IT giant Infosys has reportedly laid off nearly 700 freshers from its Mysuru campus, according to the IT employees' union Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES). The union claimed that these terminations occurred just a few months after the freshers were onboarded.
NITES raised concerns about the company's requirement for the terminated employees to sign confidentiality agreements, suggesting it may be an attempt to suppress details of the layoffs.
"In a shocking and unethical move, Infosys has begun forcefully laying off around 700 campus recruits who were onboarded just a few months ago," said Harpreet Singh Saluja, NITES President, in a statement.
The union also alleged that Infosys deployed "bouncers and security personnel" during the termination process, allegedly to intimidate employees.
According to NITES, employees were prevented from carrying mobile phones during the process, which left them with no means to document the incident or seek assistance.
NITES expressed serious concerns over the abrupt nature of the terminations and the impact on the affected employees.
In its defense, Infosys stated that the terminated freshers had failed to clear multiple internal assessments, which are part of the onboarding process.
"All freshers get three attempts to clear the assessment, failing which they will not be able to continue with the organization, as is also mentioned in their contract. This process has been in existence for over two decades," the company explained in a statement.
Infosys argued that these assessments are essential to ensure that only candidates meeting required standards are retained.
Meanwhile, NITES announced its intention to file an official complaint with the Ministry of Labour and Employment, demanding immediate intervention and strict action against Infosys.
"This blatant corporate exploitation cannot be allowed to continue, and we urge the government to take swift action to uphold the rights and dignity of Indian IT workers," emphasized Saluja.
