Pranav,

I didn't say, or mean to imply, that this happens *EVERY*where, but I have seen it happen a bit too often to say it only happens every once in a while.

Also getting called for interviews based on reference is OK, it happens everywhere, and is in fact encouraged. I recently received a cash incentive from the company for referring an acquaintance, who is actually at a much higher post than mine :-))
I was talking about people being given jobs unconditionally through contacts (or applying a "jack" as we would say ;-) )

Of course, I have not seen this occur where the job was of a critical nature. To get a challenging job, you have to be good at it. I don't think any interviewer would take a really incompetent guy for a critical job, just because he's got contacts. The problem occurs when there are MANY competent people available for limited posts, as is the case now with several bright engineering graduates wandering about without jobs due to the tough employment scene. In these cases, the guy with the contact gets the post; he may be good, but not necessarily the best.

Yes, I know about BARC, and several of my acquantainces have tried for it unsuccessfuly. I know that your GATE score is really good, and it is always difficult to get such jobs at places like DRDO and BARC. I do not mean to trivialize your efforts, as most people do get good jobs on their own strengths. However you must agree that sort of work is "critical". You don't put a doofus to work on systems to control nuclear reactors, no matter what.

But just stick around longer and you will see somebody less qualified being offered a job or a promotion due to contacts. I did my final year project in another premier government research institute, and have seen this happen there too. In my experience this happens most often in government organizations.

To explain my point of view, consider this annecdote: I once got a call from a classmate who asked if he could use my "contact" at the institute where I was doing my final year project. He was assuming I had secured my project through contacts :-))

My point is that Politics and the like is ubiquitious in any large organization. You cannot expect it unless you choose to work in smaller companies. And my message to Jorg was that life is not fair, you have to deal with it, and you may have to play unfair too if you really have to. Sorry for writing such a lengthy off-topic post, but I wanted to make my views clear.

BTW I have a younger friend (my, I have a lot of friends dont I :-D ) who recently did his final year project at BARC, a uC-based Gieger-counter application: His name is Chirag, have you met him by any chance?

kundi