IIMs placement crash

the slowdown effect has spread across to the most prized talent (not my definition) in the country.
reports in indicate that the placements have been hit badly this year:. many top recruiters do not even exist as companies any more.
business standard says (giving itself poor marks in maths and english):

This year, IIM Ahmedabad (IIM-A), the largest and most prestigious of the institutes, has seen a 50 per cent slowdown in placements on the coveted "day zero" (the first day), probably for the first time since the dotcom bust in 2000.

Sources said only 18 to 20 out of 250-odd students were placed on day one yesterday, compared to 40 to 50 in a good year. Last year, when the economy was booming, more than 65 per cent (161 students) were hired by 25 firms on slot zero.

while the times reports some high figures (to cover up the gloom?)

The Indian Institute of Management-Calcutta which wrapped up the first round of placements this week saw three students accept pre-placement offers (PPO) of over Rs 1 crore each from investment banks that were made when those institutions were still flush with funds. At the Hyderabad-based Indian School of Business too, some Rs 1-crore offers had flown in.

another simple indicator is the number of emails (4, at the last count) i have received in the last month from B-schools inviting my organisation for campus placements.
माम्ला गंभीर है.