16 MNCs turn up at IIMA on Day Zero

Ahmedabad: Silence is bliss - this seems to be the mantra for Day Zero of the 2006 placement season at Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad.

Even as large number of foreign and domestic companies have called on the institute to make better offers, Day Zero has brought in more worries than smiles on the faces of students and placement committee representatives.

Placement season at this premier B-school has always evoked tremendous interest.

With last year's 447 offers for 247 students, $1,52,000 worth of foreign salary and Rs 14.5 lakh in domestic salary, the 2006 placements in the era of booming economy naturally was expected to generate some hype.

With IIMA management deciding to keep numbers a closely guarded secret, the hype has put IIMA students and the management on the backfoot.

"I am a little anguished by all these reports actually. So, its almost ridiculous," a student said.

"If newspapers can stoop to such a level then I believe it is not acceptable," another student said.

What has added to the woes of placement cell at IIMA is that certain recruiters have objected to the figures attributed to them.

They have questioned the confidentiality skills of some of the students and expressed doubts about their future visits to the campus.

Due to this, IIMA officially come out with a statement denying the reports.

"We ourselves don't know because such data are variable. Unless the entire process gets over there is no certainty that the way it stands today it is going to be the final one," Students Media Secretary, Rahul Roushan said.

As for the offers to the students, $1,85,000 pre-placement offer from Barclays for foreign posting and Rs 16.75 lakh offered in domestic salary as lateral placement have already been confirmed, according to sources.

The number of companies calling at the campus too is learnt to be higher by 20 per cent than last year, with 16 foreign players calling on Day Zero, including Barclays, Mc Kinsey, Citi Group, UBS Group, ABN Amro Bank Singapore, Boston Consulting, Bain & Co.

With offers from domestic companies set to begin on Friday, the IIMA bosses are now completely tight lipped about the issue and are keeping their fingers crossed.