Indian IT Firms Reboot Fresher Hiring, but Demand Remains Skewed Toward Experienced AI Talent

India’s $300 billion technology and IT services sector is showing early signs of a rebound in campus and entry-level onboarding, ending several years of suppressed fresher recruitment. However, the hiring mix remains heavily weighted in favor of mid-career specialists.

Data from staffing and recruitment group Quess Corp estimates that entry-level onboarding—which bottomed out at a record low of roughly 110,000 in FY26—is projected to climb to between 115,000 and 135,000 recruits in the current fiscal year. This represents an estimated uptick of 4.5% to 22.7%.

Experienced Talent Leads the Demand Curve While campus hiring is reviving, the proportion of fresher positions continues to trail that of mid-level technical talent:

• Immediate Project Readiness: Enterprise clients are actively seeking rapid execution on generative AI and cloud modernization initiatives, shifting budget allocations toward professionals who do not require lengthy bench or training pipelines.
• AI-Driven Requirements: The market preference has tilted toward candidates with demonstrated proficiency in machine learning frameworks, system architecture, and automation tooling.
• Cautious Recovery: While total headcount intake is expanding relative to the historic lows of FY26, overall intake figures remain disciplined and well below peak pandemic-era campus recruitment sprees.

The sector's trajectory indicates that while companies are restoring baseline entry-level pipelines, experienced developers and specialized engineers retain the definitive upper hand in salary growth and placement velocity.