TCS Chief Human Resources Officer Sudeep Kunnumal stated on Thursday that only around 1%, or 6,000 employees, have been impacted by layoffs, specifically at the mid and senior levels. He emphasized that reports suggesting 50,000 to 80,000 job cuts are “exaggerated” and “not factual.” Kunnumal also mentioned that the company isn’t pursuing any fixed layoff targets and is continuing efforts to redeploy staff. However, TCS’ Q2 FY26 factsheet indicates otherwise, showing a headcount drop of 19,755 employees—from 6,13,069 in Q1 to 5,93,314 in Q2.
The Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES) questioned the discrepancy, calling it “alarming” and raising concerns about transparency. NITES President Harpreet Singh Saluja accused TCS of intentionally downplaying the layoffs to mislead stakeholders.
Despite this, TCS hired 18,500 employees in Q2 to honour existing job offers. While Kunnumal declined to confirm if the FY26 hiring target of 40,000 would be met, he assured continued recruitment based on demand.
TCS is also planning higher variable payouts in Q3, covering nearly all eligible employees, with junior staff receiving 100% and senior employees rewarded based on performance.
