Creating a record in its placement history, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has placed three of its candidates at a record salary of close to Rs 70 lakh with Singapore-based Olam International. This is the highest ever salary offered to fresh CAs recruited from the ICAI campus, the apex body that conducts the CA examination and places the successful candidates every year. Earlier, a record salary of Rs 38.25 lakh was offered in 2007.

The three candidates who have been offered the record salary, almost double the earlier high, were picked by the agriculture supply chain major from ICAIs Chennai campus. Olam plans to hire around 8 candidates from ICAI.

ICAI started its first phase of placements through five (all metros) out of 15 campuses on March 4. The first day itself saw 320 candidates being picked up. Companies which hired successful CAs on the first day include IOC, ITC, Tolaram, Vedant, S R Batliboy, Yes Bank, GE Capital, REC, L&T, Axis Bank, Morgan Stanley, HCL Technology and Delloite.

"We are very happy with the offers we have seen on very first day of our campus recruitment. It suggests that now we are out of the global recession and recruiters are ready to offer right packages to right candidates," said Subodh Agrawal, chairmen of the Committee for Members in Industry, ICAI, in a reaction to the record offer. "It is a 100% rise from our earlier best," he added. Explaining the hiring sentiment, Mr Agarwal said: "Now with the upturn, good candidates keen to work within the country. Therefore, companies need to pay a premium to hire them for global positions."

Not just global firms but domestic giants too have aggressively picked up CAs on the first day. Leading private sector bank ICICI emerged as the biggest employer by hiring 100 candidates.

"ICICI Bank has been one of the biggest recruiters. However, it did not hire with the same fervour in the last two-three years. This time, they are back," said an official in the ICAI.

While Mumbai campus saw highest placements with 148 CAs getting offers, Delhi saw 65 offers. Kolkata, Chennai and Bangalore campuses saw 42, 22, 44 offers respectively.

While the salary offers in Mumbai were in the Rs 6.25-14 lakh, Delhi saw candidates picked up in the Rs 6-11 lakh salary range. The range was higher in Kolkata where offers were made between Rs 6 lakh and Rs 22. Tolaram, a Singapore-based diversified group offered the highest package of Rs 22 lakh in Kolkata.

When contacted by ET, Olam International confirmed the Rs 70-lakh offer. " Michael Joseph who handles global recruitments at the company said: ""We are operating in a recession-free industry. So, there are really no limits now," he said. Olam which is growing at a 25% rate, is also one of the top recruiters at the IIMs. In the ongoing placement season at the IIMs, the company picked up 12 people from the IIM-A.