Indian IT giant Wipro has imposed a new training program on freshers who have been waiting for onboarding for over 15 months. The program includes a test and the possibility of termination for those who do not pass it. This move comes after Wipro reduced the salaries of these freshers from Rs 6.5 lakhs to Rs 3.5 lakhs in February. Interestingly, these new hires have already completed training while they wait for onboarding.
The Project Readiness Program (PRP) training must be passed with an overall score of at least 60%. According to instructions sent to new job applicants, employees who fail to pass the test will be immediately fired. Wipro has defended the program as part of its routine onboarding process, stating that it ensures new employees are assigned to the right client projects and have the necessary skills.
However, the move has been met with criticism from Harpreet Singh Saluja, Leader of the IT employee association Incipient Data Innovation Workers Senate (NITES). Saluja noted that Wipro’s treatment of its newest workers is unethical, unfair, and unjust. One work petitioner claimed that Wipro is attempting to reduce its liabilities towards fresher employees, as many of them have been waiting for onboarding for over 15 months.
The current situation in the IT industry is challenging. Companies overhired during the pandemic, resulting in a large bench size and declining demand. Wipro is not the only company to offer training programs to new job applicants with the possibility of termination. LTI Mindtree, another IT services company, recently launched a similar training program.
However, freshers’ career aspirations and valuable time cannot be taken lightly. Wipro’s sudden policy changes and misleading communication have put the future of these employees at risk. As one job applicant stated, “Why did they hire us in the first place if they wanted to test us?” It is essential for companies to provide transparency and fairness in their hiring and onboarding processes to ensure the best talent can thrive and grow.
