Place Wise
Himanshu Aggarwal 32 Varun Aggarwal 29 CO-FOUNDERS Aspiring Minds, Delhi
India produces graduates by the millions but how many of them are really employable? The question perturbed IIT- Delhi alumnus Himanshu Aggarwal no end when he was working with Network Appliance for four years in the US. With younger brother Varun, then doing a postgraduate course in computer science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Himanshu devised AMCAT, an employability measurement test to map skills-to-job fitment, based on aptitude, personality and functional area. The brothers set up Aspiring Minds in June 2007 to push the concept. “the purpose is to connect potential candidates with recruiters,” says Varun. The test result benefits both students—as they get an analysed report on their strength/weakness and can work upon them—and recruiters, who get a ready-to-use database. An in-house research team of over 40 people works continuously on upgrading and updating the test. It’s all about a neat fit. “We believe there is a right kind of job for everyone. We try to fit them there,” says Varun.
Door-to-door
“It is an excellent tool that connects colleges with employers. Students from small towns are also made accessible.”
Mukund rajan, Managing
Partner, tata opportunities fund
Himanshu and Varun tied up with colleges to set up test centres and pitched AMCAT to companies as a credible test that does away with the need to line up campus placements for recruitment.
Tested OK
AMCAT has become India’s largest employability screening. More than 30,000 students take it each month. Over 110 companies, including Genpact and Tata Motors, take its scores for recruitment.