GCC hiring cushions IT slowdown as mid-level demand weakens, says Info Edge

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• GCC hiring rose 15 percent, cushioning IT market slowdown
• Mid-level IT hiring growth slowed to 4 percent from 7-8 percent
• Info Edge profit fell 14 percent sequentially to Rs 272 crore

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Global Capability Centres (GCCs) continued to hire steadily, helping cushion a slowdown in India’s IT hiring market, where demand for mid-level roles has softened, according to Info Edge’s management commentary during its Q3 FY26 earnings call.

The parent company of Naukri.com, 99acres, and Jeevansathi said hiring across the technology, IT, and BPM segments grew 14 percent year-on-year in the quarter, with GCC hiring rising 15 percent, emerging as one of the more resilient pockets of demand. In contrast, hiring momentum for mid-level roles, defined as positions with annual compensation between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 30 lakh, has moderated over the past few years.

“The volume growth continues to be robust in the premium and value segments, but the mid-level segment is under pressure,” said Hitesh Oberoi, managing director and chief executive officer of Info Edge. “What we are sensing is that volume growth in the Rs 5-30 lakh segment has moderated to around 4 percent, compared to 7-8 percent a few years ago.”

Meanwhile, within non-IT segments, the company flagged continued softness in BFSI, retail and infrastructure-linked hiring, where decision-making remains cautious.

On the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on hiring, Info Edge said India’s recruitment market differs structurally from global markets that rely heavily on job listings.

In India, employers increasingly prefer database-led hiring to avoid large volumes of irrelevant applications, a dynamic that could become more pronounced if AI-led tools increase noise on open job platforms.

“In India, hiring through job listings is not very effective because employers get overwhelmed with hundreds or even thousands of applications… and if AI leads to more automated or spam applications, the value of curated databases like ours could actually increase,” said Oberoi.

The company added that it is deploying AI internally to improve recruiter productivity and hiring outcomes, including through its agentic AI-led workflow automation platform, which is being tested by over 100 clients.

Overall, Info Edge indicated that while the broader IT hiring environment remains uneven, sustained demand from GCCs and premium roles is providing stability amid a slowdown in the mid-tier of the market.

Meanwhile, the company reported a 14 percent sequential decline in profit at Rs 272 crore in the December quarter.

It reported an 11.8 percent year-on-year growth in standalone billings, reaching over Rs 747 crore. Billings in the recruitment business grew by 11 percent, while the non-recruitment portfolio, 99acres (real estate), Jeevansathi (matchmaking), and Shiksha (education), combined, recorded growth of 14.1 percent.