institutes with steep declines include IIT Jammu (92.08% to 70.25%), IIT Delhi (87.69% to 72.81%), and IIT Madras (85.71% to 73.29%). Among the older IITs, even prestigious names like IIT Bombay and IIT Kanpur saw dips of 11–13 percentage points.

The Committee, chaired by Congress MP Digvijaya Singh, noted this “unusual decline” in placements not only at IITs but also at Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs). The data also shows that the number of students sitting for placements has increased at almost every IIT, save for IIT Tirupati.

While 14 IITs had reported over 90% placement rates in 2021–22, only three — Jodhpur, Patna, and Goa — crossed that threshold in 2023–24. IIT Jodhpur had the highest placement percentage this year at 92.98%.

The Indian Express further reports that average financial packages also declined between 2022–23 and 2023–24, though specifics were not disclosed. The panel attributed the drop to market trends, and potential shifts like students choosing higher education or start-up ventures. It recommended the Higher Education Department take measures to improve employability.