Published on October 31 , 2025
Contents
Delhi, India
Initiative Overview
- Launch Details: IIT Roorkee has initiated a pilot program for ‘Elevate’, an advanced AI-driven mock interview platform developed in collaboration with Newton School, targeting engineering students’ placement preparation as of October 30, 2025.
- Core Challenge Addressed: Approximately 70% of software engineering candidates fail their initial job interviews due to non-technical issues like anxiety, poor communication, and low confidence, despite strong academic credentials – a gap Elevate aims to close.
- Broader Vision: This project extends AI’s role in education from rote learning to practical skill-building, aligning with India’s push for tech-enhanced career readiness and reducing the academia-industry divide.
- Training Foundation: Powered by analysis of over 100,000 real interview interactions, ensuring hyper-realistic simulations and data-backed insights for users.
Key Features of Elevate AI Tool
- Realistic Simulation: Replicates exact interview formats from top tech giants like Amazon, Google, Razorpay, and CRED, including behavioral, technical, and case-based questions.
- Real-Time Interaction: AI interviewer poses dynamic follow-up questions based on responses, mimicking live scrutiny to build adaptability under pressure.
- Comprehensive Feedback: Generates instant, personalized reports evaluating communication style, confidence, technical depth, and problem-solving – with actionable tips for improvement.
- Flexible Formats: Offers quick demo sessions for beginners and full-length mocks for advanced prep, accessible via web or app for on-demand practice.
- Ethical AI Design: Focuses on unbiased assessments, promoting inclusive preparation for diverse student backgrounds without favoring specific demographics.
How Elevate Works: Step-by-Step Process
- Session Initiation: Users select a company profile or role (e.g., software engineer at Google), and the AI launches a video/audio-based mock interview lasting 30-60 minutes.
- Live Evaluation: During the interaction, the system analyzes speech patterns, response clarity, and logical flow in real-time, adjusting question difficulty accordingly.
- Post-Session Analysis: Delivers a detailed scorecard with scores on key competencies, video replays of responses, and tailored recommendations like “Practice pausing for emphasis to boost confidence.”
- Iterative Learning: Tracks progress across multiple sessions, suggesting customized drills to address recurring weaknesses, turning practice into measurable growth.
- Integration Potential: Designed for easy embedding into university LMS platforms, allowing batch scheduling for career cells.
Pilot Program at IIT Roorkee
- Scope and Timeline: Currently testing with a select group of BTech and MTech students through the institute’s Career Development Cell (CDC), with initial feedback collection slated for November 2025.
- Target Cohort: Primarily final-year engineering students gearing up for campus placements, focusing on high-demand fields like software development and data science.
- Evaluation Metrics: Success measured by pre- and post-pilot placement rates, user satisfaction surveys, and reduction in reported interview anxiety levels.
- Controlled Rollout: Limited to 200-300 participants initially to refine algorithms based on campus-specific needs before scaling.
Collaboration and Key Stakeholders
- Primary Partners: IIT Roorkee’s CDC leads implementation, while Newton School provides the core AI technology, leveraging its edtech expertise in personalized learning.
- Institutional Support: Backed by IIT Roorkee’s innovation ecosystem, including faculty from computer science and management departments for content validation.
- External Expertise: Draws on industry inputs from alumni at FAANG companies to ensure question banks reflect current hiring trends.
- Resource Allocation: Free access for pilot users, with potential subscription models for wider adoption post-evaluation.
Insights from Experts and Officials
- Prof. Raj Kumar Datta (CDC In-Charge, IIT Roorkee): “Many technically brilliant students falter in live interviews due to pressure; Elevate offers a safe space to simulate that intensity, helping them showcase true potential.”
- Newton School Representatives: Highlight the tool’s role in democratizing access to premium interview coaching, traditionally limited to elite coaching centers.
- Student Feedback Teasers: Early testers report 40-50% confidence boosts after just two sessions, praising the tool’s “uncannily human” questioning style.
- Industry Echoes: Recruiters from partner firms note that AI-prepped candidates demonstrate sharper articulation, aligning with evolving hybrid interview norms.
Benefits for Students and Career Outcomes
- Skill Enhancement: Builds essential soft skills like poise and storytelling, crucial for 80% of hiring decisions beyond technical chops.
- Anxiety Reduction: Simulated high-stakes scenarios desensitize users to stress, with data showing 60% drop in self-reported nerves post-use.
- Efficiency Gains: Saves time and cost on external coaching (often Rs 10,000+ per course), offering unlimited practice at zero marginal expense.
- Inclusivity Boost: Supports multilingual interfaces and accessibility features, aiding non-metro and first-gen students in competitive job markets.
- Long-Term Impact: Positions users for higher success in global opportunities, contributing to India’s talent export in tech sectors.
