I think companies often hire fresh graduates on the basis of skill sets. This can be easily assessed when they take the necessary examinations appropriate to a particular job. It could be difficult to readily identify whether a person has a good adaptive ability, especially since, as you mentioned, they are fresh graduates and are just starting to get themselves exposed in the workforce. If what you mean by adaptive ability is the ability of a person to adjust to his or her working environment, then unless you hire them, you wouldn't know if they possess such skill. And although there will be series of interviews and personality tests that would help an employer in this aspect, I still don't think these will be enough, as what one writes/tells in interviews may differ from the actions that he/she may opt to do.