External publication 13.01.2023 | 2023 attractiveness of Indian Polytechnicsgraduates — An analysis from the (demand-side) perspective of companies and colleges

The paper examines the attractiveness of graduates from Indian Polytechnics (PTs). The attractiveness is examinedfrom the perspective of actors who have a demand for thegraduates, namely companies and engineering colleges.To understand the reasons for their assessment ofattractiveness, this study uses the concept of institutionallogics (ILs) to unveil the inherent reasons behind thestakeholders' perception of attractiveness. To understandthe stakeholders' ILs, interviews were undertaken in ninecompanies and 10 colleges in Mumbai and Delhi. Thefindings make clear that the companies' and colleges'assessments of the attractiveness of PT graduates are verydifferent, reflecting their own ILs. Companies assess theattractiveness as limited due to the lack of employabilityof PT graduates. In contrast, colleges view graduates farmore positively, as the weaknesses described by compa-nies have less of an impact on them.