TCS headcount falls even as fresher hiring continues

Tata Consultancy Services cut 23,460 jobs from its total workforce in fiscal 2026 and says it is still on track to hire about 40,000 fresh graduates. (tcs.com) (economictimes.indiatimes.com) The company ended March 31, 2026 with 584,519 employees, down from 607,979 a year earlier. In the March quarter alone, headcount rose by 2,356 from the December quarter, according to company disclosures and follow-up reporting. (tcs.com) (financialexpress.com) Chief Human Resources Officer Sudeep Kunnummal said TCS has already made 25,000 campus offers in India and plans to keep hiring at roughly 40,000 freshers a year. He also said the restructuring exercise is complete and there are no more layoffs planned “for now.” (storyboard18.com) (economictimes.indiatimes.com) That mix reflects how large technology services firms are reshaping their payrolls: fewer people overall, but continued intake at the entry level. TCS said fiscal 2026 revenue fell 0.5% year over year to $30.017 billion, while annual contract wins reached $40.7 billion. (tcs.com) TCS is India’s largest information technology services employer, so its hiring pattern is watched as a readout on demand from global corporate clients. The company said fiscal 2027 hiring will still depend on how that demand develops. (economictimes.indiatimes.com) (tcs.com) The workforce shift came after a year in which TCS also reported higher profitability. Its fiscal 2026 operating margin was 25%, up 70 basis points from a year earlier, and net margin was 19.8%, up 80 basis points. (tcs.com) Employee churn also stayed elevated. TCS said voluntary attrition in its information technology services business was 13.7% over the last 12 months at the end of March 2026. (financialexpress.com) (tcs.com) The company is also redirecting talent toward newer work. TCS said annualized artificial intelligence revenue crossed $2.3 billion in the March quarter, alongside what it described as stronger demand for enterprise platforms and artificial intelligence-led projects. (tcs.com) (economictimes.indiatimes.com) For now, TCS is telling investors and campuses two things at once: the broad headcount reset is over, and the fresher pipeline stays open. (storyboard18.com) (economictimes.indiatimes.com)