IT Firms see subdued hiring in FY25, but remain optimistic for FY26 prospects

Whereas some companies deferred wage hikes this yr attributable to pricing pressures and shifting consumer priorities, hiring in area of interest and rising tech domains stays energetic
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VIVEK PRAKASH

FY25 was marked by subdued hiring exercise throughout main IT firms, with many adopting a cautious strategy amid world macroeconomic uncertainties and tightening consumer budgets. A number of top-tier companies slowed down campus recruitment, prioritising inside expertise mobility and value optimisation.

Nonetheless, the fiscal yr additionally marked a restoration part for main Indian IT companies, following the headcount contraction in FY24. Business gamers remain optimistic about hiring in the IT companies trade rising by 7-10 per cent in the primary half of 2025, and practically 4-4.5 lakh new jobs in FY26.

Hiring surge

In FY25, main IT firms comparable to Infosys, TCS, and Wipro collectively added 13,500 workers to their workforce, reversing the development from FY24, when the trio noticed a mixed discount of over 55,000 workers.

Sachin Alug, CEO of NLB Providers, shared, “Hiring remained measured in This fall, reflecting continued warning in consumer spending and chronic macroeconomic headwinds. Attrition charges have stabilised throughout the trade at a mean of 13–15 per cent, indicating a extra balanced but evolving expertise panorama.”

Whereas some companies deferred wage hikes this yr attributable to pricing pressures and shifting consumer priorities, hiring in area of interest and rising tech domains stays energetic, each in India and globally. Firms additionally introduced plans to retain an identical brisker hiring outlook in FY26, signalling long-term confidence regardless of short-term challenges.

Brisker demand

Sunil Nehra, the CEO of IT Staffing at FirstMeridian Enterprise Providers, mentioned that investments in the direction of AI/ML, cloud computing, information engineering, and automation have remained regular, signalling long-term confidence in rising applied sciences and influencing hiring traits.

“The sentiment on brisker hiring in FY26 stays constructive, indicating sturdy demand for entry-level roles. With India’s younger expertise exhibiting spectacular area of interest ability units in rising applied sciences, firms are turning in the direction of investing in upskilling applications that bridge the hole between specialised abilities and constructing a sturdy pipeline of expertise for future development,” Nehra mentioned.

Roles like AI/ML Engineers, Knowledge Scientists, Cloud Architects, DevOps Engineers, and ESG Analysts remain in excessive demand, typically incomes an 8-10 per cent premium in compensation. As shoppers undertake a extra measured strategy to large-scale transformation and discretionary spending, IT firms are scaling thoughtfully to construct future-ready expertise.

“With IT hiring, the main focus has remodeled to creating high-impact and resilient groups who can work in tandem with the calls for of the trade. Total, it’s secure to say the sentiment for the quarter has been a cautious but constructive one,” he added.

(with inputs from bl intern Rohan G Das)

Printed on April 18, 2025