Five big IT firms added 13,918 employees in July-September 2026: how many freshers were hired
27 October 2026 · 2 min read · HireHo
Based on company results for the September 2026 quarter, as compiled by Free Press Journal (updated 26 October 2026). Summarised in our own words.
India's large IT services firms added a combined 13,918 people in the September 2026 quarter. In the previous quarter the combined number was 5,480, and a year earlier it was a fall of 1,606. In the first half of FY2026-27, the five added 24,398 people in total, against 2,689 in the same period of last year.
Company by company (net change)
- HCLTech: +6,450
- Tech Mahindra: +5,446
- Infosys: +4,480
- TCS: +4,258
- Wipro: -6,716
Freshers
- TCS hired about 10,000 graduates in the quarter, taking its first-half total to about 24,000. It hired about 42,000 freshers in FY26 and says future hiring will follow demand.
- Infosys hired 8,000 graduates in the quarter and kept its FY27 target of 20,000.
- HCLTech hired 6,136 freshers in the quarter and expects 10,000 to 11,000 in FY27.
- Tech Mahindra did not disclose a fresher number.
Read it with care
These are net changes for whole companies, so they include experienced staff who left. Xpheno's separate data, reported this week, shows that headcount at the top six IT firms is still about 3% below last year. Both can be true: the latest quarter improved, but the 12-month picture is lower.
What this means for you
- Campus hiring at large IT firms is steady, not rising fast. Apply to many companies, not just one.
- Fresher targets can change with demand, so keep your skills updated while you wait for joining dates.