Indore (Madhya Pradesh): In a cooling job market, the Indian Institute of Management-Indore has witnessed a historic shift in student preferences, with the consulting domain once again firmly cementing its dominance in the final placement season.
This year, consulting accounted for a record 35 per cent of total recruitments, up from 25 per cent last year — a sharp 10 per cent jump.
The general management, HR and Operations sector, which shared the top spot with consulting in 2024, secured 27 per cent of placements this year.
In contrast, the finance sector — once the undisputed leader at IIM-I — recorded its lowest share in the institute’s history, with just 14 per cent of recruitments. This marks a 5 per cent drop from last year’s 19 per cent.
Sales and marketing, which stood at 19 per cent in 2024, dipped by 6 per cent to 13 per cent this year, while the IT sector saw placements fall from 12 per cent to 10 per cent.
Historically, finance dominated IIM-I placements, with most students opting for high-profile roles in the sector. In 2016, finance attracted 26 per cent of students compared to 22 per cent for consulting.
The tide began to turn in 2017, when consulting edged past finance by 1 per cent (28 per cent vs 27 per cent).
From 2018 to 2021, finance mostly retained the crown, except in 2019 when consulting again led by a single percentage point. The year 2022 marked a turning point, as consulting opened up an 11 per cent lead over finance.
Some dismissed it as a one-off, but in 2023 consulting strengthened its position with 29 per cent placements compared to finance’s 18 per cent.
In 2024, consulting and general management & HR tied for the top spot, but the latest numbers from this year confirm the trend: Consulting has surged ahead, finance has slipped to a historic low and the placement landscape at IIM-Indore has transformed dramatically.
