One user wrote on his X, “This is truly heartbreaking. These freshers waited 2-2.5 years after receiving their offer letters from #Infosys and finally joined in September 2024
Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s father-in-law Narayana Murthy co-founder of tech giant Infosys has laid off nearly 700 freshers from its Mysuru campus, the IT employees’ union Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES) has claimed. The union contended that the freshers were being terminated after just a few months of being onboarded to the company.
For many, the Infosys mass terminations came as a devastating blow. Having waited over two years after graduation to start their careers at Infosys in September 2024 finally, they now found themselves jobless just six months later. As they scrambled to book taxis and buses to return home, the harsh reality sank in-how would they break the news to their families?
“In a shocking and unethical move, Infosys has begun forcefully laying off around 700 campus recruits who were onboarded just a few months ago,” Harpreet Singh Saluja, NITES president, said in a statement.
NITES alleged that the company also deployed “bouncers and security personnel” during the termination process to intimidate employees.
As news spread, buses and taxis outside the campus filled with anxious trainees, many dreading the moment they would have to explain their abrupt return to their families.
Earlier that day, batches of about 50 trainees were summoned, laptops in hand, starting from 9:30 am. They were led into a room guarded by security and bouncers. The previous evening, an ominous email had landed in their inboxes:
“You are required to maintain confidentiality, hence please do not discuss this or share this calendar invite with anyone.”One trainee recalled how Infosys’ Finacle (the company’s digital banking platform) employees, along with a few US clients, were on campus that day. “Buses were strategically parked to block the view of where we were being called in, one by one, to be terminated. We were escorted out in a way that ensured we wouldn’t be noticed,” they alleged. For those affected, the experience felt cruel. “This is inhumane. It’s a big company, but trainees are too afraid to speak up,” another dismissed employee told MoneyControl on condition of anonymity.
The layoffs were executed with strict security measures in place. Starting at 9:30 AM, trainees were called in batches of 50, asked to bring their laptops, and huddled into a room guarded by security outside and bouncers inside. One trainee recalled how Infosys took extra precautions to keep the mass firings discreet, as senior employees and US clients were on the campus that day. “Buses were used as shields to block the view while we were called in and terminated one by one. We were escorted out in a way so as to not draw attention,” the trainee revealed to Money Control.
Social media erupted with outrage as netizens shared their shock and sympathy for the affected employees.
One user wrote on his X, “This is truly heartbreaking. These freshers waited 2-2.5 years after receiving their offer letters from #Infosys and finally joined in September 2024. Now, after just six months, nearly 700 of them have been laid off. Many might have turned down other opportunities for this-only to face this devastating reality.” Another post described the scene as “the most devastating photo in recent times,” highlighting the emotional toll on the young professionals who had placed their trust in one of India’s largest IT firms.
A user said on X that layoffs have a big negative impact on people’s lives, saying, “Many young college graduates and professionals will have to endure layoffs. 2025 is going to be a tough economic year. Layoffs can have a big negative impact on people’s lives, incomes and even marriages.”
Infosys defends policy In response to the backlash, Infosys defended its process, stating: “At Infosys, we have a rigorous hiring process where all freshers, after undergoing extensive foundational training at our Mysuru campus, are expected to clear internal assessments. All freshers get three attempts to pass. Failing this, they cannot continue with the organisation, as outlined in their contracts. This process has been in place for over two decades and ensures high-quality talent for our clients.” However, trainees who spoke anonymously claimed the criteria for the 2024 batch had been made significantly tougher.
The toll on trainees
These stringent changes have led to a sharp rise in failure rates. Out of 930 trainees who joined on October 7, only 160 passed on their first attempt. Around 140 of them have managed to pass on their second. More than 630 trainees failed by January 1, 2025, mostly due to the expanded syllabus and reduced preparation time. Previously, even those who failed the generic phase could continue to the technology stream. Now, failing the generic tests means automatic termination. As a result, termination rates have risen from under 10 per cent to 30-40 per cent.
