Mysuru layoffs: Infosys denies using force, intimidation tactics; says cooperating with labour dept

Infosys denies using force in trainee layoffs, assures 20,000 freshers hiring, and cooperates with Labour Department.

IT services company Infosys on Wednesday (February 19, 2025) said it did not use force or intimidation tactics when it laid off trainees at Mysuru campus over performance-related issues, and that it was explaining the circumstances to the labour department authorities.

In an interview to PTI, Shaji Mathew, Chief Human Resources Officer at Infosys, however, conceded that assessment failure percentages this time around have been "slightly higher" than in the past but dismissed charges that the tests had been designed for failure.

On whether the layoffs would severely dent Infosys' brand as the company goes out to campuses for FY26 hiring, he said that plans to hire 20,000 freshers for next fiscal are on track and they should have nothing to worry about as they will get one of the best corporate training.

Responding to allegations that testing parameters, assessment criteria and syllabus were altered and intimidation tactics were resorted leading to the 300 plus terminations at Mysuru campus recently, Mr. Mathew said that given that the company invests money and effort to select and put trainees through the training program "it is in the interest of Infosys to see that all these people are successful, and that is when we are able to put them into our projects".

"There is training investment that goes in and we also pay them salary during the training...It is not in the interest of the company to let any of these people go...It is a loss to them of course, it is a loss to us as well," he said adding that the particular batch of trainees had not cleared internal assessments after three attempts.

On the Labour Ministry's direction to Karnataka State Labour Department to take action, and reports that the Labour Department officials had followed up with visits to Infosys campuses in Bengaluru and Mysuru, Mr. Mathew said the Labour Department is in touch with the company and Infosys is cooperating with the authorities.

“Yes, the Labour Department has been in touch with us, they wanted to understand our training process and the assessment etc and we have taken [them] through the entire training process, the assessment, and how this is a critical part of developing the future talent, not just for Infosys, but even for the entire IT industry.”