Diwali Hiring Wave: 50,000+ Freshers To Be Onboarded—Top Recruiters, Roles, Salary Bands, And Smart Application Tips

Festive-season hiring is back: Who’s recruiting and how to crack it

Indian IT and tech services firms are switching to growth mode before Diwali, with a fresh push to onboard more than 50,000 campus graduates and off-campus freshers across AI, cloud, cybersecurity and full‑stack roles, signaling a stronger second half of FY25–FY26 for entry‑level tech employment [web:46][web:50][web:58].

The hiring surge is led by TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCLTech, LTIMindtree, Tech Mahindra, Cognizant and Capgemini, with multiple reports and employer outlooks pointing to expanded fresher intakes and skills-led recruitment tied to digital and AI projects [web:42][web:47][web:54].

Top recruiters and likely intake

• TCS: Plans for 40,000+ campus hires through FY26, with continued onboarding via NQT and Ninja/Digital tracks; green shoots already visible in trainee additions this year [web:42][web:46].
• Infosys: Targeting ~20,000 freshers this year amid renewed focus on AI and reskilling; hiring expected to be skills-first across cloud, data and DevOps [web:60][web:50].
• Wipro: Eyes 10,000–12,000 freshers for FY26 after a muted FY25, prioritising modern stacks, service desk and cloud roles [web:50][web:57].
• HCLTech: 7,000–10,000+ fresher range discussed across reports; intake expected to ramp up in FY26 with Noida as a large hub [web:45][web:47].
• Tech Mahindra and LTIMindtree: Continued fresher hiring for telecom IT, CX, and digital engineering use cases [web:42].
• Cognizant: India-heavy delivery footprint; industry chatter suggests 15,000–20,000 freshers over the FY26 cycle [web:50].
• Capgemini India: Plans up to 40,000–45,000 hires in 2025 with an AI-ready workforce thrust, spanning freshers and early-careers roles [web:54][web:43].

Across large-cap IT, consolidated fresher targets for the FY25–FY26 window frequently cross the 50,000 mark, with some tallies projecting 70,000–100,000 across MNCs and Indian majors as deal pipelines improve [web:47][web:59].

Why the spike now?

Employer surveys show 72% of companies plan new hiring in H2 2025, with 37% explicitly for IT roles—AI pilots maturing into scaled projects is driving selective but meaningful fresher demand [web:58][web:50].

After two years of cautious intake and utilisation focus, firms are replenishing benches at the junior level to manage costs and build future-ready delivery in AI, cybersecurity, cloud and analytics [web:46][web:50].

Hot roles and skills

• Software Engineer, Full‑Stack Developer, QA/Automation Engineer—JavaScript/TypeScript, Java, Python, Spring, React/Angular, REST, testing frameworks [web:42][web:45].
• Cloud/DevOps Engineer—AWS/Azure/GCP, CI/CD, Docker/Kubernetes, Terraform, Linux fundamentals [web:42][web:45].
• Data/AI Engineer—SQL, Python, ML basics, data pipelines, MLOps, GenAI tooling for enterprise use cases [web:42][web:53].
• Cybersecurity Analyst—network security, SIEM, identity, vulnerability management, secure coding [web:46][web:50].

Entry-level salaries at IT services firms still cluster around ₹3–6 LPA for general tracks, with higher packages on digital or product-aligned pathways; AI/ML and cloud roles often command a premium [web:42][web:45].

Where the jobs are

Pan‑India metro hubs like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai, Noida, Mumbai and Gurugram remain primary bases for campus and off‑campus intake, with hybrid models enabling broader distribution of roles [web:44][web:48].

Beyond services giants, GCCs and product companies are also scaling fresher pipelines—GCC demand in FY26 is projected to stay robust in AI/cloud engineering [web:56][web:58].

Application playbook: 7 moves to stand out

• Target company-specific tests early: Register for TCS NQT and similar assessments; practice aptitude, coding and verbal every day for 2–3 weeks before test windows [web:46][web:42].
• Ship visible projects: Two high-quality GitHub repos—one full‑stack app and one data/AI project—with readme, tests and a live demo link impress shortlisters [web:42][web:45].
• Align to hot skill clusters: Add cloud fundamentals certs, Kubernetes basics, or an AI mini‑project using enterprise‑safe tooling to match current demand [web:46][web:50].
• Master problem-solving: Consistent practice on DSA and debugging builds test confidence for campus/off‑campus coding rounds [web:42][web:44].
• Resume for ATS: One‑page, metric‑driven bullets, keyword‑matched to JD; tailor for each firm’s stack and domain [web:48][web:42].
• Network to referrals: Alumni on LinkedIn, tech communities and hackathons amplify reach and accelerate callbacks [web:52][web:48].
• Stay interview‑ready: Expect practical questions on REST, DB schemas, git, cloud basics, and a walkthrough of personal projects’ architecture and trade‑offs [web:42][web:45].

Hiring timeline and cadence

Expect a pre‑Diwali burst of assessment links, group discussions and HR rounds, followed by rolling offers and staggered joining from Q3 to Q4 FY25, with bulk onboarding cycles extending well into early FY26 [web:46][web:50].

Capgemini’s 2025 plan and big‑five fresher targets indicate a sustained runway beyond festivals; keep applying in waves and track off‑campus drives weekly [web:54][web:42].

Quick compare: Who’s hiring what

Note: Numbers are based on company statements and credible industry reporting; final intake depends on deal momentum and quarterly utilisation [web:46][web:54].

Bottom line

With 50,000+ fresher roles opening across top IT firms before and after Diwali, the opportunity curve is bending upwards—skills in AI, cloud, data and cybersecurity will decisively improve conversion odds this season [web:46][web:58].

Apply early, stack visible projects and prep for standardised assessments; this cycle favours candidates who can show real, deployable work over generic credentials [web:42][web:45].