Two months after laying off nearly 400 trainees at its Mysuru campus, IT giant Infosys has terminated another 370 trainees for failing internal assessments on April 18. Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES), an organisation representing IT professionals, has filed a second complaint with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, calling the move “illegal and unethical.”
In its complaint, NITES said, “No due process has been followed. No communication has been made to the Apprenticeship Adviser. No inquiry into the alleged performance or conduct of these trainees has been conducted. No termination orders have been issued by competent authorities as mandated under the statutory framework. The action of Infosys Ltd. is not only in breach of statutory law but is also a brazen affront to the authority of your Ministry and the institutions acting under it.”
This is the third complaint filed against Infosys in less than seven months. The first was in October 2024 over the dismissal of 700 trainees, and the second in March 2025 over another 370 trainees. Investigations into those layoffs are still ongoing. According to NITES and several employees TNM had previously spoken to, Infosys continues to coerce trainees into signing resignation letters, disguising these forced exits as “voluntary.”
One of those affected, 25-year-old Salim (name changed), told TNM that he received an email on the morning of April 18 regarding his performance in the final assessment attempt. A follow-up email summoned him to a Human Resources meeting the same day.
The email sent to trainees on April 18 read: “Further to the announcement of the results of your final assessment attempt, please be informed that you have not met the qualifying criteria in the Generic Foundation Training program despite the additional preparation time, doubt-clearing sessions, several mock assessments and three attempts.”
Salim had waited nearly two years for his Infosys offer letter. He quit his previous job to join the company on October 21, 2024. “At 25 years, everyone thinks you already have a decent job and a settled life. But here we are—not even settled properly, without a permanent source of income, nothing,” he said.
During the HR meeting, Salim and 20 others were asked to place their phones, laptops, and other electronic devices in a bag. They were then taken one by one into cubicles and forced to write resignation letters. “They gave us an A4 sheet and told us to write ‘Resignation of my job position effective from today,’” he recalled.
Questioning the quality and timing of the assessments, Salim said, “We were only given a six-week online training session before receiving the joining letter. The first assessment test was conducted in the second week of November, and only 150 trainees out of 700 cleared. After this test, they trained us for the second assessment, but the professionals hired for our training were average to below average. Then, for the third attempt, they gave us only three to four days of training and later told us to do self-study.”
He recalled how difficult it was to prepare for the last two assessments, with only a ten-day gap between the first and second attempts, and for the third, complete self-study.
After signing the resignation letter and a ‘Separation and General Release Agreement’, Salim said the trainees were promised relieving letters within 15-20 days, along with one month’s salary and a travel expense reimbursement of Rs 3,800.
Infosys said that it would offer external training to help the affected trainees prepare for potential roles in Business Process Management. In the email, Infosys also promised one month’s salary, outplacement support, and a 24-week training program on IT fundamentals to aid those pursuing a career in the IT sector. According to the email, transport and accommodation would be provided until their official departure date.
However, the logistics have been far from smooth. “They told us to vacate the premises before April 21. Now that we are booking bus, train, and flight tickets back to our hometowns, nothing is available—everywhere is full. Some of my friends from West Bengal are facing an even worse situation, as all the trains are full, and the flight charges are beyond affordable. With the company paying only Rs 3,800 for travel, it is very difficult to book travel accommodations,” Salim said.
This round of terminations came a day after Infosys announced its Q4 earnings. Addressing the issue at the earnings conference, Infosys CEO Salil Parekh said the company follows a “rigorous” assessment process that has remained unchanged for over two decades. He added that Infosys has supported affected trainees by helping them with other opportunities both within and outside the company so they can “meet the standards that Infosys has kept.”
Meanwhile, in its complaint to the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, NITES laid out a series of urgent demands. The organisation called for an immediate stay on further terminations of trainees under the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS) and demanded the reinstatement of those already dismissed, including the 370 trainees affected in the latest round. It sought penalties against Infosys under the Apprentices Act of 1961 for what it described as repeated violations of the law.
Further, NITES asked the Ministry to initiate contempt proceedings against the company for defying the authority of the Ministry and to direct the Board of Practical Training (Eastern Region) to include the newly laid-off trainees in the scope of the ongoing inquiry.
TNM has earlier reported that while Infosys claims the trainees ‘voluntarily’ signed their release agreements, those affected described a very different reality—one of coercion, intimidation, and utter disregard for their dignity and well-being.