A new Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) recruit has alleged that he was asked to resign just five days after joining the company, claiming his employment was terminated over a background verification issue he could not control, India Today reported.
The incident came to light after the employee shared his experience on Reddit’s r/IndianWorkplace forum under the title “Asked to leave TCS within 5 days of joining.” The user, identifying himself as a 2025 MBA graduate specialising in Finance and Business Analytics, said he had waited months for the job offer and was “too excited to join” India’s largest IT services firm.
Background Check Dispute
According to the post, the employee had completed TCS’s Initial Learning Programme (ILP) and was due to move to the “bench” phase — where employees await project allocation — when he was informed by the human resources team that his background check had returned negative.
He said the issue stemmed from his previous employer, which had gone bankrupt and shut operations, leaving him without formal verification channels. The employee claimed he was paid in cash — ₹30,000 per month — and could only present a relieving letter and three months’ payslips as proof of employment.
Despite offering additional evidence and personal references, he alleged that TCS HR “refused to consider any explanations,” insisting he either resign or face termination. “The only answer he needed was either resignation or termination,” the Reddit post read.
The employee said he had travelled more than 240 kilometres multiple times for exams and interviews during the hiring process. “All my efforts turned to nothing,” he wrote, adding that he now faces limited job prospects, with offers averaging around ₹20,000 per month.
“Some companies reject me for a three-year gap after my undergraduate degree. I feel stuck in an endless loop of either settling for peanuts or taking a telecaller job,” he said.
Public Reaction and Company Response
The post drew strong reactions on social media, with users criticising corporate background verification processes for penalising candidates caught in exceptional circumstances. Others advised the employee to document his experience and seek alternative career options with placement support.
India Today reported that it had reached out to TCS for a comment on the allegations. The company has not yet issued a response.
The case has reignited debate around rigid background verification norms in India’s IT and professional services sectors, where even minor documentation gaps can cost candidates job opportunities. Industry experts note that while compliance is essential, firms may need more nuanced approaches to account for legitimate anomalies such as company closures or informal payment structures.
As India’s job market remains competitive, such incidents highlight the growing tension between corporate due diligence and candidate fairness — particularly for early-career professionals entering the workforce amid tightening hiring scrutiny.