Infosys has issued a clarification regarding reports of mass layoffs at its Mysuru campus, emphasizing that its hiring policy includes a long-standing mandatory assessment that freshers must pass to continue working with the company. This response follows widespread media reports suggesting that nearly 700 trainee employees were being laid off after failing the assessment. Infosys clarified that this evaluation process has been in place for over two decades and is an essential part of its employee screening process, aimed at ensuring a highly skilled workforce.
According to Infosys, freshers who join the company undergo rigorous foundational training at its state-of-the-art Mysuru campus. This training program, which covers various technical and soft skills, is designed to equip employees with the knowledge necessary to excel in their roles. However, once the training is complete, all trainees must pass an internal assessment, which determines their eligibility to continue working with the organization. Infosys stated that every fresher is given three attempts to pass this evaluation. Those who fail all three attempts are not allowed to continue employment with the company, a condition that is explicitly mentioned in their employment contracts. The company defended this policy, arguing that it ensures that only the most capable professionals move forward in their roles, thereby maintaining a high standard of competency within the organization.
Despite Infosys’ justification, the move has triggered significant criticism from the Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES), a labor rights group that advocates for the rights and fair treatment of IT employees in India. According to a report published by The Economic Times, around 400 employees were reportedly called in batches and given ultimatum letters after failing to meet Infosys’ qualifying criteria. Several employees have alleged that they were pressured into signing separation agreements under duress, with no severance package, financial assistance, or exit support provided to them.
Adding to the controversy, reports indicate that Infosys had previously delayed the onboarding of nearly 2,000 fresh graduates from the same batch. These individuals had initially received offer letters for positions such as system engineers (SE) and digital SEs, with annual salary packages ranging between Rs 3.2 lakh and Rs 3.7 lakh. However, many of them experienced significant delays in their joining process, only to be later subjected to the stringent assessment process that ultimately led to their dismissal. This has raised concerns about Infosys’ hiring practices and the overall job security of fresh graduates in India's IT sector.
NITES President Harpreet Singh Saluja has strongly condemned Infosys’ actions, calling them "undignified, coercive, and unethical." He claimed that affected employees were summoned to designated meeting rooms at the Mysuru campus, where they were allegedly intimidated into signing "mutual separation" letters. Furthermore, he accused Infosys of deploying bouncers and security personnel to monitor employees, prevent them from carrying mobile phones, and ensure that they had no means to document the incident or seek external help.
“This is an outrageous and unethical treatment of employees. Today, in a completely undignified manner, Infosys has forced these employees to leave the company premises by evening, without any financial assistance or exit support. This behavior sets a dangerous precedent for the IT industry,” said Saluja.
NITES has announced that it is in the process of filing an official complaint with the Labour Ministry of India, urging the government to intervene and launch an investigation into Infosys’ handling of the layoffs. The organization is calling for stricter labor regulations to ensure fair treatment of IT employees and prevent corporations from engaging in what they perceive as exploitative labor practices.
This incident has sparked a larger debate on the employment conditions within India’s IT industry, where job security, onboarding delays, layoffs disguised as performance terminations, and stringent probation policies have become increasingly common. Many industry experts believe that while companies have the right to maintain high-performance standards, the manner in which these layoffs were conducted raises ethical and legal concerns. The growing backlash against Infosys has also fueled concerns among job seekers and fresh graduates, who now fear that even after securing employment in reputed IT firms, their job stability may not be guaranteed.
With the Labour Ministry now being urged to intervene, it remains to be seen whether this dispute will lead to regulatory action against Infosys or broader policy changes in India’s IT sector. The outcome of this case could potentially shape how IT companies handle probation periods, employee assessments, and termination policies in the future.
