IIT Hyderabad Achieves Historic Placement as Student Secures ₹2.5 Crore Package

A 21-year-old computer science student at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad has bagged a ₹2.5 crore annual package from a Netherlands-based trading firm, setting a new record for IIT Hyderabad placements and beating the institute’s previous high of about ₹1 crore recorded in 2017.

The offer went to final year B.Tech student Edward Nathan Varghese, who is set to join Optiver as a software engineer in July. The role is based in the firm’s Netherlands office and came through campus placements, making it the highest package ever offered since IIT Hyderabad started in 2008.

IIT Hyderabad placements show sharp rise in 2025

The record salary comes in a year when IIT Hyderabad placements saw a steep jump in overall numbers. Institute data shows the average package increased by nearly 75 percent, moving from ₹20.8 lakh in 2024 to ₹36.2 lakh in the 2025 season, reflecting stronger outcomes despite a cautious hiring climate.

During the first phase of IIT Hyderabad placements, which ended in December, students received 24 international job offers across different disciplines. Another computer science engineering student also crossed the crore mark this year, securing a ₹1.1 crore package, further pushing up the benchmarks set by the institute’s graduates.

IIT Hyderabad placements: internship turned into ₹2.5 crore offer

Varghese’s journey to the ₹2.5 crore role began with a two month summer internship at Optiver. The stint included two weeks of intensive training followed by a six week project. Out of two interns shortlisted by the company, Varghese emerged as the only student to receive a pre placement offer.

Speaking about the selection process, Varghese told Times of India that the Optiver interview was the only one faced during placements. Varghese recalled the life-changing moment, saying, "This was the first and only company I interviewed for. I was ecstatic when my mentor indicated that the firm would be extending me an offer. So were my parents."

IIT Hyderabad placements and the role of IIT tag, coding and curriculum

Varghese, who was born in Hyderabad and completed schooling from Class 7 to Class 12 in Bengaluru, said the wider job slowdown did not shake confidence. "I knew that the IIT tag would draw companies to our campus and that the effect of the present job market would be minimal. Also, since first year of engineering, I was into competitive programming and among the top 100 in the country,"

Both of Varghese’s parents are engineers, and Varghese credited IIT Hyderabad’s flexible academic structure for helping tackle the interview rounds. "That too helped me crack the interview, along with the curriculum that gave us the option to do a wide range of courses. I was lucky to get a PPO," Varghese said, adding that strong coding practice also played a part.

IIT Hyderabad placements: institute focus beyond top salary numbers

Commenting on the wider IIT Hyderabad placements, Office of Career Services faculty in charge Mayur Vaidya said the institute prioritised broad opportunities. "More than packages, our target is to ensure that all students who want to get placed receive a good offer," Vaidya told Times of India, stressing that headline salaries are only one part of the placement picture.

Vaidya added that IIT Hyderabad is giving early placement slots to public sector undertakings and core engineering companies to support students from non-software branches. In the ongoing Phase 2, the institute expects more postgraduate students to secure domestic offers across sectors, including manufacturing, research and technology services.

IIT Hyderabad placements data and highest packages over recent years

So far, 196 out of 650 postgraduate students have been placed with an average package of ₹22 lakh. Among undergraduates registered for IIT Hyderabad placements, 62 percent have already received offers. The institute expects these numbers to rise as the second phase continues through early 2026 across multiple recruiting cycles.

Recent top salary figures from IIT Hyderabad placements underline how Varghese’s offer stands out in the institute’s history. The table below lists the highest packages reported in the last three years, showing a steep jump between the 2024–25 and 2025–26 seasons.

With a record ₹2.5 crore package, a strong rise in average salaries and more international offers, IIT Hyderabad placements in the 2025 season mark a high point for the institute, even as officials continue to stress wider access to good roles for both undergraduate and postgraduate students across core and software fields.