Infosys, one of India's leading Information Technology (IT) services companies, has postponed a critical internal assessment initially scheduled for today, February 18, at its Mysuru campus.
This decision comes in the wake of significant backlash following the termination of hundreds of trainees, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from employee unions and prompted government intervention.
Amidst the controversy, approximately 800 employees were slated to undergo an internal assessment today, with results expected tomorrow and potential terminations by Friday, February 21.
Following the intervention by the Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES) and other employee unions, Infosys has decided to postpone the assessment to February 24, 2025. This was communicated to the trainee interns via an official email, a screenshot of which is available with EdexLive.
This move offers temporary relief to the employees, providing them additional time to prepare and potentially address the issues raised.
Background
To recall, reports emerged a few weeks ago that Infosys had terminated more than 400 fresh recruits at its Mysuru training facility.
The company stated that these trainees were let go after failing to clear internal assessments, even after being given three attempts. Infosys maintained that this evaluation process, which has been in place for over two decades, ensures a high standard of talent for its clients.
However, NITES, an IT employees' union, challenged Infosys's claims. NITES alleged that the number of terminated employees was higher than reported and described the layoffs as "illegal, unethical, and in violation of labour laws."
The union contended that many of these freshers had already faced a two-year delay in their onboarding process and were subjected to abrupt terminations without adequate notice.
Government intervention
Responding to the escalating concerns, NITES filed a formal complaint with the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment. The ministry promptly directed the Karnataka State Labour Department to investigate the matter and take "urgent action" to protect the affected employees' rights.
Labour department officials subsequently visited Infosys's campuses in Bengaluru and Mysuru to assess the situation and held discussions with company representatives regarding their hiring and training practices.
“Today, around 800 employees were scheduled for an assessment, with results set for tomorrow and potential terminations on Friday. However, following NITES’ intervention, government action, and strong media support, Infosys has now postponed the assessment. While this brings a sigh of relief for many employees, the fight for fair employment practices and job security is far from over,” said Advocate Harpreet Singh Saluja, President, NITES, in a statement.
Ongoing concerns
While the postponement is a positive development for the affected employees, concerns about job security and fair employment practices in the IT sector persist.
NITES continues to advocate for the reinstatement of terminated employees and calls for stricter regulations to prevent such incidents in the future. The union has also demanded that Infosys adhere to ethical practices and comply with existing labour laws to safeguard employee rights.
Infosys has yet to release an official statement regarding the postponement of the assessment or address the specific allegations raised by NITES and the affected employees
