Nearly two months after reports suggested that Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), India’s largest IT services company, would cut about 2% of its global workforce (around 12,000 jobs), the layoffs are now becoming a reality.
Several employees have come forward on social media platforms, particularly Reddit, to describe their painful exit experiences, sparking debate over workplace ethics and employee rights in India’s IT sector.
Forced Resignations and Emotional Trauma
Employees allege that they are being pressured to resign, with little room for negotiation.
One employee wrote:
“It’s been 3 days since I was asked to resign in a meeting room. I denied it. I was crying and afraid, but TCS is my first company—I have nothing to lose. They threatened me with a bad review after termination. I said, ‘Do as you like, but I’m not resigning.’ I came out crying, but tried to be strong.”
Another recounted a distressing HR interaction:
“A panel was waiting for me to resign. I showed them my certifications, begged for even a single day to find a project. I told them I am the sole breadwinner, and even my marriage could get cancelled. But the HR just said, ‘Don’t talk in circles, I don’t like that.’”
For many, the experience has left lasting scars. One worker admitted to feeling “humiliated and hopeless” while now searching for new opportunities on Naukri and LinkedIn.
Employee Union Protests Across India
The Union of IT & ITES Employees (UNITE) staged demonstrations in several cities on Tuesday, alleging that as many as 30,000 employees could be impacted — far higher than TCS’s official estimate.
With support from the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), union leaders demanded that TCS withdraw its decision and called for government intervention to protect employees.
TCS Responds to Allegations
In response, TCS dismissed the claims as “incorrect and misleading.” The company confirmed that job cuts are limited to 2% of its workforce — around 12,000 employees out of its global strength of over 600,000.
TCS maintains that the move is part of routine workforce management and insists that the layoffs are not as extensive as claimed.
A Climate of Uncertainty in IT
With the IT sector already facing slow growth, project delays, and global economic pressures, these layoffs highlight the growing insecurity among tech professionals in India.
For many employees, the manner of execution — marked by allegations of humiliation and insensitivity — has deepened feelings of betrayal in what was once considered a secure sector.
