Coronavirus a shot in the arm for biotech, pharma courses

The COVID-19 crisis might have hit campus placements with several companies revisiting their hiring plans, but the pandemic is turning out to be a shot in the arm for institutions offering biotechnology, chemical engineering and pharmaceutical-related courses.

While several industry leaders have put a halt to campus recruitment, pharmaceutical and allied industries are scouting for fresh talent at various higher educational institutes across the state.

Even during the lockdown, several pharmaceuticals, biotech companies and startups conducted virtual interviews with prospective candidates. Sources in the Higher Education Department told DH that some firms in biotech and applied life sciences sector held online tests and even rolled out offers.

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Prof K N Subramanya, Principal, RV College of Engineering, said, “Ever since the lockdown, at least 20 companies have contacted us for campus placements. All are notably from pharma and biotech industries.”

The virus has, however, changed the hiring culture, said placement officers from various engineering colleges in Bengaluru.

Prof Sridhar K S, Principal, PES University, said a few companies have agreed to visit the campus in June-July depending on the situation.

“The pandemic has paved the way for renewed focus on microbial research, production of vaccine, sequencing of genomes, scientific modelling, testing-related exercises, production of multiple drug variants, clinical instrumentation and maintenance activities. Companies have been asking for a list of prospective candidates and are more than willing to roll out offers to those who are yet to complete their courses,” revealed a senior recruitment officer from a city-based deemed-to-be institute.

There will be a paradigm shift in the demand for the talent pool from campuses, said Prof M N Guruvenkatesh, vice-president, (Placement) and Skill Development Centre aat Dayananda Sagar Institutions. “Health, biotech and pharma sectors are seeing a boom and venturing out in large to recruit freshers.”

Some of these companies are also scouting for talent from instrumentation technology to handle and process huge data and provide the industry with the much-needed back-end support. With about 13 colleges offering these courses, there are close to about 10,000 students who are likely to benefit from the medical crisis.

Govt placement portal

Following complaints from students that companies have withdrawn job offers, the state Higher Education Department has decided to start a dedicated online placement portal in association with the IT and BT department, where complete details of job opportunities will be available.

Higher Education Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan said, "We are interacting with companies to get the details of job opportunities and the same will be posted on the dedicated online portal for placements which we are launching soon."