Infosys, one of India’s largest IT firms, has come under fire for allegedly laying off 700 campus recruits who joined in October 2024. According to Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES), an IT employees’ welfare group, these layoffs were conducted without prior notice, compensation, or proper justification. The affected employees, mainly from the 2022 engineering batch, had already endured a two-year delay in onboarding before finally securing jobs at Infosys.
NITES has filed a formal complaint with the Ministry of Labour & Employment, demanding immediate action against Infosys for violating labor laws and using intimidation tactics.
Harsh Reality at Mysuru Campus: Employees Forced Out
Heartbreaking images from Infosys’ Mysuru campus show young engineers in distress, carrying packed suitcases, forced to leave on short notice.
Reports claim:
- Security guards and bouncers were deployed to prevent resistance.
- Employees were locked in meeting rooms and pressured to sign separation agreements.
- Mobile phones were confiscated, preventing documentation of the events.
- Some employees were allegedly threatened for raising objections.
“This is not just about job losses. This is about shattered dreams and betrayal, as young professionals were thrown out like outsiders,” NITES President Harpreet Singh Saluja stated.
Infosys’ Justification and Employees’ Allegations
Infosys maintains that the layoffs were due to failed internal assessments. The company claims:
- All recruits were given three chances to pass qualifying tests.
- The assessment process has been in place for over 20 years.
- Only those who failed all attempts were let go.
However, affected employees dispute this, claiming:
- The assessment syllabus was changed midway, making it harder to pass.
- Many received ultimatum letters without prior communication.
- Infosys is evading legal responsibility by forcing “mutual separation” agreements.
NITES Calls for Government Intervention
In its letter to the Labour Ministry (which we have in our posession), NITES has demanded:
- Immediate investigation into Infosys’ layoffs.
- A restraining order to stop further terminations.
- Reinstatement of fired employees with compensation.
- Penal action for violating Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.
- Compliance with severance pay and notice period requirements.
“The IT industry thrives on young professionals’ hard work, yet they are discarded like liabilities. This must stop,” Saluja stated.
Conclusion
The Infosys layoffs have sparked national outrage, highlighting the lack of job security in India’s IT sector. As government intervention looms, the company faces serious questions about its hiring ethics and employee treatment. Will justice be served? Only time will tell.
