Pune: Fresh engineering graduates in Pune, especially those from computer science backgrounds, are facing one of the most challenging employment environments in recent years. Delayed campus onboarding, shrinking entry-level hiring, and a series of alleged job frauds have added to the uncertainty.
Freshers Hit by Job Scams and Reduced Hiring
Pavanjit Mane, president of the Forum of IT Professionals (FITE), stated, “Almost 4,000 freshers reached out to us following scams from several IT companies. Earlier, senior management would get laid off, but now, freshers are feeling the pressure. Fewer freshers were hired this year by IT companies compared to last year. Even top-tier companies have reduced hiring, so candidates from good colleges are going to smaller companies.”
Pragati, a fresher from an engineering college in the city, was among the 500 employees working with a Hinjewadi-based IT firm that abruptly shut down. She remarked, “The market is flooded with freshers and I would find it tough to get a job. We can’t put this company’s name on our CV because it doesn’t count as work experience. Who will give us a job?”
A fresher from Nagpur shared that they were being hired at very low salaries. “An IT company came to campus, conducted interviews, selected candidates, and never sent offer letters. The global environment is uncertain, and US companies are not confirming projects,” the fresher said.
Placement Rates Drop Significantly
Santosh Borde, chairman of the Federation of Training and Placement Officers, noted that in the academic year 2025-26, only 40-50% of students from the computer science stream got placed. “Companies have either reduced visits to colleges or the number of students hired. If a company hired 500 freshers from an institute then, it now hired 80-100,” he added.
Bengaluru-based specialist staffing firm Xpheno reported that opportunities for technology professionals with up to two years of experience have fallen to 10,000 openings in June 2026, down from 13,000 in May, marking a 44% decline compared to June 2025.
Cautious Hiring Amid Global Uncertainty
Neeti Sharma, CEO of TeamLease Digital, explained that the job market is showing caution rather than disruption due to the situation in West Asia. “Hiring has not collapsed; companies are delaying decisions amid global uncertainty, rising input costs, and weaker demand signals,” she said.
“Surveys indicate a noticeable increase in hiring freezes and slower deal conversions, particularly in export-linked sectors. The impact is indirect, driven by inflation, oil prices, and global sentiment, rather than domestic demand weakness, keeping India relatively more resilient than many global peers,” she added.
AI and Skill Mismatch Affect Freshers
Artificial intelligence is transforming business operations and job requirements. “Fewer freshers are getting hired because their skill sets don’t match what the client is looking for. There is a need for employees with AI capabilities, and our engineering colleges need to upgrade courses. Employees with additional certifications are getting hired,” said Harpreet Singh Saluja, president of the National IT Employers' Syndicate (NITES).
The IT sector is undergoing a structural shift from volume-led recruitment to capability-led hiring, where organisations prioritise specialised and business-critical talent. “This is not a decline in demand for technology talent, but a recalibration of demand toward specialised skills,” said Anupama Bhimrajka, Vice President of Marketing at Foundit, a jobs and talent platform.
“Companies are becoming more selective in hiring, focusing on talent that can drive innovation, productivity, and digital transformation outcomes. Looking ahead, we expect hiring momentum to remain concentrated in AI, data, cloud, cybersecurity, and product engineering roles,” Bhimrajka added.
