New Delhi

Indian IT hiring landscape is at a pivotal juncture as it transitions from a year of decline towards a more hopeful future. The focus on specialised skills, particularly in AI and data science, combined with geographical shifts towards Tier 2 cities, indicates a transformation within the sector.

While the IT hiring landscape in India in 2024 was marked by delayed onboarding and a decline in overall hiring activity, the outlook for 2025 appears promising with expectations of recovery and growth fuelled by improvements in economic conditions and technological advancements.

In 2024, the Indian IT sector experienced approximately a 7 per cent decline in hiring compared to the previous year, largely due to broader macroeconomic challenges and global uncertainties.

Sunil Chemmankotil, Country Manager of Adecco, India, noted that while Global Capability Centres (GCCs) played a crucial role in boosting hiring – accounting for 52.6 per cent of job openings for tech professionals – they could not fully offset the significant downturn in the IT services sector.

Despite this overall contraction, certain areas showed resilience and growth. The demand for roles in AI and Machine Learning surged 39 per cent, reflecting a shift towards more specialised skill sets as organisations prioritised these technologies, according to Adecco research.

There was notable growth in IT hiring within Tier 2 cities, which saw an impressive 48 per cent increase during the third quarter of 2024, indicating a trend of geographic diversification of job opportunities beyond traditional tech hubs.