Freshers feel the heat as IT majors put onboarding on indefinite hold

• Tech majors like Wipro, Tech Mahindra and other MNCs have either put off recruitment of freshers or asked them to wait.
• Experts, allaying fears of recession in US and Europe affecting IT industry in India, state that the trend is not new.
• The present trend could be the result of workability of pipeline projects.

There is uneasiness among a major section of students whose onboarding process has been delayed by major tech companies.

Tech majors like Wipro, Tech Mahindra and other MNCs have either put off recruitment of freshers or asked them to wait until they are intimated. The freshers awaiting onboarding in Wipro have launched a full fledged campaign on social media, questioning Wipro Chairman Rishad Premji's integrity and commitment as he spoke strongly about ethics in connection with moonlighting.

"The career of thousands of students like me is at stake. We cleared the Wipro exam in 2021. We rejected offers from other companies. But, it's been one year and we are still not onboarded. Wipro is either delaying or rejecting without any clarification," fresher Nithin said.

Another fresher Rushikesh Rupnar stated that "it's been 9 months since I received my offer letter. There is no update regarding onboarding since then. Are we a joke to them? So many students out there are waiting to join".

The Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES), an NGO working for the welfare of IT employees, stated that the trend is not confined to Wipro.

"After Wipro, we have received complaints from employees of various IT companies regarding delay in onboarding. Unfortunately the CEOs bragging about work ethics and transparency are left with no humanity."

"If the workers are organised, all they have to do is to put their hands in their pockets and they have got the capitalist class whipped," NITES asserted.

IT firms should be held accountable for endangering the professional futures of the employees and trainees. Companies play a good game about their beliefs and ethics on the surface, but in reality, It's just crony capitalism, one of the IT job aspirants alleged.

The students who have formed a group online with the "Wipro onboard us" title, stated "please update on our career, group respected RishadPremji sir please update about the onboarding of freshers, why this ego system on freshers."

"I hope u r reading this reply and you got to help us soon. Wishing good health and happiness to the people who re supporting us in struggle of Wipro on-board."

"Please update on our career group submitted respected RishadPremji sir we don't know how the moonlighting effected your company, but your hiring process and holding freshers on-boarding effecting the lives of 20k+ freshers. Is our lives not valuable?"

NITES had also filed a complaint with Union Ministry of Labor and Employment urging to initiate action against the Wipro for delaying onboarding of more than 2,000 students. Wipro has stated that it will honour all offer letters.

However, experts, allaying fears of recession in US and Europe affecting IT industry in India, state that the trend is not new.

They say since China is being hit post Corona period, India could be more resilient. The present trend could be the result of workability of pipeline projects. If pipeline projects are getting affected for various reasons, the companies will strategise their moves by holding new recruitments or withdrawing offers.

"This trend is an old one and the situation is projected like it is the end of IT industry which is wrong. The focus is on adopting to new technology, which is being focussed by all major tech companies. They are doing best prepare work force for new challenges," an expert said.

SEE ALSO: Musk again offers to buy Twitter for $54.20 a share: Report
Competition Commission gives conditional approval to Sony-Zee merger deal
UPI is India’s favourite payment mode with transactions worth ₹30.4 trillion in April-June, says report