The high-paying allure of IT is fading as AI advances, global slowdowns hit Indian firms, and employee struggles surface behind the glamour.
In an era where tech jobs were once the symbol of success and admiration, especially due to the hefty salaries and prestige attached, the shine is beginning to dull. Globally, IT industries are under pressure due to economic slowdowns, especially in markets like the US and Europe. Since Indian IT firms are heavily dependent on these regions, the tremors are being felt back home, particularly in Pune, once celebrated as India’s IT city because of Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park in Hinjawadi.
TCS, one of the largest IT companies in India, is reportedly planning to cut 12,000 jobs globally, and Pune is expected to bear a significant share of that impact. In fact, an employee with 12 years of experience was recently pressured to resign, a trend becoming increasingly common but rarely reported to labor authorities.
Despite the stress, most IT employees don’t qualify as “workers” under current labor laws due to their roles and salaries. This legal loophole leaves them with little official protection. In addition to large firms, smaller IT companies in Pune also reportedly exploit staff by paying less and forcing extended work hours. Several women have filed complaints about ill-treatment and hostile work conditions, which even led six employees from a small company to resign suddenly. One of these cases reached the Women’s Commission.
While IT continues to dazzle on the surface, a deeper crisis seems to be silently eating away at the foundations, fuelled by job insecurity, AI-driven redundancy, and weakening worker rights.