"More IITs, IIMs may dilute brand image." In 2007, this was a headline in the Economic Times, highlighting the scepticism around the establishment of multiple new 'premier' institutes. Three decades later, we're seeing the second generation of IIMs fully operational, attempting to gradually catch up with their older counterparts in terms of recruitment numbers. One of these "new" IIMs is IIM Rohtak—established in 2010 with IIMs Ranchi and Raipur.
To say that IIM Rohtak has grown as an institute is an understatement: the management institute has a thriving MBA program and has also launched its own integrated IPM program. But how is the institute performing in terms of the actual placements offered?
To find an answer, we take a look at IIM Rohtak placements over a five-year period, analysing growth in the salaries offered and exploring the types of roles IIM Rohtak's graduating batches gravitate towards. We also look at how IIM Rohtak fares in b-school rankings—an indicator of how the brand is perceived from an admissions and recruitment standpoint.
37 Percent Growth in Average Salary Over 5 Years, 7 Percent Growth in Top Salary in the Same Time Period
In the final placements process for its first-ever MBA batch, IIM Rohtak recorded an average salary of INR 12.20 lakhs, while the top salary stood at INR 28.5 lakhs. Five years later, the average salary actually dropped to INR 11.78 lakhs, as did the highest salary offered. Since then, the average salary has picked-up by just 36 percent. Not too impressive.
Between 2018 and 2022, IIM Rohtak saw a 37 percent growth in the average salary offered to its graduating batches. To compare,
IIM Udaipur has seen a 46 percent growth in the average salary in the same time frame. The median salary in a span of three years has grown by 15 percent. To compare, IIM Udaipur recorded double the growth in the same time period.
In terms of absolutes, IIM Rohtak's recruitment numbers bad—but it's no IIM Udaipur. But in terms of growth consistency, the institute has seen its fair share of wobbles despite having a largely consistent batch size that stands at a four-year average of 240-odd students.
Mixed Domain Preferences at IIM Rohtak Over Five Years
In terms of domain preferences, there isn't any major trend that can be pinpointed over a five-year period. Sales and Marketing was the most-sought after domain for three of these five years, but sat at the bottom of the pecking order in 2022. Consulting has also not been consistently preferred, sitting at the bottom of the 2018 placements process.
IT and Analytics—an in-demand profile today—has a hot and cold relationship with IIM Rohtak graduates and saw the highest preference in 2019—the same year HR peaked its head up slightly. Operations doesn't appear to be a favourite at IIM Rohtak, with the domain not climbing beyond third spot in five years.
After Years of Decline, IIM Rohtak's Brand Perception Is Showing Signs of Improvement
Let's rip the band-aid off: IIM Rohtak's brand perception amongst aspirants has been at a decline for many years, slightly improving in the
latest iteration of the InsideIIM MBA Rankings. It didn't help when IIM Rohtak opted out of the CAP process and charged aspirants separately for the interview process, or when the institute's Director
came under fire by the media.
NIRF rankings have been inconsistent but show an overall trend of decline as well. The institute barely keeps its place in the top-30 of the overall NIRF MBA rankings of 2021, and only IIM Kashipur is ranked lower.
As an MBA aspirant, do you consider IIM Rohtak to be a potent platform to get your management career started? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Read Next → IIM Udaipur Placements in the Last Five Years