Companies ramp up diversity hiring in campus placements to woo investors, impress public

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Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Companies in India are increasing diversity hiring for roles ranging from software development to mechanical engineering as they try to come across to investors and the public as forward-thinking entities with good corporate governance norms. Placement officers from at least four colleges in India have hinted that diversity hiring for the batch of 2025 has risen from last year, in addition to the general recruitment of engineering students.

German engineering company Robert Bosch GmbH, software provider IBM Corp, and Noida-headquartered Coforge Ltd have engaged in diversity hiring on campuses this year, ranging from people across genders to those who are differently abled. Placements for students at engineering colleges generally start in the seventh semester, the first of the final year. “Companies are looking to hire more women for mechanical engineering roles because the number of women is less in that field," said Ranganath D, dean of placements at R.V.

College of Engineering in Bengaluru. “A total of 26 students have been recruited under the diversity category. At least 15 companies have approached us till date." A second placement officer said diversity hiring has increased as companies seek to narrow the gender gap in their workforces.

“Diversity hiring has become more regular now compared with last year as companies want to increase their gender ratio," said Savitha Rani M, training and placement officer at Ramaiah Institute of Technology in Bengaluru. Ramaiah has received 800 offers for the current batch of students and anticipates a surge in diversity hiring this year. The college got about 1,300 job offers for the batch of 2024 and expects the number to rise this year.