The IT sector is witnessing a notable transition in hiring practices, with HCL Technologies and Tech Mahindra outpacing Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in net headcount additions for the September-ending quarter of 2026. HCL Tech reported 6,440 net hires, followed by Tech Mahindra with 5,446, while TCS added 4,258 employees.
This shift aligns with a broader movement from volume-based to productivity-led workforce strategies, catalyzed by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and automation. Firms are increasingly prioritizing demand-triggered recruitment, focusing on major project requirements and optimizing workforce utilization.
Industry experts emphasize a more nuanced hiring framework compared to the unidirectional strategies of the past. Yugal Joshi, a Partner at Everest Group, highlights the evolving workforce pyramid where profitability and specific project needs dictate recruitment priorities. This approach often presents a paradox: while AI is expected to take over entry-level tasks, companies continue to invest in hiring freshers to balance costs and maintain operational agility.
TCS, historically a large-scale hirer, now adopts a more constrained and demand-focused approach. Conversely, Tech Mahindra sustains its commitment to campus hiring, showing consistency for the second quarter. Similarly, Wipro, despite a temporary reduction in headcount, plans to ramp up recruitment in the latter half of the financial year fueled by volume growth and AI-driven productivity initiatives.
“Our hiring will normalize as we move forward, integrating campus recruitment with AI-enhanced productivity efforts,” said Saurabh Govil, Chief Human Resources Officer at Wipro.
Demand-triggered hiring around specific projects is expected to continue, with fluctuations based on project cycles and efficiency gains from automation. Sarbojit Mallick, co-founder of Instahyre, notes that while annual hiring targets remain, actual joining figures often provide a clearer picture of workforce expansion than recruitment announcements.
Ganesh S Padmanabhan from CIEL HR anticipates uneven hiring patterns, with surges during project launches and campus onboarding, followed by consolidations. He stresses the growing importance of skill diversity and the capability to collaborate with AI tools, even at entry levels.
Greyhound Research supports the trend toward selective intakes aligned with project timelines and deployable skills, cautioning that delays in candidate onboarding could signal issues with employer commitment rather than mere scheduling.
Overall, hiring strategies in India’s IT sector are adapting to a hybrid model that balances the integration of AI with targeted human capital investments, underscoring a future where intelligent automation works alongside specialized talent deployment.
Source: The Hindu Business Line