Infosys Mass Layoffs: Company Confirms Over 300 Employees Let Go

Infosys Ltd. has confirmed to NDTV Profit that over 300 employees were let go and that there was no forceful termination, contrary to earlier reports.

During the day, IT employees’ union NITES had alleged that Infosys was laying off nearly 700 freshers at its Mysuru campus. The union claimed that these terminations are happening just a few months after the freshers were onboarded.

According to NITES, the terminated freshers were made to sign confidentiality agreements, which the union argues is an attempt to suppress the details of the layoffs. The union expressed concerns over the abrupt nature of these terminations and the impact on the affected employees.

Infosys, in its defence, has stated that the freshers who are being terminated have failed to clear internal tests that are part of the onboarding process. The company emphasised that this practice is in line with the contractual agreements signed by the employees at the time of their hiring. Infosys maintains that these measures are necessary to ensure that only those who meet the required standards are retained.

A copy of a severance letter was reviewed by NDTV Profit. The letter, handed to one of the terminated employees, outlines the terms of termination and the requirement for the affected employees to sign confidentiality agreements.

Earlier last year, Infosys' co-founder NR Narayana Murthy had said he wants India’s youth to put in the work and hours to lift productivity levels from among the lowest in the world. Murthy had said the youth of the country should work 70 hours a week.

Shortly after his comments in the first episode of ‘The Record’—a podcast by Pai’s venture capital fund, 3one4 Capital—Murthy came under fire when netizens on social media discarded his views and termed it toxic, alongside calling his remarks in the line of anti-work-life balance.