IIM Kashipur under fire for asking unplaced students to 'opt out' to maintain 100% placement record

IIM Kashipur has not issued a statement on this development as of now.

Siddharth Gopi, co‑founder of recruitment platform TopHire.co, sparked significant discussion after highlighting a strategy used by IIM Kashipur in its placement process. In a viral X post, he noted that the institute required students who remain unplaced to “opt out” of the placement cycle to preserve its official 100% placement record.

“IIM Kashipur asks unplaced students to ‘opt out’ of placement. This is so that they can maintain accurate records,” Gopi wrote, prompting sharp reactions from followers.

IIM kashipur asks unplaced students to "opt out" of placement.This is so that they can maintain accurate records pic.twitter.com/y1055MMdKi

Siddharth Gopi (@siddharthgopi) June 17, 2025

The post prompted immediate reactions from users, with one commenting: “100 % placement guarantee is a guarantee sir, can’t be violated at any cost.”

Another user remarked: “Goodhart’s Law strikes again. Colleges and universities are optimising for placement record over all else.”

"But why? So, that the college can maintain its 100% placement record OR is it a regular practice in all IIMs?" a user questioned.

The exchange brought to light the pressure that students at top-tier institutions face to preserve placement statistics—even if it means sidelining those unable to secure an offer.

Meanwhile, expert Krishna Kumar Mishra, writing on LinkedIn, asserted that such “opt‑out forms” are not unique to Kashipur. He noted they are “rampant across IIMs and premier B‑Schools,” used to preserve gold‑plated placement metrics while diminishing accountability toward unplaced students.

According to Reddit discussions and LinkedIn analysis:

• Reduces official ‘unplaced’ numbers, preserving the 100% placement narrative.
• Alleviates pressure on placement cells and maintains investor/student confidence.
• Avoids a delayed finish to placement season, which could reflect poorly on the institute.
• In some B‑school forums, it's noted that students who opt out can still seek jobs via placement support groups—though under the radar.

Meanwhile, IIM Kashipur has not issued a statement on this development as of now.