$152,000 is top dollar at IIM-A

The average salary offered for local placements was Rs 7.90 lakh.

The average salary offered to Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad students saw a steep jump this year, with the highest being HSBC's $152,000 for a position at its London office.

Also, around 250 students graduated this year, up 47 per cent from last year. The placement season, which began on March 14 and closed on Monday, saw a total of 477 jobs being offered to 247 students (three students opted out of the placements sessions).

GECIS, an arm of GE Capital International Services, offered the highest salary -- Rs 14.50 lakh -- for placement in the country.

The average salary offered for local placements was Rs 7.90 lakh, up 12 per cent from Rs 7.08 lakh last year. The highest entry-level domestic salary was Rs 13 lakh, while that for domestic lateral placement was Rs 14.50 lakh. The average international salary offered was $80,000.

IIM-Ahmedabad Director Bakul Dholakia said: "IIM-Ahmedabad has performed extremely well this year in placements. The 2003-05 batch is the largest in any business school of the country and this is the largest placement ever. Some encouraging trends that have emerged, like an increasing number of students have turned down international postings for Indian ones, lateral offers have gone up considerably, interest of West Asian companies in the institute is rapidly increasing and international recruiters, for the first time, have taken students laterally."

Students had a greater choice this year in terms of multiple jobs being offered and new sectors, including private equity, hedge funds, infrastructure consulting, corporate treasury and civil aviation, showing interest.

Among the top recruiters were Lehman Brothers, with 14 acceptances; Al Ghamin and IBM, with 12 acceptances each; Proctor & Gamble and Congnizant Technology, with 10 acceptances each; and PricewaterhouseCoopers with eight acceptances. The top three recruiting countries were the UK, US and Singapore.

Big grossers

Average international salary: $ 80,000

Highest offer: $152,000 (HSBC London)

Average domestic salary: Rs 7.90 lakh

Highest domestic salary: Rs 14.50 lakh (GECIS).

Close to a third of the batch was placed overseas. 176 students placed in India, 71 overseas

Top recruiter was Lehman Brothers, with 14 acceptances

Ten students gave up overseas offers to take up jobs in India