TCS summoned by Pune Labour Commissioner after employees allege unfair and unlawful layoffs

TCS

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), India’s biggest IT services company, is facing questions from the Labour Commissioner’s office in Pune after employees alleged that the company had been letting people go unfairly. The notice comes after a series of complaints filed by the tech-worker union NITES, which says many employees have approached them over sudden job losses and pressure to resign.

NITES claims that workers across multiple cities have reported abrupt terminations, being pushed to put in resignations, and in some cases, not receiving all the payments they were entitled to. After reviewing these complaints, the Pune Labour Commissioner has summoned TCS for a hearing on November 18, asking the company to explain its position.

These allegations arrive at a time when TCS is already restructuring its workforce and preparing for a bigger shift towards AI-driven roles. The company has indicated that up to 2 percent of jobs may be cut in the next financial year as it adjusts to changing business needs. But NITES believes the number of affected employees is far higher than what the company has acknowledged.

In its financial results, TCS reported that its staff count dropped sharply this year. Between June and September, its employee base fell by around 20,000 compared to the same period a year ago — the steepest decline the company has seen in recent times. However, TCS has maintained that the layoffs being talked about publicly are exaggerated. Its HR head said earlier that only about 1 percent of the workforce had been impacted.

With a big gap between what the workers’ group is claiming and what the company is saying, the labour office’s intervention has become important. NITES has urged employees who believe they were removed unfairly to come forward and file official complaints so the matter can be evaluated properly.

For India’s IT sector — which is already dealing with a global slowdown, rising automation, and pressure on project margins — the situation at TCS highlights how sensitive layoffs can be. As the hearing approaches, all eyes will be on whether the company can justify its actions and if the labour authorities decide further steps are needed to protect employee rights.