TCS Hiring Update: 24,000 Freshers Onboarded in H1 FY27

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), India’s largest IT services company, onboarded approximately 10,000 fresh graduates during the July–September quarter of FY27 and said future recruitment will depend on client demand. The company is focusing on specialised technology skills, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), while balancing fresher recruitment with experienced hiring and internal employee training.

The latest hiring update comes as TCS reported its second-quarter financial results on October 8, 2026. The company added 4,258 employees on a net basis during the quarter, taking its total workforce to 598,056. Management said demand for emerging technologies would guide further hiring, signalling a measured recruitment strategy rather than an unconditional commitment to expand headcount.

TCS Onboards 24,000 Freshers in First Half of FY27

TCS onboarded around 14,000 freshers in the first quarter and another 10,000 in the second quarter. This takes its total campus onboarding to approximately 24,000 graduates during the first half of FY27.

The company had previously indicated that it had made 25,000 fresher offers for FY27, while additional hiring would depend on business requirements. TCS hired approximately 44,000 freshers in FY26, making it one of India’s largest private-sector recruiters of graduates.

Hiring Indicator	Latest Figure
Freshers onboarded in Q1 FY27	14,000
Freshers onboarded in Q2 FY27	10,000
Total freshers onboarded in H1 FY27	24,000
Freshers hired in FY26	Approximately 44,000
Total workforce at September 2026 quarter-end	598,056
Net employee additions in Q2 FY27	4,258

Source: TCS management statements and company results reported by Business Standard and Moneycontrol.

The figures show that TCS continues to recruit graduates at scale. However, the company’s emphasis on hiring according to demand means the eventual number of freshers onboarded during FY27 could differ from earlier hiring expectations.

TCS Says Future Hiring Will Depend on Client Demand

Sudeep Kunnumal, chief human resources officer at TCS, said the company would continue recruiting to meet demand for emerging technologies.

Management highlighted the importance of balancing three workforce priorities: experienced professionals, early-career employees and internal skill development. This approach allows TCS to respond to changing client requirements without relying exclusively on large campus recruitment programmes.

Hiring decisions are increasingly linked to the availability of client projects and the specific capabilities needed to deliver them. Companies may recruit graduates for long-term workforce development while bringing in experienced professionals for specialised assignments that require immediate expertise.

For freshers, this means recruitment opportunities will depend not only on the number of graduates available but also on the skills employers need and the pace at which clients approve technology spending.

AI Skills Become a Major Hiring Priority

Artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly important part of TCS’s workforce strategy.

The company is investing in employee training, reskilling and specialised recruitment to prepare its workforce for AI-led transformation projects. Its annualised AI revenue reached $3.1 billion in Q2 FY27, crossing 10% of overall revenue, according to the company’s quarterly results.

This creates demand for professionals who can help businesses integrate AI into existing systems, automate workflows and develop technology solutions for specific industries.

For new graduates, relevant skills can include:

• Programming: Python, Java and other languages used in software development.
• AI and machine learning: Understanding model development, evaluation and practical AI applications.
• Cloud computing: Working with cloud infrastructure, deployment and data services.
• Data engineering: Preparing, managing and processing data for analytics and AI applications.
• Cybersecurity: Protecting applications, networks and enterprise information.
• Business and domain knowledge: Understanding how technology can solve problems in banking, manufacturing, healthcare and other industries.

These are relevant skill areas for the wider IT sector, rather than a confirmed list of requirements for every TCS fresher role. Applicants should check the eligibility criteria and skills specified in individual job postings.

TCS Increases Investment in Employee Training

TCS is also focusing on developing skills among its existing employees rather than depending solely on external recruitment.

The company reported a 17% sequential increase in employee learning hours to 17.1 million during Q2 FY27. Management said investments in learning and critical skills were part of its effort to build a future-ready workforce.

Training is particularly important as AI changes the nature of technology services. Employees may need to learn new tools and workflows to remain effective as clients adopt AI-assisted software development, automated business processes and AI-enabled enterprise systems.

For graduates joining TCS, the ability to learn continuously could be as important as their initial technical knowledge. Employers need entry-level employees who can develop practical skills and adapt as project requirements change.

TCS Headcount Rises Despite a Cautious Hiring Strategy

TCS’s total employee count increased to 598,056 at the end of September 2026, representing net additions of 4,258 employees during the quarter. The company’s IT-services attrition rate declined to 13.3% from 13.6% in the preceding quarter.

Net headcount additions are different from the number of people hired. The overall figure reflects recruitment as well as employees leaving the company during the quarter.

This distinction helps explain why onboarding 10,000 freshers resulted in a smaller increase in total headcount. Fresher onboarding is only one component of workforce movement, alongside experienced hiring, resignations and other employee departures.

The numbers indicate that TCS is continuing to expand its workforce, but the pace and composition of that expansion remain closely tied to business requirements.

Subcontractor Spending Also Increases

TCS has increased its use of subcontractors to meet near-term project and skills requirements.

According to Business Standard, subcontractor expenses rose to 6.8% of revenue in Q2 FY27, compared with 5.9% in Q1 FY27. Chief financial officer Samir Seksaria said the company had invested in a higher bench and increased subcontractor hiring to address immediate delivery needs.

A higher bench refers to employees who are available for deployment but may not currently be assigned to billable client projects.

Subcontractors can help technology companies fill specialised positions or meet project deadlines without waiting for permanent recruitment and training to be completed. However, increased subcontractor spending can also affect the cost structure of service delivery.

For TCS, the challenge is to balance near-term project needs with long-term workforce development while maintaining operating efficiency.

What TCS’s Hiring Plans Mean for Freshers

The company’s approach suggests that graduates should prepare for more skills-focused recruitment across the IT sector.

TCS continues to onboard thousands of graduates, but its emphasis on demand-based hiring means applicants should not assume that previous annual recruitment numbers guarantee the same number of openings in the current year.

Students preparing for technology careers can improve their readiness by developing programming fundamentals, practising problem-solving, building projects and learning how AI tools are used in real software-development workflows.

Candidates should also pay attention to communication skills, aptitude assessments and the specific requirements of campus placement or off-campus recruitment drives.

AI tools can help learners practise coding and understand unfamiliar concepts, but candidates still need to understand the underlying logic and be able to explain their work independently.

The Bigger Picture

TCS’s recruitment update reflects a wider shift in India’s IT-services industry. Large technology employers are continuing to recruit graduates, but hiring decisions are becoming more closely tied to client demand, specialised skills and the changing economics of AI-driven services.

The company’s onboarding of 24,000 freshers in the first half of FY27 demonstrates that campus recruitment remains important. At the same time, increased employee training and subcontractor spending show that workforce planning involves more than simply increasing the number of permanent employees.

For graduates, the opportunity is to combine foundational technical knowledge with practical skills that employers can deploy on real projects.

Looking Ahead

TCS is expected to continue hiring freshers and experienced professionals as business requirements evolve. However, further recruitment will depend on demand for technology services, the availability of suitable skills and the company’s assessment of future workforce needs. Its previously announced 25,000 fresher offers provide context for its FY27 recruitment plans, but they should not be interpreted as a guarantee of additional openings beyond those already communicated.

For students and job seekers, the key takeaway is to prepare for skills-based hiring rather than rely entirely on headline recruitment numbers. Programming, AI fundamentals, cloud technologies, data skills and continuous learning can help candidates prepare for opportunities at TCS and across the wider technology industry.