You don’t need an IIT or IIM degree to land a job at global tech giants like Apple, Nvidia, or Zoho. A new study shows that most employees at these firms actually come from tier-3 colleges once considered average.
One in three professionals said they graduated from tier-3 institutions rather than top-tier ones like IITs or IIMs. According to the anonymous professional network Blind, 34% of employees in these companies belong to this category. The study aimed to find out whether college reputation still matters in India’s tech job market.
For decades, passing out of IITs, IIMs, IISc, or BITS Pilani almost guaranteed a global career. Even now, companies such as Goldman Sachs, Visa, and Oracle prefer elite degrees. But firms like Apple, Nvidia, and Zoho have proved that skills often outweigh pedigree.
While IIT and IIM graduates still perform well in interviews and half of them receive offers, the hiring trend is changing. Many companies now believe that a graduate from a smaller college can become a top performer with the right training. Skills have become the real currency.
According to the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025, tier-1 includes IITs, IIMs, IISc, and BITS Pilani. Tier-2 features NITs, DTU, and Jadavpur University. Tier-3 consists of private and state universities, while tier-4 lists foreign ones.
Nearly 74% of respondents said their college name made no difference to their career growth. With AI reshaping industries, companies like Nvidia and Zoho have shown that talent and adaptability matter far more than fancy degrees.
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