IT major Wipro had earlier written to candidates offering Rs 6.5 lakh per annum (LPA), asking if they would accept the offer at 3.5 LPA. That comes amid an uncertain demand environment, margin pressure, and recession concerns, which has prompted Wipro to delay the addition of its 2022 batch graduates by several months.
The company offers two recruitment programs for recent graduates: Elite and Turbo. Elite candidates offered 3.5 LPAs, while Turbo candidates offered 6.5 LPAs. If favored candidates are to qualify for Turbo, they will have to undergo upskilling through the company’s Velocity program, where they receive hands-on training.
Candidates with a package of 6.5 LPAs waiting to be onboarded (a strategy they say postponed since August) obtained an email from Wipro on February 16 asking them to choose a lower-salary position. And join before February 20. He gave the option to do so,
“Like others in our diligence, we consider global economies as well as customer needs, which factor into our hiring goals. We appreciate your loyalty and patience as we identify opportunities for you to join. We do. Currently, we have a few project engineer positions available for recruitment—annual compensation of INR 3.5 Lakh. We want to offer all our Velocity graduates in the FY23 batch the opportunity to opt for these roles,” the email read.
If the students accept the offer, they will incorporate it in March, and all previous presentations will be void.
The email says: “If you choose to accept this offer, all previous offers will be void. We encourage you to benefit from this opportunity as it is time limited.”
If a candidate does not want to accept the lowest offer, she can continue with her original application. “However, we cannot commit to an onboarding date as our hiring plans are determined based on the current economic environment and customer needs,” the company email said.
One candidate who received such an email said it was unfair, as he and many others expected a 6.5 LPA offer.
“The company has always said that it will accept all offers. Now there is a gap, so the student has no choice but to withdraw. If they had to, why couldn’t they have done it last year? Fewer jobs were on the market at that time. Now, it isn’t straightforward. Why would people wait if you gave us Rs 3.5 lakh? Any company would have given us Rs 3.5 lakh, but we waited because we had an offer of Rs 6.5 lakhs from Wipro,” he said.
He said: “Wipro has us trapped. If I join, what value can I add to the company? I’ll only see for myself if they do this to us.”
The candidate says he had many options but opted to wait for Wipro since he received an enhanced offer letter promising a higher salary in July.
Candidates need clarification because they are worried about obtaining a job in the overall job market when they have not started working since graduating. Also, a new class of 2023 graduates will have to jump on board and compete to do similar jobs.
In response to inquiries, Wipro said: “We have had to adjust our onboarding plans to remember the changing international environment and consequently our business requirements.”
“While we work to honor all the great offers we have made, this current offer creates an immediate opportunity for candidates to start their careers, build their experience and gain new skills. Which are exciting and innovative work we do, and through our extensive learning and development programs,” the company said.
After the company’s third-quarter results, Saurabh Govil, Wipro’s head of human resources, said that it has delayed the onboarding and will honor its commitments. “Frankly, when we went on campus and made offers in the middle of last year, the industry was very bullish, and the demand environment was very bullish. It’s not bullish right now, but since it’s a big company, it will keep going.” tackle each quarter and pull it through,” he had said.
When comes after the company fired 452 first-year students who had made offers but had not yet joined because they “repeatedly underperformed on post-training assessments.”
The nascent Information Technology Employees Senate wrote to the Department of Labor about these firings, calling them unethical.
