Does CGPA really matter for placements and MS admissions or just skills?

Honest answer: CGPA matters, but not as much as people think. I graduated with a 7.8 from a tier-2 NIT and got placed at a solid company because I had done 2-3 decent projects and could code well. However, many top companies (Microsoft, Google, Goldman Sachs, DE Shaw) still have a 7.0+ cutoff, and some even want 7.5+. Your 7.2 is safe for most placements. For MS abroad, your CGPA matters more—most good universities want 3.5+/4.0 (roughly 8.5+/10), but strong GATE/GRE scores and research papers can compensate. Build both, but don't sacrifice sleep and mental health obsessing over CGPA.

From a placement committee perspective at my college: we see roughly 95% of students get placed. But yes, students with CGPA below 6.5 often miss the top-tier company drives—they still get placed, just in slightly smaller or less competitive firms. For MS, it's different: US universities look at CGPA, TOEFL, GRE, LORs, and research. A 7.5 CGPA with strong GATE rank and a published paper beats a 9.0 CGPA with no research. Consistency matters more than perfection.

I think the real answer is: CGPA is a filter, skills are a differentiator. Top tech companies use CGPA (usually 7.0 or 7.5) as a first-round filter to reduce application volume. Once you clear that, your projects, LeetCode performance, and how you think in interviews decide the offer. Your 7.2 gets you past the filter for most companies. Now focus on 2-3 solid projects and competitive coding.

OP, I was in the exact same boat. 7.1 CGPA, panicked in second year. I focused on building an Android app for a local NGO and interned at a startup. During placements, the CGPA filter didn't hurt me (most companies had 7.0+ cutoff), and the projects + intern experience got me shortlisted. Ended up with a decent offer. Don't obsess, but also don't ignore CGPA—aim for 7.0 minimum and spend the energy you save on projects.

For domestic placements: CGPA matters for filtering, not much more. For MS abroad: it matters more, but in my experience, I've helped dozens of students with 7.5-8.0 CGPA get into top 20 US universities because they had strong GATE scores, research papers, or very specific project portfolios. The key is knowing your target—MS in CS from a top 50 US university is harder to crack with sub-8.0 CGPA than a tier-1 Indian tech company placement.