Placements through campus interviews happen not just in leading colleges but also in those run by various temples under the purview of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department.

Nine arts and science colleges and one polytechnic are run with funds from various temples.

This year alone, 206 students of the Arulmigu Kapaleeswarar Arts and Science College in Kolathur were chosen through campus interviews by companies such as TCS, MMC, AXIS BANK, Q connect, QuessCorp, Wheels India, HDB, Jana Bank, NetAmbit, and V4 Solutions.

“Like in B.E. and B.Tech, corporates are interested in students from BCom, BBA, BSc and BCA streams. A larger number of these students are girls, which is a very encouraging sign. The Chief Minister has stressed enough the need to ensure that these students get placed after they finish the course,” said P.K. Sekarbabu, Minister, HR&CE, and CMDA Chairman, who handed over the offer letters to 206 students, of which 116 were girls.

S. Nandhini, one of the students who got into TCS, said that she chose the college since it had nominal fees and was close to her house. “The lecturers teach well. They ensure that our doubts are cleared. I am yet to get the salary package details. I was surprised to get the job in TCS. I have got offers from other companies too.” Many of these youngsters hailed from economically weak backgrounds and it was necessary that they be gainfully employed, officials said. Since funds from temples were being spent on their education, it was all the more imperative that care be taken on the results, they added.

Campus interviews are still under way at colleges in Palani, Poompuhar, Kanniyakumari and Kutralam. Students, who finish their courses without arrears, will get placed, an official said.

“A section of final-year students opt for higher studies and don’t go for campus interviews. We encourage students, who have arrears due to various reasons, to complete them soon. Last year, around 2,000 students got offer letters,” the official added.

The department manages 25 schools with over 10,000 students, apart from the nine colleges and one polytechnic that have 12,137 students.