What is the difference between on-campus & off-campus drive?

There is very simple and clear difference between off campus and on campus placement.

On-campus drive is always a better and safe opportunity to choose for a campus placements rather than trying luck in off-campus interviews. It will also help in providing a beginning platform for one’s career by giving it a kick start. B.Tech Colleges

In an on-campus enrollment drive, the vacancies are already present in reasonably large numbers as compared to the walk-in interview. In walk-in interviews, the number of openings is very limited. In off-campus recruitment, students need to approach the companies whereas in a campus recruitment drive, the companies approach the students. Thus getting a job in a campus placements can be easier than walk-in. Also the list of testimonials that may be asked for in campus placements is smaller than the list of testimonials that need to be submitted in off-campus recruitment.

Students who clear all the rounds get an appointment letter from the company. A company attested document gives a feeling of job security to the student after the course. On-campus recruitment drive not only boosts the morale of the students but also provide a brand image to the college/institution.

During an on-campus recruitment drive, the students have to face aptitude test, group discussions, technical interview and HR interview. In an off-campus drive, there may be few more interview rounds and the assessment process may not be so universal. The questions asked in a walk-in interview can be more technical or field specific when compared to campus interview.

On-campus

- Easy entry level and good remuneration

- Good Job opportunities

- References not necessary

Off-campus

- Lower entry level salaries

- Tedious to find vacancies

- References may be needed

ON Campus – These are organised by a particular college or university and in this a pre-defined group of colleges can participate. In this type, mostly a placement cell is responsible for arranging the placement drive in a college and then all the students eligible, belonging to the pre-defined limited colleges can appear for the selection therefore , a limited competition is there. And you just have to prepare a test format specific for a specific company so it’s much easier than off campus.

Most private Universities and good chunk of engineering colleges have inked MoUs with a single company or utmost 2 companies, thus if you are good enough with your communication skills and is decent in academics there is a higher possibility of getting placed in that particular company with which your college has an MoU(to be particular there is an advantage in terms of the recruiter relaxing the marks in the initial written examination and the panel might be lenient in Personal Interviews).

Off Campus – In this type , mainly your college is not involved in your placement as you can apply and participate directly to the placements organised by some MNC’s and sometimes by colleges also. You should fulfill the eligibility criteria(no need from which college you belong) and thus anyone fulfilling eligibility criteria can appear in these type of placements therefore a healthy competition is there and companies also get good opportunity to select the best ones. Some times you have to clear a level 0 test like AMCAT, eLitmus etc. to get involve in these sorts of placements.

The thing about off campus placements is that, the sheer amount of competition, people with niche skills will apply, In my view, during on campus placements the diversity of people quality will not differ much barring a very few percentage of the total strength(these are the people that get easily placed in companies with more than 8 LPA(this varies from college to college and this is from my college).

There are also instances where you know a guy who is not that competent but got placed in a better package than you and your friends who are better competent, just because he had a bit of luck. These instances will make you feel bad

On contrast in off campus placements you might never know who is the topper or the quality of the people attending the placements, people might be with top notch quality as said in the first instance or less competent as in

the second instance, but you never know, hence it’s not only important to give your best, but giving something that will make the employer choose you over the others(Yes being choosy about attending the kind of interviews is an art and it should be practiced for an off campus placement)

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