The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted careers for many fresh graduates and young professionals. Campus placements were cancelled, job offers revoked, and industries slowed down. Years later, a section of this “forgotten batch” is still struggling for their first break, making them vulnerable to shadow placement institutes.

These institutes operate in legal grey zones, often demanding hefty fees and original academic certificates. They spread through Telegram groups and WhatsApp forwards, targeting desperate job seekers.

For instance, Rohan, a B.Tech graduate, handed over his certificates for a promised tech job with a ₹16 LPA package. Months later, his documents remain locked in an office drawer, with no job in sight. Others, like Pooja, were trained to fake interviews and conceal career gaps, leaving them living under constant fear of exposure.

The cost structures are steep, ₹20,000 admission fees, ₹50,000 per interview, and even ₹1 lakh for fabricated experience certificates. Yet, there are no written guarantees.

Without stronger regulation and awareness, such networks will continue exploiting vulnerable youth. Experts warn that these shortcuts harm candidates in the long run, urging job seekers instead to build genuine skills and present transferable strengths.