A 21-year-old student at IIT Hyderabad receives the highest employment offer the institution has ever received, worth Rs 2.5 crore.

The Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad has subtly changed its own placement record during a period when campus employment has stalled and packages from prestigious engineering schools are being keenly examined. The greatest annual package ever given to an IITH graduate since the campus was established in 2008 was obtained by a 21-year-old computer science student. Edward Nathan Varghese, a final-year BTech student in computer science engineering, has received an opportunity to work as a software engineer for the international trading company Optiver. Varghese, who is based in the Netherlands, will begin working full-time in July of this year.

Born and raised in Hyderabad, Varghese later moved to Bengaluru for his schooling from Class 7 to Class 12. He credits a mix of early preparation and campus exposure for helping him navigate the process, even in a year when hiring sentiment has been cautious. “I knew that the IIT tag would draw companies to our campus and that the effect of the present job market would be minimal,” he said, adding that his long-standing interest in competitive programming played a key role. “Since first year of engineering, I was into competitive programming and among the top 100 in the country. That too helped me crack the interview.”

The outcome has elevated the placement narrative at IIT Hyderabad this year in addition to drawing attention to a single student. A package for Rs 1.1 crore was obtained by another student studying computer science at the institute, raising the bar for offers on campus.

In terms of IITH’s overall performance, the 2025 placement season has shown a significant comeback. According to reports, the average package increased from Rs 20.8 lakh in 2024 to Rs 36.2 lakh this year, a 75% increase over the previous year. Students received 24 international offers during the first placement round, which ended in December.

Institute officials say the focus has been on ensuring consistent outcomes across branches, rather than chasing record-breaking numbers alone. “More than packages, our target is to ensure that all students who want to get placed receive a good offer,” said Mayur Vaidya, faculty-in-charge at the Office of Career Services. He added that the institute has been giving early slots to PSUs and core engineering firms to improve opportunities for non-tech students as well.