New Delhi, More than one-third of the engineering graduates in India are worried about placement issues ranging from the desired pay package to the source of the job offer, said a survey on Monday.

Only about 27 per cent of respondents are confident of getting placed with a desired pay package against their existing skill set, said the survey by IP-driven incubation lab BridgeLabz Solutions.

The results came at a time when many organisations have either halted their hiring processes or are indulging in mass layoffs due to the pandemic-induced-economic slowdown.

"Looking at the current situation, there is a need for a stronger skill set that not only ensures a job seeker has an edge in the impending competitive employment market but also gets the desired pay package that is worth their efforts," Narayan Mahadevan, CEO, BridgeLabz, said in a statement.

In the survey involving close to 1,000 candidates hailing from different engineering disciplines, nearly 76 per cent of the respondents admitted having an active placement cell in their colleges while the rest claimed otherwise.

It is noteworthy that although a majority of students admitted to having active placement cells, only a little more than one-fifth of respondents have been able to receive a job through them.

This implies that a whopping 78.64 per cent of students do not currently have any job in hand, said the survey.

"The survey has brought to fore many thought points. Firstly, not all engineering candidates have the provision of campus placement in their colleges. Secondly, even access to such provisions could not guarantee a job," Mahadevan said.

"This could be especially due to the unprecedented pause in hiring processes led by the current economic slowdown. And, last but not least, there is no confidence amongst the job seekers if they will get a job with the desired remunerations shortly," he added.