Infosys delays onboarding of 2,000 graduates for more than 2 years, NITES files complaint

• Infosys has delayed hiring of 2000 young professionals
• NITES has filed a complaint in the matter
• Infosys is also making headlines for its new Power Programme

The Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES), a Pune-based IT employee union, has filed a formal complaint with the Ministry of Labour and Employment against Infosys. The union alleges that Infosys has delayed the onboarding process for around 2,000 fresh engineering graduates for over two years, leaving them in a state of uncertainty and distress.

Infosys delayed freshers' onboarding for more than two years

According to NITES, these graduates were selected for roles such as system engineer and digital specialist engineer as early as April 2022. Despite receiving offer letters, the onboarding process has been repeatedly postponed. The affected graduates were required to participate in unpaid pre-training programs and undergo additional, unexpected assessments, further complicating their entry into the workforce.

NITES claims that despite fulfilling all the prerequisites set by Infosys, these young professionals have been kept in limbo, leading to significant frustration and anxiety. The union views this situation as a serious breach of trust by Infosys, which has long been regarded as one of the pillars of India’s IT industry.

Harpreet Singh Saluja, President of NITES, expressed deep concern over the situation, emphasizing the broader implications for the Indian IT sector.

“We believe that this is not just a breach of trust by one of India’s largest IT companies, but also a significant issue that impacts the future of our country’s IT workforce and economy. We are calling on the government to take immediate and strict action against Infosys to ensure that such exploitative practices are halted and that the rights of these young professionals are protected,” Saluja said, according to a report by The Economic Times.

The complaint filed by NITES highlights that even after long delays, the graduates were asked to participate in an unpaid virtual pre-training program from July 1 to July 24, 2024. They were promised final joining dates of either August 19 or September 2, 2024. However, despite completing the training, they were informed that they would need to retake the exam offline, once again without pay. This has only added to their frustration and uncertainty about their future with the company.

Infosys’ Power Programme

In a contrasting development, Infosys is also making headlines for its recent campus placement drive, where it has introduced a new 'power programme.'

According to a report by The Times of India, the company is offering pay packages of up to Rs 9 lakh per annum to select colleges, a significant increase from its standard entry-level packages, which typically range from Rs 3-3.5 lakh. This move is seen as part of Infosys’ strategy to attract highly specialized talent in areas such as coding, software development, cloud computing, AI/ML, and cybersecurity.

Infosys plans to hire between 15,000 and 20,000 graduates in FY25. During its earnings call last month, Infosys announced plans to resume campus placements and off-campus fresher hiring in the current fiscal year. The top four IT firms in India are expected to collectively add about 82,000 freshers in FY25. Among them, HCLTech and Wipro plan to hire 10,000 and up to 12,000 freshers, respectively.

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