New Delhi, Oct. 24 -- The tussle for MBA (Master of Business Administration) talent is moving well before final placements, with companies rolling out scholarships, housing benefits, leadership sessions and business-critical assignments to attract interns and improve their chances of converting them into full-time hires through pre-placement offers (PPOs). All this is being rolled out in a sluggish job market, since firms prefer to extend a pre-placement offer to students who fit the bill after an internship rather than jostle with competitors during the final placement season a few months later.

"The focus is moving beyond the stipend to creating experiences that allow students to apply their learning to real business challenges and exp...