India’s entry-level IT job market is collapsing due to rapid automation and AI tools.
Freshers face delayed hiring, fewer openings, and irrelevant college training.
Global shifts and domestic gaps are turning India’s IT dream into a crisis.

BulletsIn

• AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot now perform tasks entry-level engineers used to do
• Wipro cut fresher hiring from 38,000 (FY23) to 10,000 (FY25); Infosys delayed onboarding over a year
• Only 1.6 lakh freshers may be hired in FY25, down from 2.3 lakh in FY23
• India’s engineering colleges rarely teach AI, data science, or machine learning effectively
• Only 47% of tech grads are employable; just 7% of faculty know generative AI tools
• GCCs (Goldman Sachs, Walmart, etc.) hire fewer but highly skilled interns from IITs, NITs
• Indian techies in the US face layoffs, visa stress, and rising immigration uncertainty
• Global unemployment for CS grads is rising; AI is replacing low-end jobs across nations
• New jobs exist in AI support roles (prompt engineers, AI trainers, auditors), but need new skills
• Experts urge overhaul of tech education: more real-world labs, internships, and AI-focused training