How many freshers will HCLTech hire in FY27?

HCLTech fresher hiring jumps to 6,136 in Q2 FY27

Invisipilot Team · 23 Oct 2026, 16:30 IST

Written with AI assistance from the cited sources

HCL Technologies (HCLTech) onboarded 6,136 freshers in the second quarter of FY27 (July-September 2026), up from 1,056 in the April-June quarter, and its total headcount reached a record 230,339 on 30 September, CNBC-TV18 reported on 12 October. For graduates, it suggests campus intake at a large Indian IT services firm is picking up after two slow quarters, though Moneycontrol notes first-half fresher additions of about 7,200 were broadly level with last year; it also reports a full-year target of 10,000 to 11,000 freshers.

Key points

HCL Technologies (HCLTech) onboarded 6,136 freshers in July-September 2026, up from 1,056 in April-June, per CNBC-TV18.
HCLTech's net headcount rose by 6,450 to a record 230,339 on 30 September 2026, after a fall of 3,292 a quarter earlier.
Moneycontrol reports that HCLTech expects to hire 10,000 to 11,000 freshers in the year ending March 2027.
HCLTech's attrition over the last twelve months was 12.8% in September 2026, up from 12.7% in June.
Takeaway: if you're a fresher, consider showing you can apply AI to a real client problem and explain it clearly.

Source: CNBC-TV18, 12 Oct 2026

A sharp turnaround in one quarter

HCL Technologies (HCLTech) added 6,450 people on a net basis between July and September 2026, according to CNBC-TV18, which called it the company's biggest quarterly net addition in 16 quarters. Only three months earlier, the company had shrunk by 3,292 employees. Its workforce now stands at 230,339, a new high.

Fresher intake drove the rebound. HCLTech's Q2 FY27 investor release, dated 12 October, shows 6,136 freshers added during the quarter, against 1,056 in April-June, 1,712 in January-March 2026 and 5,196 a year earlier in July-September 2025. Voluntary attrition over the last twelve months edged up slightly to 12.8%, from 12.7% in June.

What HCLTech says about the rest of the year

Moneycontrol reported that HCLTech expects to hire 10,000 to 11,000 fresh graduates in the financial year ending March 2027. The same report says the company is launching an enterprise-wide academy to train engineers for forward-deployed roles, which mix artificial intelligence (AI) engineering with work directly alongside clients, and that about 15% of the quarter's freshers were placed in its elite engineer category. HCLTech also said annual salary hikes take effect from 1 October, CNBC-TV18 noted.

How it compares with peers

The rebound stands out against a mixed season for Indian IT hiring. CNBC-TV18 pointed out that Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) also grew its headcount in the September quarter, adding 4,258 people. Infosys's September-quarter results, scheduled for 23 October according to the company's investor page, add another data point, so the picture for the year's campus intake is still filling in.

Why it matters for Indian job seekers

A single strong quarter is not a trend, but it is a useful signal for anyone waiting on campus offers or joining dates.

If you hold an HCLTech offer, consider checking your joining status with the campus team, since the company is clearly onboarding at a faster pace this quarter.
If you're job hunting as a fresher, consider building one small project that applies AI to a real business problem and that you can explain end to end, because client-facing AI engineering is a role HCLTech says it is training some of its new hires for.
Work on how you explain your work: forward-deployed roles involve talking to customers, so be ready to give short, clear walkthroughs of your projects for non-technical listeners.
Compare with peers: consider checking the fresher numbers in Infosys's September-quarter results (scheduled for 23 October) before you decide where to focus applications.

Audience note: India. HCLTech is a major campus recruiter for Indian engineering and science graduates.

Frequently asked questions

How many freshers will HCLTech hire in FY27?: Moneycontrol reported that HCLTech expects to hire 10,000 to 11,000 fresh graduates in the financial year ending March 2027. It onboarded 6,136 freshers in July-September 2026 alone.