Cognizant’s massive recruitment drive for fresh graduates is being condemned by netizens for purportedly offering a low pay package to candidates. The job posting circulating  on X (formerly Twitter) has drawn criticism. 

Cognizant invited applicants who have completed a three-year full-time degree from any discipline. 

However, the global IT services giant – known for its significant presence in the tech industry – only offered an annual package of Rs2.52 lakh. Successful candidates will reportedly join the company as freshers, discounting any prior work experience they have gained.

Several people have shared their reactions to the mass hiring, primarily because of the pay offered to the fresh graduates.

Social media users see this pay package as insufficient to survive in metro cities, considering inflation. 

According to Forbes, salary is one of the factors that Gen Z workers and Millennials consider when deciding on a job offer. Other factors include training opportunities, meaningful work, and flexibility.

India’s tech companies are known for offering competitive salaries Major IT firms such as TCS, Wipro, Accenture, and Cognizant, for example, are considered by many as the country’s employers of choice because of placements they provide fresh graduates.

According to Indeed, the average salary for a new graduate is R17,963 per month in India. Pune, Gurgaon, Mumbai, and Delhi are some cities with the highest pay for new graduates in India. With an average of Rs23000 per month, Pune tops the list.

Cognizant’s hiring plan for fresh graduates can be seen as a breather for the industry, but are people happy with the pay package offered by the IT major? Let's find out.

Taking a satirical dig, a user on the social media platform 'X' identified as Amit Misra posted: "Cognizant is offering Rs. 2.52 LPA for engineers! Meanwhile, a helper job at a momo shop earns Rs. 3LPA!

Another user Sahil posted: “It's like scheme. “Our finance minister @nsitharaman said if you don't want to pay tax don't earn more.

Reacting to the post, an X user Rachit said: “Bhai itne to Tier  1 city me survive karne me khatm ho jaayega.

On the other hand, some people see it as a good start to their career journey. 

In response to the criticism of Cognizant’s Rs2.52 LPA package, a user said: “This stupid logic was given by my father when one of the worker in our factory had salary of 20k and I as fresher in IT received 18k in hand, now after 12yrs I make 65lac PA he still makes 30 k per month, gaining skills and growing is more important.”

Another comment read: “Yeah. It's not just 2.52 LPA. It's a gateway to a whole wide world of Information Technology.  I had started out the same way with even less 16K/Month - 6 Years back. If a candidate is able. He/She Will Grow.”

Freshers who struggle to get campus placement might find Cognizant’s mass hiring an opportunity for them to join the workforce. However, a pay package of Rs2.52 LPA may not be lucrative enough to sustain the talent for a longer duration.