IITs bar 31 companies from recruiting their students, most of these firms are Startups

31 firms are off the campus placement lists of IITs across the country for revoking job offers, and it’s not a surprise most of them are startups after all hell broke loose over the Flipkart-IIM controversy earlier this year. But, there is also an irony here - some of the blacklisted startups have been started by IIT alumni themselves.

The matter had been under review for a couple of months after these companies defaulted on their job offers and was discussed at a recent national-level conclave of all IITs in the country. Even as the All-IIT Placement Council, the centralized IIT recruitment body, had finalized the list on August 14, the complete list of those banned emerged only after IIT Bombay revealed yesterday names of the 9 companies it had struck off its recruitment list. 25 of its students had been affected by these 9 firms in question.

Interestingly, Flipkart, which had deferred joining dates last year, was not among the 9 blacklisted; the e-commerce giant will only be served a warning letter.

This is the first instance of an IIT making public such a list — as mandated by the All-IIT Placement Council last week. Taking a cue from IIT-B, other IITs are expected to follow suit and announce their own lists of companies that have gone back on their placement commitments.

For now, all the 31 blacklisted companies announced by AIPC will have to go through intense scrutiny before they are allowed to recruit students after the one-year embargo on them gets over. In the last placement season, around 140 IIT students were affected by these firms going back on their promise.

The placement body said it will be issuing a letter to Flipkart for revoking offers and delaying joining dates. It has also banned Zomato from recruiting for another year.

Take a look at the 31 companies and the reasons which landed them in the IIT net this year: