Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), India’s largest IT services company, has confirmed that it remains committed to onboarding all professionals who have received job offers, even as multiple reports indicate that experienced hires across cities have faced indefinite delays in their joining dates.
In a statement shared exclusively with People Matters, a TCS spokesperson said:
“We can confirm that, as always, TCS is committed to honour all offers we have made, whether it is to freshers or experienced professionals. Everyone who has received an offer from TCS will be onboarded.”
“The joining dates are decided as per business demand and in some cases, they do get adjusted to meet our business needs. We remain in continuous touch with all candidates in these cases and look forward to them joining our company soon.”
The clarification comes amid growing concern from professionals who say they had resigned from their previous roles to join TCS, based on formal offer letters and confirmed start dates. Many of these professionals, with experience ranging from 2 to 18 years, were recruited for lateral positions across major Indian cities including Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Delhi.
Onboarding delayed after resignation
Some candidates report being denied entry at TCS premises on their scheduled date of joining, stating that their names were not on the onboarding list. Others allege a prolonged lack of communication from the company’s HR teams after receiving initial confirmation.
The issue was brought to light by the Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES), which submitted a representation to the Union Labour and Employment Ministry seeking government intervention. According to the organisation, the delays have affected hundreds of mid- to senior-level professionals, many of whom had made personal and financial commitments based on their expected onboarding.
NITES urged the ministry to request a formal, time-bound onboarding plan from TCS, offer compensation for the delay period, and extend employee assistance programmes to support affected individuals’ wellbeing.
TCS cites business-aligned scheduling
While TCS has not commented on the number of professionals affected, its official position emphasises that no offers have been withdrawn. The company noted that scheduling onboarding based on business needs is standard practice in the IT services sector, especially during periods of demand fluctuation or client project adjustments.
Such workforce planning flexibility is not uncommon in large IT firms, though the impact is typically felt more by entry-level hires. The current developments are notable because they involve experienced lateral hires, many of whom exited stable employment before the onboarding delay occurred.
The situation comes at a time when India’s IT services industry is grappling with uneven demand patterns, margin pressures, and global project delays. Several firms have slowed hiring or recalibrated onboarding plans, particularly after over-hiring during the peak of digital transformation demand in 2021–2022.
Legal experts have previously indicated that while job offer letters may carry binding elements, most include clauses allowing companies to defer start dates based on internal business priorities. However, affected professionals and advocacy groups argue that prolonged silence or lack of clarity on onboarding timelines can erode trust and create severe personal hardship.
Ministry yet to issue statement
As of 23 July 2025, the Ministry of Labour and Employment had not released a public response regarding the NITES petition. No legal notices or formal court filings related to the onboarding delays have been confirmed.
The company’s statement to People Matters serves as the first formal confirmation that all existing offers will be honoured, offering some relief to those awaiting onboarding. However, without a specific timeline, affected candidates remain in uncertainty.
Industry watchers note that while adjusting onboarding schedules is sometimes necessary, consistent communication can mitigate reputational risk and candidate distress. With hundreds of professionals awaiting clarity, TCS’s assurance of commitment offers a measure of reassurance — but timelines remain unclear.
TCS continues to be a top employer in the Indian IT sector, and its decisions around workforce planning are closely observed by job seekers, clients, and policy stakeholders alike.