Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) plans to onboard a higher number of campus hires in fiscal year (FY) 2026. Announcing the financial results for the quarter ending December 31, 2024, the company revealed that it promoted more than 25,000 associates during the quarter. In a press release announcing the Q3, 2024 results, Milind Lakkad, TCS Chief HR Officer said “We promoted over 25,000 associates this quarter which brought the total promotions this financial year to more than 110,000. We continue to invest in employee upskilling and overall well-being. Our campus hiring for the year is going according to plan and preparations are afoot to onboard a higher number of campus hires next year”.
The quarterly results also revealed a net reduction of 5,370 employees during the quarter. This brought the company’s total workforce down to 607,354 in Q3 from 612,724 in the previous quarter. Notably, this marks the first quarter of FY 2024-25 where TCS experienced a net decline in headcount. In contrast, the company added 11,178 employees during the first two quarters of the fiscal year.
Lakkad also talked about the rising attrition rate which rose slightly to 13% in Q3 from 12.3% in the preceding quarter. Expressing confidence in the company’s stability, Lakkad said. “It’s a minor change and well within our comfort band. Overall, I foresee a reduction in attrition in the coming quarters, though LTM (last twelve months) numbers may reflect otherwise due to the way they are calculated”.
TCS on H-1B visa row
TCS also addressed its stance on US visa dependency amidst ongoing discussions about H-1B visas, which have historically benefited Indian tech firms. Lakkad highlighted the company’s reduced reliance on US visas, emphasizing its global operating model and local hiring strategies. “We have been hiring talent across all locations, and visa dependency is not a top concern for us,” he noted.
K Krithivasan, CEO and MD, TCS, added, “Our US visa dependency is not very significant. We have changed our model again, with more than 50% local workforce in the US.”
The H-1B visa program allows US companies to hire foreign workers for specialized roles, and Indian tech firms, including TCS and Infosys, have been among its top beneficiaries.