India's premier IT services firms have nearly frozen net hiring, adding just 17 employees across the top five companies during the first nine months of the 2025–26 fiscal year, according to industry data reported by The Economic Times. This compares sharply with the 17,764 net additions recorded during the same period last year.
The data indicates tightening demand, pressured discretionary spending, and increasing adoption of AI‑driven delivery models that reduce the need for fresh hiring. The stagnant headcount also reflects the fact that the limited gains seen at some companies stemmed mainly from mergers and acquisitions; without these, several firms would have reported flat or negative employee growth.
The hiring slowdown has raised concerns for India's large pool of engineering graduates, who have long relied on the “Big Five” — Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys, Wipro, HCLTech, and Tech Mahindra — for entry‑level opportunities.
TCS had the greatest impact on industry‑wide numbers. India's largest software exporter reduced its workforce by 25,816 employees over the nine‑month period, after initiating a strategy to trim around 2% of its headcount. According to The Times of India, more than 12,000 of these reductions were concentrated at the mid‑ and senior‑management levels.
The downward trend deepened in the quarter ending December, with the combined workforce of the five firms shrinking by 2,174. While Infosys and Wipro added 5,043 and 6,529 employees respectively, TCS offset those gains by laying off 11,151 staff.
Tech Hiring Set To Rise 12-15% In 2026
Across the broader Indian technology landscape—spanning permanent, temporary, and contractual roles—hiring is projected to grow 12–15% in 2026, adding nearly 1,25,000 jobs, according to workforce solutions provider Adecco India.
The year marks a major inflection point as non‑tech industries increasingly position digital, AI, data engineering, and cybersecurity talent at the core of their business models rather than treating technology as an add‑on, the report noted.
Early signs of stabilisation in IT and IT services emerged through 2025, particularly in areas such as AI engineering, cloud transformation, cybersecurity, data platforms, and platform modernisation.
As 2026 begins, companies across sectors are expected to scale hiring for niche technology roles as they transition from controlled pilots to full‑scale deployment. BFSI, healthcare, manufacturing, and logistics are among the biggest drivers of this demand, accounting for nearly 38% of tech‑focused hiring.
(With inputs from PTI)
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