The Long Wait: As IT firms delay onboarding, fresh graduates face financial uncertainties
education loan, for which an EMI of Rs 12,131 started in January. After paying for two months, Kumar sought an extension from the bank since he is unemployed. But that’s not by choice. Kumar has been waiting for a joining date from Infosys since receiving an offer letter in April 2022.
Kumar’s situation is far from unique. Many students like him have been left in limbo after consistent delays in onboarding by IT majors despite receiving offer letters two or even three years ago.
After more than two years of waiting, Infosys recently conducted pre-training rounds in July and August, andissued joining dates for October and November to more than 1,000 graduates. These roles, primarily system engineering positions, will begin at the Mysore campus. “It’s a huge relief,” said Ankit Jha from Jharkhand, who had nearly lost hope after months of waiting.
According to Harpreet Singh Saluja, president of IT employee union NITES, as of June, approximately 10,000 students selected by IT majors — including DXC Technology, Wipro, TCS, Virtusa Consulting, Infosys, LTIMindtree, Zensar and Hexaware Technologies — were left waiting. That number has since decreased to around 5,000, as TCS, Infosys and LTIMindtree have onboarded many pending freshers.
The affected students have formed groups on social media platforms, venting their frustrations and concerns, asking queries and motivating each other. Some struggle to pay off their loans, others are anxious about the social impact and the gap in their professional career.
Sonal, a
