IM-A introduces 'Cohort-based' system for placements

Updated on: Thursday, December 24, 2009

Ahmedabad: Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) has introduced a new 'Cohort-based' system for the forthcoming campus placements beginning second week of February, 2010.

The decision to implement 'Cohort-based' system was taken at IIM-A here today on the basis of a feedback from around 60 recruiters who attended the 'Recruiters Conclave' organised by the Institute in Mumbai yesterday, officials said.

The Cohort-based system is a longer placement process as compared to the previous 'Slot Zero' concept, but is significantly more advantageous, an official statement said.

"The move essentially aims at a better match-making process, ensuring a better fit between the students and the firms," Chairperson IIM-A placement committee Prof Saral Mukherjee said. According to IIM-A officials, the placement process shall be conducted over continuous weekends called 'Cohorts' and each cohort would host firms offering similar roles and opportunities to the students.

The sequence in which the cohorts would be invited to the campus would be as per the batch preference, they added. Different clusters of cohorts shall come to the campus for two days, and there shall be rest period of at least five days between each visit of 'Cohorts' so that candidates can prepare themselves, an official statement said.

As per the new system the placement process at IIM-A will now be at least 1-2 months affair instead of the usual 6 to 7 days session, IIM-A official said. IIM-A shall also be launching an internally developed talent bouquet system as part of Cohort that allows interaction between firms and students using networking tools such as chatting, of which details are still being worked out with recruiters, an official statement said.

The 'talent-bouquet' system shall allow the candidates to learn more about the firms, sectors and industries and take more informed decision, it added. "Given the ever-increasing batch size, we have deliberated over the ideal placement process for long. Though this may not be the ideal system, it is definitely a move towards one. We believe the process will ensure that decisions are not made hastily on either side," Mukherjee said.

In the Cohort based system, interviews shall not be restricted for a few minutes, the recruiter and candidates will get ample time to discuss the roles on offer, an IIM-A official said adding "this will help students and industries make informed choices." Moreover, there will be no rush for slotting the firms on Day zero, he added.

IM-A introduces 'Cohort-based' system for placements

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