Infosys, India’s second-largest IT services firm, has come under heavy criticism for its recent mass layoffs at its Mysuru campus, where around 400 freshers were unceremoniously dismissed after failing internal assessments. Many of these trainees had waited over two and a half years after receiving their offer letters, only to be terminated within months of joining. It is noteworthy that Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy continues to advocate for a 70-hour work week for young Indians, exposing the hypocrisy at the heart of the IT industry’s treatment of employees.
Cruel Layoffs At Infosys
On 7 February 2025, freshers undergoing training at Infosys’ Mysuru campus were called in batches, handed termination notices, and ordered to vacate the premises by 6 PM on the same day. Trainees pleaded with officials for more time, with some breaking down in tears, but the company refused to budge. The dismissals left hundreds scrambling for last-minute transport to their hometowns, many unsure of how to explain the sudden job loss to their families.
The mass firing was reportedly carried out in a manner that suggests Infosys wanted to keep it hidden. Terminated trainees were huddled into a room guarded by security and bouncers, while buses were positioned to shield the area from other employees and visiting US clients. The company had also preemptively warned the trainees via email to maintain confidentiality about the proceedings.
Adding to the distress, many of those fired had spent years preparing for this role. Infosys had issued offer letters as far back as 2022 but delayed onboarding due to economic downturns. Once training finally began, the company introduced a drastically revamped syllabus with unrealistic expectations. The failure rate shot up as the curriculum was expanded while the time allotted to complete it was slashed. Trainees alleged that the tests were designed to fail them in large numbers.
Infosys justified the layoffs by citing its long-standing policy of requiring freshers to clear internal assessments within three attempts. However, reports suggest that the 2024 batch faced a significantly tougher evaluation process compared to previous years, making it nearly impossible for many to pass. Earlier, those who failed could still proceed to the next training phase, but the new system ensured immediate terminations.
Industry-Wide Concerns And Calls For Action
Infosys’ mass layoffs have sparked outrage among IT professionals and labor rights groups. The Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES), an IT employees’ union, has slammed the company for its unethical conduct. The union has accused Infosys of forcing fired employees to sign confidentiality agreements, preventing them from speaking out.
There are also allegations that security personnel and bouncers were deployed to intimidate the trainees. Reports suggest that affected employees were even restricted from using their phones, cutting them off from external help. In response, NITES has vowed to escalate the matter to the Ministry of Labour and Employment, demanding government intervention to hold Infosys accountable for its treatment of freshers.
Meanwhile, thousands of other trainees still undergoing training at Infosys fear they may be next. Over 4,500 trainees remain in limbo, uncertain whether they will clear the company’s arbitrarily toughened evaluation process.
Infosys’ handling of freshers is a stark example of how Indian IT firms treat their employees—expendable when demand slows, disposable when they don’t meet ever-changing expectations. The same companies that tout “high-performance culture” and “rigorous training” conveniently forget their own role in creating unrealistic workloads.
Narayana Murthy Calls For & Defends 70 Hr Work Week
While Infosys ruthlessly discards freshers after making them wait for years, its co-founder Narayana Murthy continues to push for extreme work hours. Murthy has repeatedly urged young Indians to work 70-hour weeks, claiming that hard work is the only way for India to achieve economic prosperity.
His comments ignore the reality of India’s labor market, where IT employees are increasingly facing job insecurity. He has also argued that the government should stay out of business, despite Infosys benefiting from India’s economic policies for decades. Murthy’s stance exposes a glaring contradiction—while he advocates for endless toil from young professionals, his own company has no hesitation in throwing them out without notice or support.
His argument that India must follow China’s work culture also falls apart under scrutiny. Data shows that longer working hours do not necessarily lead to higher economic prosperity. Countries with strong worker protections and better work-life balance often outperform nations where employees are overworked. Murthy’s obsession with grueling work weeks fails to address the root issues of India’s employment crisis, including mass layoffs like those at Infosys.
(With inputs from Money Control)
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