INTERNSHIP COORDINATOR

Complete Groundwork Notes

IIT Bombay | Placement Team | Season 2025-26

Compiled from: Personal Groundwork Notes (GW1–GW8) & Official Student Internship Policy
1. PLACEMENT TEAM — STRUCTURE & ROLES

1.1 Hierarchy (Top → Bottom)

Level Role Key Details

1 2 PICs (Professor-in-Charge) PIC + Co-PIC; overall authority

2 Placement Officers (TPO + Staff) Administrative backbone

3 Placement Managers (PMs) Handle Day 1 companies; allot companies to ICs

4 4–5 Web Coordinators Portal, blog, web

4 24 UG ICs (Internship Coordinators) Core student team — handles internship ops

4 12 MSc ICs Handle MSc internship season (recruited after midsems)

4 18–20 APCs (Associate Placement Coordinators)

PG + UG; handle old/returning companies

4 CCs — Company Coordinators (60–80) Final year MTech; handle companies till Oct

4 AOCs — Assistant Outreach Coordinators3rd

(4–5)
year BTech; bring new companies; post-Oct role

4 Dept. Placement Coordinators Department-level liaisons

1.2 Role-wise Deep Dive

Internship Coordinators (ICs)

• Student representative role — for the students, by the students
• Handle: tests, policy enforcement, GDs, day-to-day company ops
• 24 UG ICs handle everything in internship season; 12 MSc ICs handle MSc season
• IC role is distinct from APC/AOC — ICs are not for company outreach (that's APC/AOC)
• Why placement teams exist instead of dept. bodies: cross-dept roles, uniform resume verification, fairness
to every student
• ICs maintain 3 critical sheets (see Section 4)
• Mentor ICs are allotted as soon as new ICs are recruited; new ICs mapped with ex-ICs + current ICs =
Buddy ICs

APCs — Associate Placement Coordinators

• Handle old/returning companies (companies that came before)
• Pre-final year students (MTech 1st year = eligible for APC, not IC, since they don't do internships post-1st
year)
• 18–20 APCs (PG + UG)
• Had very heavy workload in Jul–Oct 4-month gap → reason AOCs were introduced

AOCs — Assistant Outreach Coordinators (New Role, 4–5 total)

• Handle new companies (companies never recruited from IITB before)
• 3rd year BTech or 1st year MTech
• Serve 4 months (alongside CCs), then primary job = reaching out to companies for next 8 months
• Only 4 selected (not 5) because responses were fewer than expected
■ CC vs AOC: CCs = company coordinators for final year MTech (Jul–Oct tenure). AOCs = new company outreach,
3rd yr BTech. APCs = returning company coordinators.

CCs — Company Coordinators

• Final year MTech students
 • Tenure: Jul–Oct, then Jan–Jun
• Handle companies on ground during internship/placement season

2. COMPLETE TIMELINE — INTERNSHIP SEASON

Phase / Time Activity Who

Jun (1st–2nd wk) Dynamic Allotment — ICs get company allotments from PMs PMs + ICs

19th July ICs officially start (training email access, PP access, IL access given) All ICs
Small company internships begin as practice

10–15 July Resume Verification — IMPORTANT IC teams (no questions asked); PMs over
(weekends)

15 Jul → 1,2,3 Aug Company pre-processes (PPT cases, pre-placement talks) ICs + Companies

2nd–3rd wk Aug Day 1 Tech + Day 1 Non-Tech PMs handle Day 1 cos
Day 1 Tech = 2nd wk Aug; Day 1 Non-Tech = also ~2nd wk Aug
Slots: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2 (Non-Tech: 1.1 consult; No 1.2; 2.2 twice)

After Day 1 Non-Tech Week 1 companies interviewed (not just 1 week — from Day 1 non-tech toICs
midsems)
→ Midsems Interview slotting is randomised
Morning = Tests + Interviews

After Midsems Phase 1 begins — main internship season ICs + APCs

IDC Day 1 = 1st week of October

Oct 1st wk MSc resume verification session (Sophie sessions) MSc ICs
MSc internship season begins (companies are domain-specific)

Phase 1 Placement: Day 2–5, then 5/6/7 ICs + APCs (Dec)

(Dec 5–16) Day 1–4 = ICs handle (2 slots: 7AM–3PM + 5PM–1AM) ? APCs (Jan-)
Venue: H-16 A,B wing for placements
15 days across all IITs; continues in Jan

January Phase 2 — next phase All

7–8 official groundworks
2–3 ICs each (personal GWs)
1 GW with PMs
Assignments; Deadline: 19th May
2 rounds of interview

Phase 2 Resume verification again (students update resumes) ICs

(Placement Jan+) No new allotments in Phase 2 — more IC discretion

Winter Allotments Given to companies (part of Phase 1?) ICs

Contact for winter interns: before endsem or based on availability

■ Zeroth allotment and dynamic allotment both happen at tenure start. Day 1 companies handled exclusively by
PMs.
■ MSc ICs are recruited after midsems (not at the start) because MSc season starts in October. Same process as
UG ICs but later.
3. DAY 1 — COMPLETE BREAKDOWN

3.1 What is Day 1?

• Day 1 is the first day of the placement/internship season where top-tier companies interview simultaneously
• Purpose: Ensures the right student gets placed in the right company; students get a choice among
similar-value companies
• Good for 2 stakeholders: Companies (get best students) + Students (no slotting displacement effect)
• Prevents companies from poaching each other's shortlisted students
• Day 1 venue: LHC (not H-16)
• Day 1 companies are handled exclusively by PMs, not ICs
• PPTs of Day 1 companies happen even before the season starts

3.2 Day 1 Tech vs Day 1 Non-Tech

Day 1 Tech Day 1 Non-Tech

When 2nd week of August 2nd week of August (after Day 1 Tech gap)

Slots 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2 1.1 (Consult), No 1.2 (WHY below), 2.2, 2.2

Companies Quant firms, IT firms, coding firms Consulting (ITC in Slot 1.1), FMCG, Finance, Analytics

Process Tests + GDs (company-based) Tests + GDs (company-based); longer process

PPT style Pre-internship talks / replacement talks Companies pitch themselves online

Why No 1.2? — Long process for consult firms; 1.2 slot not feasible

3.3 Week Gap Between Day 1 Tech & Non-Tech

• The gap exists for: Buddy Rounds (company experts/alums solve doubts, help prep) + students prepare
for both tech and non-tech types
• Mock tests happen in the gap: Quant / Non-Tech / Coding/Aptitude
• Coding firms: some come in this gap slot

3.4 Slotting Parameters for Day 1

• Stipend offered
• Nature of the company (quant, consult, core, etc.)
• Relation with the institute (returning companies, PPO conversion rate)
• Location (foreign/domestic, Tier 1/Tier 2 city)
• Number of profiles offered
• Feedback from seniors + career trajectory + exit options
• Time required for recruitment process
• Number of eligible students
• Student preference — very important parameter in slotting
• Job description
■ Week 1 start vs Day 1 end companies have very minute differences. Final call made by PT cell discussions.
■ IIT Delhi: All companies given Day 1. Non-tech companies there often give soft offers, causing delays. IITB has a
different model. IITD also takes Day 1 interviews one day after IITB.

3.5 Day 1 Specific Rules

 • Preference Form: On Day 1 (tech + non-tech), students fill preferences for companies
■ If selected for Preference 3, cannot sit for lower preferences
■ Name does NOT appear in interim selection if Pref 1 and Pref 2 results are still pending
■ Preference form is NOT shared with the company
• 24-hour rule does NOT apply on Day 1
• Runners System: Allowed in Day 1 Non-Tech; not needed in Day 1 Tech (why? consequences only
relevant for non-tech)
■ Runner = 1 per candidate (even with 5 shortlists)
■ Runner can be any IITB student
■ Runner prevents candidate from being hampered during the interview process
• Buddy Rounds (consult companies): Company experts/alums conduct sessions → hotlist formed →
runners used on Day 1
■ Hotlist = preferred list by consult firms after buddy rounds. Problem with hotlist: creates bias; companies start
competing for same students. Solution: remind companies that if only 4–5 selected, students may not join (not top
preference), so interview more candidates.
4. IC OPERATIONAL TOOLS & SHEETS

4.1 The 3 Sheets Every IC Must Maintain

Sheet 1 — Tracking Sheet (Company Allotment)

• Columns: Company Name | Stage | POC | Comments
• Stages: Invite Sent/Connected → Following Up → Doubtful / Contact Letter / IAF Filled → Interviews Done
→ Selected → Accepted by Student / Not Accepted
• Why: Keeps record of past company behaviour; enables info sharing between ICs

Sheet 2 — Slotting Sheet (Common for All ICs)

• Covers tests AND interviews
• 3 colours: Green / Yellow / Pink (for availability/conflict status)
• Columns = time slots
• Why: Prevents clashes; ensures no two processes overlap for same student

Sheet 3 — Final Selection Sheet

• Details of all selected students; dept-wise breakdown; statistics
• Why: Track placed students so they cannot sit for other companies

4.2 Data Mining Sheet

• IC maintains this separately
• Contains: HR Name | HR Contact | Phone No. | Location (dropdown) | Comments | Date and Calls Record
• Used to talk to people — HRs, company officials
• Previous ICs' data mining experience + company history available through buddy IC system
• Companies: use alumni filter, check genuineness of startups, Indian govt websites
• Finding mails is the bottleneck — techniques: Apollo, guess emails, get from others' resumes, alumni
network
■ Gmass: subscription-based, PT cell is not funded. LinkedIn scraping can get your account banned; minimum
connections required. Claude-based code is free but limited. Tool 'Traction' can directly export database with filters
(including alumni).

4.3 Survey Form & POA

• Survey Form: Floated in first week of tenure (after data mining, before resume verification)
• Gauges department interest: Core / Non-core / Consult / Finance / Universities preferred
• Results feed into POA (Plan of Action) — guides which companies to prioritise
• Prevents job loss — knowing department preference avoids hosting wrong company

4.4 Interim Selection

• At end of each slot (4 slots per day), a list of placed students is released
• Why important: A student may get selected again in the next slot — prevents double placement
• ICs start getting calls once waitlist and extended waitlist are released — students lose enthusiasm for
further interviews
5. INTERNSHIP CATEGORIES & OFFICIAL POLICY

5.1 Categorization of Internships

Category Type Description

I1 Industry Top-tier; selecting deregisters student immediately

I2 Industry High-tier; 5 penalty points if declined

I3 Industry Mid-tier; 3 penalty points if declined

I4 Industry Can be declined without penalty

U University University research internship (U category + UP)

UP University Program Structured programs — Caltech, Kyoto, Stanford type

W1 Winter High-tier winter; 5 penalty points if declined

W2 Winter Mid-tier winter; 3 penalty points if declined

• Categorization based on: nature of org, profile, past IITB relationship, student preference, stipend, etc.
• Getting I1 + I2 → student can ALSO apply for U/UP (think from student's perspective)
■ Why shouldn't a 2nd-year student take a quant intern? They accept in 2nd year, then take PIO, losing a potentially
better 3rd-year opportunity. This is misplacement.

5.2 IAF (Internship Announcement Form) Rules

• Student can sign as many IAFs as needed EXCEPT:
■ I1, I2, or UP → immediate deregistration; cannot sign any new IAF
■ I3 or I4 → out of Industry process; can still sign U or UP IAFs
■ Once selected for U or UP → binding to accept; declining = penalties
• A student with a U internship may sign ONE additional UP IAF if U employer gives consent + provides
waitlist
• 24-hour rule (Summer): Student can choose among multiple offers if all received within 24 hrs AND final
interviews + results declared within 24 hrs of first offer
■ If student doesn't decide in 24 hrs with one offer → auto-accepted
■ Multiple offers, no decision → Placement Office decides
• Same-day rule (Winter): Multiple winter offers on same day → student can choose
• Student having a summer internship CAN apply for winter and vice versa
• After signing IAF → must appear for entire selection process; else penalized

5.3 Penalty Table (Summer Internship)

Debarred from Day 1 "Unprofessional Activity Gap
Category Penalty Points
(Placements) Conduct" on Resume in Resume

I1 YES 0 YES YES

I2 No 5 YES YES

I3 No 3 YES No

U & UP No 5 YES YES

I4 No 0 No No

■ 5 penalty points = NOT eligible for any Bonus Opportunity JAF and extra JAFs earned as preparatory incentive
during placements 2026-27/2027-28. 3 points = not eligible for Bonus Opportunity JAF only.
 • Dark Violations: PIC may refer to Dean (SA)/Disciplinary Action Committee
• Failing GD/PI/test without reason → restricted IAF count; repeating = debarred

5.4 Miscellaneous Policy Rules

• Students are prohibited from contacting company officials directly — only PT Cell contacts
companies. Penalty if complaint received.
• Student gets internship outside Placement Cell → must inform within 3 working days via
training@[Link]
• No negotiations with recruiter during selection. No pre-signing contracts before official offer.
• Multiple internships with overlapping time periods are strictly prohibited (even if one is outside Placement
Office)
• Students going on Foreign Exchange: can sign only for companies with no personal interaction required
• PT Cell does not sign any MoU/contract with companies; students may do so personally (own
responsibility)
• Internship duration must not exceed institute registration date (student's responsibility, not PT cell's)
• Students expected to uphold IITB reputation during internship

5.5 PPOs & PIOs

• PPO (Pre-Placement Offer): Must report to Placement Office immediately; includes PPOs from companies
not part of internship season 2024–25
■ Accept/reject before: org deadline / 1 week from offer / 30th Nov 2025 — whichever is earlier
■ Failing to respond → Placement Office assumes accepted; placement policy applies
• PIO (Pre-Internship Offer): Must report within 3 working days; all PIOs directed through Placement Office
only
■ Accepting PIO → immediate deregistration from internship process
■ Rejecting PIO → allowed to sign further IAFs
■ Company cannot roll out PIOs unless it is a subsequent offer to an internship brought through Placement
Office

5.6 University Internships (U category)

• Two types: U category (research attaché or research interns) and UP (whole programs — Caltech, Kyoto,
Stanford, etc.)
• Two funding types: Professor-funded or Lab-funded
• University programs: signed by IITB (MoU signed by IITB, not by PT Cell)
• PT Cell does NOT sign MoUs — only IITB (institute level) does
• For univ. internships: reach out to professors; for company internships: reach out to Phase-1 companies
• Free to approach any company BUT allotment is generally given by PMs throughout your tenure

5.7 Credit-Based Internship

• IIT Bombay Senate has approved credit-based internships
• Chemical department: intern for whole semester, converted into credits
• IC not involved in credit-based internship process
• Student must: get industry mentor consent + find faculty mentor + get HoD approval + get PIC approval —
all BEFORE internship
• After internship: faculty mentor (in consultation with industry mentor) evaluates internship report
6. MSc INTERNSHIP SEASON — COMPLETE

6.1 Timeline & Why It's Late

• MSc resume posting: post-midsems (around October)
• Why late? MSc students are freshers; need more time before resume verification
• Sophomore session also happens in October — schedule conflict factor
• Internship season starts early October for MSc students
• Resume verification session (Sophie session) in October 1st week
• Phase 2: resume verification again (students may have updated resumes)

6.2 Why Separate MSc ICs (Not BTech ICs)?

• MSc ICs understand MSc student demands better
• October has sophomore sessions and MSc-specific events — dedicated ICs handle this
• MSc students' approachability is better with dedicated ICs
• BTech ICs are less motivated for MSc students and focused on UG internship ops
• MSc ICs are recruited after midsems (later than UG ICs) because their season starts later

6.3 Day 1 for MSc

• MSc students do NOT have Day 1
• Everyone else (BTech, IDC, MTech) has Day 1
• Why no Day 1? MSc companies are domain-specific; MSc students join based on interest, not brand-value
comparisons. They don't care for Day 1 structure.
• Day 1 could be introduced if 2 MSc companies of very similar brand value + similar student benefit came
simultaneously
• Without Day 1: displacement risk exists. Solution: 24-hour rule
• All MSc companies are carry-forwarded (no new companies for MSc)

6.4 Why Companies Don't Prefer MSc (and How to Counter)

• Company concern: MSc may go for higher studies (research-oriented)
• Company concern: came through post-grad route, not JEE (BTech from JEE = 'filtered' pool)
• Counter: MSc have more domain knowledge; they are there by choice (interest-driven)
• Counter: Working somewhere and having knowledge are different — MSc brings academic depth
• Counter: PT cell is for ALL students, not just specific ones
■ Watch for superiority complex: IC must handle this diplomatically. Use IC contact sheets to keep companies
informed about MSc profile quality.
7. COMPANY MANAGEMENT — PROCESSES & SCENARIOS

7.1 How to Get Company Contacts

• Data mining from previous ICs and APCs
• HR contacts: Name, phone, email (left at some point → dropdown in sheet)
• Alumni network: filter alumni working in target companies
• Companies that went to other IITs (less feasible — all have groundwork going on simultaneously)
• Traction database, Apollo, guessing email formats
• E-Cell database: yes, can be used — think about it
• Trackson, Y-Combinator used for startup contacts
• Indian govt websites: for PSU contacts
• Dusro ke resume se nikalo companies (extract company names from seniors' resumes)

7.2 Company Onboarding Flow

• Contact → Follow up → Doubt clarification → Contact Letter → IAF Filled → Test/GD/Interview →
Selection → Accept/Reject
• Only post IAFs — cannot contact company directly as IC; PT cell is the contact point
• Contacting a company before it comes to PT cell = not allowed for IC
• Might contact same company twice (company relations limit applies)
• Verified resumes must be shared with company — maintains reputation
■ Companies cannot see the PT cell blog. Blog is only for students.

7.3 PPT (Pre-Placement Talk) Policy

• PPT allowed for: Day 1 companies and a few select others
• PPT NOT given to every company — company must prove it deserves PPT
• Core companies do NOT get PPT by default
• PPTs are taken by leaders (senior management), not hiring managers or lower-level employees
• Very important for students too — companies use PPT as a marketing tactic to increase brand reputation
+ attract better candidates
• Why companies want offline PPT: Better brand visibility on campus, stronger candidate impression
• Why students prefer online: Convenience; some may not be on campus in July
• Test: always offline (proctored). If other colleges don't proctor → might be reason IITB students haven't
performed as well comparatively

7.4 Room Booking

• Rooms booked in LHC for company processes (tests of 3 hrs, interviews)
• Permission required from: PPO + Academic Office; check on portal online
• Book rooms for specific slots
• If many rooms booked but few used → still manageable
• Forced extension situation: Request LHC officer; think of alternative venues

7.5 Company Not Fitting into Timeline

• Two situations: Company wants to come External (benchmark not satisfied — perks X) or doesn't fit
timeline
• External Internship Blog: PT cell can communicate this
 • Closing the option should be the last resort
• If it's on the blog → PT cell is responsible and must follow through
• Goal: Increase chances, not having fake processes → fairness

7.6 What Prevents Companies from Coming

• Internship period NOC: companies may not allow 6-month internship (most common)
• POA 6: Declare as an External Opportunity (a workaround)
• Intel, etc.: don't come because of 6-month internship constraint
8. CASE STUDIES — ALL GROUNDWORK SCENARIOS

Case 1 — Oil Company with Multiple Unusual Demands

Scenario: I1 oil-based company wants PPT + MSc interview + BTech interview + pre-internship talk ALL on
same day. HR is alumni (2013). Company wants to come in July. Has been coming 6–7 years. Only Day 1
companies get PPT — core companies don't. Company wants to meet PIC.
• Step 1: Explain different timelines for placement and internship (MSc season = October)
• Step 2: If they agree to come late → allow placement PPT; allow MSc + BTech interviews
• Step 3: MSc resume verification still going on → company says deadline!
■ Countermove: Tell them resumes may have unverified info — verification protects company from false
claims
• Step 4: Ended MSc verification 10th Oct → shifted company from 9th to 16th Oct
• Step 5: Better oil company came in between, wanted only interviews → gave them a weekday slot
• Step 6: How to handle conflict with first company?
■ First company had more demands → that's why they got a weekend slot; second company was simpler
■ First company has better reputation; situation is not as bad as it looks (new company vs. 6–7 year
relationship)
■ No overlap on same day = good; both oil type so no conflict — avoid student cannibalization
• Step 7: First company HR finds out about second company from students → HR complaint
■ Student's fault? No — student didn't know about the policy; no such thing written in policy
■ Use as leverage: Companies cannot see blogs; this was an internal scheduling decision

Case 2 — I1 Week 1 Company: Verbal Offer, No Mail

Scenario: Very reputed I1 company; Week 1. Everything went smoothly. At ~1 AM, 2 students selected — but
company is not sending official mails; only word of mouth. Also asking about PPT for MSc interns?
• Issue 1 — No mail sent for selections:
■ This is unacceptable — official communication must come via mail
■ Chase the HR; insist on written confirmation; you cannot update the selection sheet without it
■ If company refuses → escalate to PM/PIC
• Issue 2 — PPT for MSc interns:
■ There is NO PPT for MSc companies — inform company clearly
■ MSc PPT is not part of the process; explain MSc season separately

Case 3 — Day 1: Hiring Team Not Responding After Round 1

Scenario: Day 1 firm. Round 1 taken and went well. Now the hiring team has stopped responding —
higher-ups have left/slept. What do you do?
• Option considered: Reschedule to next day
■ Problem: Unfair — that student gets extra time to prepare vs. others; other companies might start doing
this too
• Better approach: Request HR to take Round 2 later the same day (within night itself)
• Reach out to HR first thing in the morning; as an outsider, don't push them into a corner
• Credibility of PT Cell at stake if Day 1 interview gets postponed to next day out of the blue
• Complication: Next day = IITD's Day 1 interview. Company can't skip that.
■ Ask other IITs what they do in this situation; benchmark against them
■ Check if IITD process leaves a gap before IITD interviews start
 ■ Key principle: Don't hide the problem. Will you disclose it to students? Yes — transparency is essential. But frame
it correctly.

Case 4 — Company Changes Stipend Midway (X → X/2)

Scenario: Company announces stipend change from X to X/2 after IAF was signed. Students have already
applied.
• Option 1: Make previous IAF null; create new IAF at X/2
■ Students can unsign IAF without any penalty (since they didn't decline — company changed terms)
• Option 2: Reduce number of selections (to maintain fairness over numbers)
■ Is this actually fair? Evaluate carefully — transparency over selection count
• Option 3: Change job description to justify lower stipend
• Option 4: Give bad slot to company as leverage; threaten to not recommend in future (use carefully)
• Option 5: Have company come twice — once for X role, once for X/2 role (treat them as different roles)
• Option 6: Negotiate something in the middle of X and X/2
• Key principle: Fairness > number of selections. Never disadvantage students for a company's policy flip.

Case 5 — Company Introduces Zero-Stipend Role Between Shortlist and Interview

Scenario: Between interview announcement and shortlist, company says we are introducing a new role and
making the old role stipend = zero.
• This is a direct violation of the agreement — negotiate firmly
• Make previous IAF null → new IAF for updated terms
• Give students full freedom to unsign without penalty
• Escalate to PM/PIC for further action against company (bad slot next time, etc.)

Case 6 — PPT Posted Late (8:45 AM, IC Forgot)

Scenario: Offline PPT scheduled for 8:45 AM on a weekday. Handling IC forgot to post on WhatsApp group
and posted it at 8:00 AM.
• Problems: Low student turnout → bad company relationship; students aren't well-informed; possible late
arrivals
• Immediate action: Post on ALL WhatsApp groups; spread quickly to seniors/batch groups
• Can you ask company to postpone? Risky — company officials are seniors, not hiring managers
• Record the PPT if possible → make recording available to students who missed it
• Compensate by arranging another session if company is willing
• Consider all stakeholders: Company loses marketing reach; students lose information; PT Cell loses
credibility
■ Why can't you reach all students individually? Scale is too large — rely on groups/blogs. This is why posting on
time is critical.

Case 7 — Overlapping Shortlists (Company Changes 50% of List)

Scenario: Company sends 20 shortlisted students. Two days later, sends a new list of 20 with 10 overlapping
and 10 new. The 10 new students replace 10 from original list (those 10 are dropped).
• First: Understand why the company changed the list
■ Is this because of buddy round? If so — hotlist shouldn't change after 3 weeks
■ Was it a hotlist or a shortlist that was posted? Hotlist = after buddy round; shortlist = month before
• Scenario A — If posted on blog:
■ Students from original list have already prepared; dropping them now is unfair
 ■ Request company to interview ALL students from BOTH lists (total ~30)
■ If company denies → escalate; PT Cell has leverage over reputation and future slots
• Scenario B — If NOT posted on blog:
■ Even a 5–10 minute gap matters — why would company change this?
■ There may be serious consequences for previously shortlisted students (emotionally, career-wise)
■ Still push for all 30 to be interviewed; be firm on fairness
■ Week 1 company changing shortlist = try to get all 30 candidates. Company's fault, not students'.

Case 8 — Student's Internship Offer Revoked by Company

Scenario: Student has a winter intern in Mumbai (onsite). On 1st December, when internship is about to start,
company revokes the offer. Company is a Week 1 company for 2nd year students.
• PT Cell should try to convince the company to retain the offer
• Leverage: Company's reputation in future slots; PT Cell can reduce their slotting preference next year
• Negotiate on: stipend reduction if that's what company wants; student may agree to reduced stipend to not
lose the internship
• 2nd year motivation: losing an internship means losing profile-building opportunity before 3rd year
placements
• If company still refuses: PT Cell informs student they can look for external opportunities; coordinate with
other companies for emergency replacement

Case 9 — Quant Company Shortchanges Selections (Promised 10, Took 6)

Scenario: Quant company promised 10 selections but only took 6 through their process. What do you do?
• First: Understand reason behind reduced selections (internal decision, performance bar, headcount freeze)
• Negotiate: push for promised 10; use future slot leverage
• If company is adamant → document the breach; use it while deciding their future slot/reputation
• Walk-ins possibility: see if students on waitlist can be given a chance

Case 10 — Student Approaches Company Directly (Sem-Ex Situation)

Scenario: Anyone going to Semester Exchange is not allowed to sit for placements.
• No leverage over sem-ex students in placements — they've opted out of the process
• Strict rule: students going to sem-ex cannot participate in campus placements during that period

Case 11 — Company Mandates a Person to Work (JD, Profile Issue)

Scenario: Can a company mandate a specific person to work for them? What about JD and profile concerns?
• Company perspective: They want best possible candidate; they recruit based on JD fit
• Student perspective: Company takes a hit in image if it mandates — becomes less popular; students may
not respect it
• Key rule: Cannot blackmail the company. Student preference is a very important slotting parameter but you
cannot weaponize it.
• Never threaten a company. Never give them the impression PT Cell is using students against them.

Case 12 — Misplacement vs Job Loss

Term Definition Example

Misplacement Student gets selected in company they didn't want

Student forced into a company outside their interest

Job Loss A company takes 1 less student from IITB because

Student
of a conflict
selected Saturday night; Sunday morning picked anoth
• Survey Form prevents job loss; Preference Form prevents misplacement; 24-hr rule handles
simultaneous offers
9. SOPHIE SESSIONS, UGAC & ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS

9.1 Sophie Sessions

• Sophie = Sophomore introductory sessions
• Conducted for 2nd year students (sophomores) → brief them, conduct sessions, make their profile better
• Internship Preparatory Sessions are conducted by UGAC (not PT Cell directly)
• October 1st week → Sophie resume verification session for MSc students

9.2 University Internships (Detailed)

• U category → research attaché (individual professor contact) or research interns
• UP category → whole programs (Caltech, Kyoto, Stanford, etc.) — paid by the university
• Company summer internships are structured; university internships can be professor-funded or lab-funded
• Reaching out to professors for univ. internships → IC can do this

9.3 Phase 1 vs Phase 2 (Core vs Non-Core ICs)

• Core IC: Handles core companies (department-specific) → strict company-department alignment
• Non-Core IC: Handles finance, consult, FMCG, data analytics companies
■ Non-core companies serve small departments that don't have their own ICs → these get allotted
• 4 non-core ICs + 2 core ICs per team approximately
• Phase 2: No allotments, more discretion for ICs; same resume verification process for students updating
resumes

9.4 PT Cell's Role & Why It Exists

• Gives guarantee and assurance to companies
• Penalises companies AND students for violations
• Maintains: fairness, equality to every student, POV from all stakeholders
• Handles cross-department roles (dept bodies can't do this)
• Uniform resume verification → fairness
• Other bodies: UGAC, programs — PT Cell works alongside, not replacing
• Gives PT Cell credibility with companies: everything mentioned must be true; if it's on the blog, PT Cell is
responsible
10. IMPORTANT RULES, ETHICS & QUICK REFERENCE

10.1 Key Rules an IC Must Never Forget

Rule Detail

Never threaten a company Student preference is a slotting param; don't weaponize it against company

No direct student-company contactStudents strongly discouraged; PT Cell is sole interface

No contacting companies before PTICCell

not does
allowed to contact a company before PT Cell has initiated contact

Only post IAFs Once company is in process, IC only posts IAFs — cannot initiate contact

Companies can't see blog Blog is internal for students; companies don't have access

Final selections via mail only Not posted on blog — shared via mail. Why? Confidentiality + link/URL privacy

Why no timeline in policy? Because it can change — policy is flexible

Penalties for companies too Not just students — companies also face consequences for violations

Never have leverages over studentsStudents

in placements
have no leverage over each other in the placement process

MoU signed by IITB, not PT Cell PT Cell does not sign contracts/MoUs with any recruiter

Proctored tests IITB proctors its tests; other colleges may not — may explain performance differences

10.2 Stakeholder Framework (Always Think About All 3)

• Students of IIT Bombay: Their placement/internship outcomes; fairness, equal opportunity
• Placement Office / PT Cell: Reputation, credibility, maintaining good relations with companies
• Companies: Best possible candidates; smooth process; reliable IITB brand
■ Every case, every decision — think about impact on all 3 stakeholders before acting.

10.3 IC Groundwork Reference (Session by Session)

Session Key Topics Covered

GW 1 IC overview, timeline, structure, be active in groundworks. 2 rounds of interview. Deadline: 19th May

GW 2 PT Cell structure deep dive, dynamic allotment, data mining sheet, buddy IC system

GW 3 Day 1 (tech + non-tech), preference form, 24-hr rule, runner system, buddy rounds, hotlist

GW 4 Hotlist problems, company contact methods, room booking, stipend changes, quant company issues, walk-ins, IAF c

GW 5 Company contact methods, UP category, 2nd year quant intern issue

GW 6 MSc companies — how to convince, IC contact sheets, misplacement/superiority complex

GW 7 Day 1 case (hiring team slept), mailing efficiency, PPT timing case, shortlist overlap case

GW 8 Summary case (oil company), I1 week 1 verbal offer case, MSc timeline, carry-forward companies, stipend midway

IC GW Personal 1 Mentor IC allotment, Day 1 by PMs, PPT policy, buddy rounds, slotting params, IITD comparison

10.4 Perks of Being an IC

• Negotiate directly with companies — a rare skill to develop
• Responsible for multiple stakeholders → builds maturity and responsibility
• Develop strong communication skills + leadership skills
• Maintain relationships with HRs and connections across industries
• Get to know the entire backend placement process — insider knowledge
 • Handle 24 UG ICs × everything in internship season (including MSc alongside)

10.5 Things to Read Thoroughly

• Student Internship Policy document — every word
• Internship blog ([Link]) — for internship details
• Day 1 Tech blog
• Day 1 Non-Tech blog
• How IAF is presented — parameters, format, etc.
• Placement report ([Link] → Placement Report) — not always up to date but useful
■ Final selections sent via mail only (not on blog) — link/URL shared separately. Why not on blog? Confidentiality +
it can change. Why timeline not written in policy? It can change.

END OF NOTES | IIT Bombay Placement Team — Internship Coordinator Groundworks | Season 2025–26