After witnessing a steep decline in headcount for the first time in nearly two decades in FY24, Indian IT giants Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys, and Wipro have made a notable recovery in FY25, collectively adding 13,553 employees.
This comes after the trio shed around 63,759 roles in the previous fiscal amid sluggish revenue growth and hiring freezes.
In FY25, TCS led the rebound by hiring 6,433 employees, closely followed by Infosys with 6,388 additions, and Wipro with 732. While this shows renewed momentum, analysts caution that the weak pace of hiring reflects ongoing macroeconomic headwinds.
“We see very weak headcount addition, reflecting current macroeconomic challenges,” said Piyush Pandey, Lead Analyst-IT at Centrum Broking.
Campus Hiring: A Glimpse into Future Demand
Campus hiring remains a leading indicator of anticipated demand.
TCS announced plans to onboard a similar number of freshers in FY26 as in FY25, which stood at 42,000. Infosys has already achieved its target of 15,000–20,000 freshers in FY25 and plans to hire over 20,000 more in FY26.
Wipro, too, has signalled stability in fresher hiring with a target of 10,000–12,000 campus recruits in FY26, reflecting cautious optimism across the board despite the uncertain economic landscape.
Attrition Concerns for Infosys
While Infosys is pushing forward with fresher hiring, rising attrition remains a concern.
The company’s attrition rate for the March quarter rose to 14.1%, up from 12.6% YoY and 13.7% QoQ. Analysts warn that sustained high attrition could impact project delivery and growth potential.
“Infosys must address its rising attrition rate as workload pressures increase,” Analysts believe.
Wage Hike Plans: Delayed but Not Denied
The FY26 wage cycle has begun cautiously.
- Infosys rolled out wage hikes starting in January and continued through April.
- TCS is deferring salary hikes, opting to decide later in the fiscal year based on business conditions.
- Wipro will announce hikes “closer to the date,” citing ongoing uncertainty.
Saurabh Govil from Wipro added that the company already offered an early wage hike in September 2024, following a previous cycle in December 2023.
Key Takeaways
- 13,553 net additions in FY25 signal recovery post FY24 headcount decline.
- Fresher hiring outlook remains steady across TCS, Infosys, and Wipro.
- Infosys attrition at 14.1% remains a concern for stability and growth.
- Wage hikes to be reviewed mid-year by TCS and Wipro; Infosys leads in implementation.
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