Job Opportunities Decline Sharply, Prompting Worries Among CDAC Graduates
Students at the renowned Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) are expressing dismay as campus placement rates witness a significant decline this year, contrasting sharply with previous years’ averages. Typically boasting an impressive placement rate of around 85 percent, this year’s placements have dwindled to a mere 45 percent, sparking concerns among the student community.
Colonel (Retd.) AK Nath, CDAC’s executive director, acknowledged the downturn in placements, attributing it to various factors including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. He explained, “CDAC courses are renowned for their employability, with over 85 percent of students securing jobs through campus placements annually. However, the aftermath of the pandemic and the subsequent surge in recruitment activities have disrupted the usual trends.”
The ongoing campus placement drive has encountered challenges, with only 45 percent of placements completed thus far. Nath highlighted the normalization of recruitment activities post-pandemic, coupled with a lukewarm response to online courses compared to traditional methods, as contributing factors to the subdued placement rates. He revealed plans to introduce blended learning courses in the near future to address this issue.
CDAC offers six-month post-graduate courses in engineering disciplines, receiving over 10,000 applications for approximately 5,500 seats. These courses cover a wide array of domains including Artificial Intelligence, Big Data Analysis, Machine Learning, GIS, Web Design, Mobile Computing, HPC, and Java-Python. While some courses are conducted online, others follow traditional classroom formats, culminating in campus placements for eligible students.
Amidst the concerns over declining placement rates, CDAC has made strides in technological innovation with the creation of the ‘Smart Farm’ system. Designed to streamline farming operations, this device enables farmers to access critical information such as soil moisture levels, rainfall forecasts, and flood conditions via a mobile app. Developed by CDAC scientists, including Anish Sathya from CDAC Trivandrum, the Smart Farm system aims to revolutionize agricultural practices, providing farmers with valuable insights for efficient crop management.
As CDAC commemorates its foundation day on Gudi Padwa, the introduction of the Smart Farm system underscores the institution’s commitment to leveraging technology for societal benefit.
