IT hiring flat but 17-18% surge recorded for GCCs, says Info Edge

The IT services and technology segment grew by only 7 percent, while GCCs now contribute about 17 percent of Naukri’s B2B recruitment billings.

Info Edge (India), the parent firm of Naukri, Jeevansaathi, and 99Acres, said hiring in India’s technology sector stayed sluggish through the September quarter (Q2FY26) even as Global Capability Centres (GCCs) continued to expand strongly, helping the company deliver steady growth in its recruitment business.

In Q2FY26, Info Edge’s flagship recruitment platform Naukri.com recorded an 11 percent year-on-year rise in billings, led by an 18 percent jump in GCC hiring.

The IT services and technology segment grew by only 7 percent, while GCCs now contribute about 17 percent of Naukri’s B2B recruitment billings.

“IT hiring remains muted as companies stay cautious, but demand from GCCs and non-IT sectors is providing resilience,” CEO Hitesh Oberoi told analysts during the earnings call on September 12.

Industry Sees Premium Demand for Niche Tech Roles

The trend mirrors broader staffing data.

TeamLease Services said GCCs and engineering R&D (ER&D) units are driving salary hikes of 30 to 40 percent for niche roles even as traditional IT hiring remains flat.

Demand is particularly strong for skills such as Python, cloud security, artificial intelligence, and prompt engineering.

Rival Quess Corp reported “green shoots” in IT staffing during the September quarter, albeit linked to AI, cloud transformation, cybersecurity, enterprise platforms, and SAP HANA upgrades as global enterprises modernise their technology infrastructure.

Info Edge reported stable results for the quarter ended September 2025. Consolidated revenue stood at Rs 805.5 crore, rising around 15 percent year-on-year, while standalone billings were Rs 729 crore, up 12.1 percent from a year earlier.

Outlook for the Hiring Market

While mainstream IT services remain in a cautious hiring phase, expansion by GCCs, growth in ER&D, and rising demand for premium technology skills are cushioning the slowdown.

The company remains focused on AI-led products and deeper penetration across industries as it navigates a changing recruitment environment.