Overview
- Data in the Unstop Talent Report 2026, published Tuesday, shows 73% of undergraduates expect pay above ₹5 lakh a year but only about 40% achieve it.
- Employers say hiring budgets are intact yet placements lag, with roughly 84% of undergraduates, 85% of engineering students and 74% of MBAs still unplaced, and 17% of undergrads reporting delayed or withdrawn offers.
- HR leaders define premium talent by skills in AI and machine learning, data, cloud and cybersecurity, signaling a move away from college brand as a hiring signal.
- AI now shapes the hiring pipeline, with most students using generative AI for applications and many companies running AI screens and interviews even as large shares of students lack formal AI training.
- Starting pay is compressing, with only about 14% of freshers crossing ₹9 lakh a year even though many expect it, and over 90% of students say they would take a lower offer for stronger learning and growth.