An Exclusive Interview with Urmi Mehta, Chief Industry Engagement Officer at Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology
Meet Urmi Mehta, Chief Industry Engagement Officer at Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology. In this interview, she shares insights on forging academia-industry bridges, nurturing future talent, and driving innovation for India’s engineering landscape.
When did placements begin for you? How many students are participating in the 2025–26 placements and how many have been placed so far?
Urmi Mehta: The placement season at Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology has unfolded with clarity and intent, shaped by early preparation and a shared commitment between academia and industry.
In a landscape defined by constant change, the institute’s emphasis on relevance, resilience, and readiness has enabled steady progress and meaningful outcomes.
Placements at Thapar are approached not as a standalone milestone, but as a natural extension of sustained capability building. Students across undergraduate and postgraduate programs have engaged actively with opportunities that align with both their aspirations and evolving industry expectations.
The momentum seen this season reflects a deeper harmony between what the world of work demands and what the classroom consciously prepares students for.
What were the corresponding numbers for the same time last year?
Urmi Mehta: As the placement season continues, it reaffirms Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology’s larger purpose: to shape individuals who are not merely employable but thoughtful, adaptable, and future-ready.
The true outcome of this journey is not defined by offers alone, but by graduates leaving campus with clarity, confidence, and the capability to grow, where placements become a reflection of preparation, not the measure of it.
IT/ITeS hiring constitutes a significant chunk of jobs at your institute. How has that affected placements, given that entry-level hiring at these firms has gone down?
Urmi Mehta: Technology-driven roles continue to remain an important pathway, even as hiring patterns shift and recalibrate. Rather than reacting to change, the institute has chosen to evolve with it.
Engagement has expanded across Global Capability Centers, product-led organizations, startups, and emerging technology domains, while parallel strength has been built in non-technology sectors such as finance, consulting, operations, and consumer-facing roles.
This deliberate diversification reflects a belief that adaptability is not a contingency plan, but a core capability.
What is your placement strategy to ensure that as many students as possible get placed in 2025–26?
Urmi Mehta: At the heart of the placement philosophy lies a student-first approach, one that values preparedness over haste and alignment over volume.
Early corporate engagement, continuous feedback, and intentional skill development create an ecosystem where students are encouraged to understand role expectations deeply and prepare with purpose.
A dedicated Student Success framework reinforces this journey by translating industry insights into learning pathways, enabling mentorship, and fostering self-awareness alongside technical competence.
How many recruiters have made offers so far, and please share some names. Which are the ones that have recruited the largest numbers?
Urmi Mehta: Recruiter participation throughout the season has been both wide-ranging and encouraging. Over 300 companies have visited the campus so far, spanning diverse sectors and roles, an early indicator of strong industry confidence and sustained engagement.
Importantly, this is only the beginning of the placement cycle, with further participation expected as the season progresses.
How many first-time recruiters do you have this time? Some names
Urmi Mehta: Graduates continue to be recognized not only for their academic grounding, but for their problem-solving mindset, professional maturity, and ability to navigate ambiguity, traits that hold value far beyond a first role.
The growing presence of new recruiters further reflects confidence in the institute’s talent pool and opens doors to emerging domains and diverse career narratives.
Which are the sectors that are bullish on campus hiring?
Urmi Mehta: Hiring this season has spanned a wide spectrum of sectors, including IT products and services, consulting, e-commerce, fintech, chip design, VLSI and semiconductor roles, manufacturing, system design, and allied domains.
This breadth of engagement underscores the versatility of Thapar graduates and the institute’s ability to remain relevant across both established and emerging industries.
Hiring sentiment on campus remains forward-looking, marked by sustained interest across technology, fintech, consulting, digital commerce, manufacturing, and advanced engineering domains.
Which sectors/companies have slowed down? Are there any not visiting the campus?
Urmi Mehta: While some industries proceed with measured intent, the overall outlook remains constructive, anchored in long-term potential rather than short-term fluctuations.
Urmi Mehta’s vision at Thapar Institute highlights the power of strategic partnerships in shaping skilled engineers. Her strategies offer a roadmap for sustainable industry growth and academic excellence in a dynamic world.
| Are you an
Entrepreneur or Startup? Do you have a Success Story to Share? SugerMint would like to share your success story. We cover entrepreneur Stories, Startup News, Women entrepreneur stories, and Startup stories
|
Read more Success stories of Indian entrepreneurs, Women Entrepreneurs & startups stories at SugerMint. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn