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In a move that has left the Indian IT sector and fresh graduates in shock, Infosys abruptly terminated 400 freshers from its Mysuru campus on February 7, 2025. These individuals, who had waited over 2.5 years to join the company after their recruitment, were dismissed almost overnight after allegedly failing an internal assessment.

While Infosys maintains that it follows a rigorous and long-standing hiring policy, the scale, timing, and execution of these layoffs have sparked serious concerns. Reports suggest that failure rates in the assessments were abnormally high, raising suspicions that the move was more about cost-cutting than performance evaluation.

So, was this really about “poor performance,” or is Infosys playing a corporate chess game to navigate the tough economic climate? Let’s break it down.

The Numbers That Don’t Add Up

The Infosys layoffs come at a time when the global IT industry is grappling with economic uncertainties. A look at the numbers paints a picture far from the company’s official reasoning:

1. Unusually Long Waiting Period

• Freshers recruited in 2022 were only onboarded in late 2024, after over 2.5 years of waiting.
• During this time, many were left in career limbo, unable to seek other jobs due to their existing offer letters.

2. Drastic Increase in Failure Rates

• Traditionally, the failure rate in Infosys’ internal training assessments was around 10%.
• In 2025, failure rates allegedly shot up to 30-40%—a nearly fourfold increase.
• Freshers claim that recent changes in assessment standards were unfair and designed to fail more candidates.

3. The Brutal Layoff Process

• Freshers were called in batches of 50, made to sign confidentiality agreements, and were told to leave immediately.
• Some were not even given an overnight stay, leading to panic, distress, and reports of fainting and mental breakdowns.
• Over 4,500 more trainees remain in the pipeline, raising fears that this could be just the beginning of a larger wave of layoffs.

4. Infosys’ History of Large-Scale Layoffs

This isn’t the first time Infosys has faced controversy over layoffs:

• December 2023: Infosys laid off over 600 employees in its BPM division.
• January 2024: Reports suggested mass layoffs across various verticals due to cost-cutting pressures.
• April 2024: The company slowed down hiring, citing uncertain market conditions.

Corporate Justification vs. Employee Outrage

Infosys defended its decision by stating that:

• Freshers are given three attempts to pass internal tests.
• The policy is part of their training standards, which have been in place for decades.
• The process is meant to maintain high-quality talent for client projects.

However, freshers argue that:

• The assessment system was unfairly modified, making it harder to pass.
• The timing suggests that the company was trying to reduce costs under the pretense of poor performance.
• The lack of support and abrupt execution of layoffs was inhumane and unethical.

A terminated employee, speaking anonymously, said: “We waited over two years for this job, only to be thrown out like disposable resources. If performance was the issue, why weren’t we given better training or feedback?”

Bigger Picture: Infosys and the Changing IT Landscape

The Infosys layoffs are part of a larger trend in the Indian IT industry. Major tech companies, including TCS, Wipro, and Accenture, have reduced hiring and trimmed their workforce over the past year due to global economic slowdown, automation, and shifting client priorities.

Ethical Concerns: Where is the Transparency?

The Infosys layoffs raise serious ethical questions:

• Why were freshers onboarded after 2.5 years if they were not needed?
• Was the assessment system truly fair, or was it modified for corporate benefit?
• Why was there no prior warning or support for struggling employees?

Industry experts argue that companies should prioritize humane terminations, such as:

• Advance notice before termination.
• Counseling and support for affected employees.
• Clear, transparent assessment metrics.
• Opportunities for retraining instead of abrupt firing.

Unfortunately, Infosys’ handling of these layoffs failed on all these fronts.

Final Thoughts: A Lesson in Corporate Reality

For fresh graduates, the Infosys layoffs serve as a wake-up call about the harsh realities of the IT job market in 2025. While technical skills remain crucial, adaptability and multiple career options are now essential for survival.

For Infosys, this event is a PR nightmare, raising concerns about its hiring practices, ethics, and long-term employer brand.

• Will Infosys address these concerns transparently?
• Are more layoffs coming in the future?
• How will the Indian IT industry evolve in the face of AI and automation?

Only time will tell. But one thing is clear—job security in the IT industry is no longer a given, and freshers need to plan their careers with caution.