On Sunday, IT giant Cognizant clarified that it actually offers salaries ranging from ₹4-12 lakh to fresh engineering graduates, in response to social media criticism over its ₹2.52 lakh annual salary offer for new hires.
How Did This Happen?
Basically, the amount which was being discussed online pertains to non-engineering undergraduate degree holders.
It appears that the IT service provider faced ridicule for providing annual salary hikes as low as 1 percent.
Although, this figure only represents the lower end of the 1-5 percent annual increments as it is being awarded based on individual performance.
When it comes to Cognizant, it recruits fresh engineering and non-engineering/IT graduates annually for a variety of roles.
The company has two recruitment processes running almost simultaneously which includes the hiring of fresh graduates with three-year non-engineering/information technology degrees increased significantly.
This was widely publicized as part of Cognizant’s salary package for newcomers.
Misrepresented Job Posting
The EVP and President, Cognizant Americas,Surya Gummadi said, “Our recent job posting for talent from non-engineering backgrounds, with a 3-year undergraduate degree has been grossly misrepresented. This job posting, with compensation of ₹2.52 lakhs annually, was only for candidates with a 3-year undergraduate degree and not for engineering graduates.”
As informed by the company, they recruit individuals with non-engineering undergraduate degrees for administrative and other positions.
And for doing so, they invest significant time and resources in enhancing their skills and providing IT training.
After that these individuals are placed in various roles within the company.
Further, Gummandi mentioned that “Our annual compensation for fresh engineering graduates ranges from ₹4 lakhs to ₹12 lakhs annually, depending on the category of hiring, skill set, and advanced industry accredited certifications.”
It appears that the Cognizant’s salary package for engineering graduates is among the top in the industry, and at certain levels, it surpasses that of its competitors.
Gummandi added, “The compensation we offer for engineering graduates is highly competitive within the IT services peer group. We have been recruiting and upskilling freshers from engineering institutions as well as colleges offering degrees in science, arts, and commerce. Today, as AI increasingly powers modern businesses, we are creating new pathways for talent to thrive in India’s technology industry.”
