Tech giant Wipro recently wrote to its fresher candidates who were promised a package of Rs 6.5 lakh per annum (pa), asking them if they would be willing to join the company in a different role for Rs 3.5 lakh per annum. This has left several candidates upset, as it comes amid a months-long delay in the onboarding process for the 2022 batch. Wipro offers two programmes to fresher candidates — Elite (which offers Rs 3.5 lakh pa) and Turbo (Rs 6.5 lakh pa). To be eligible for the Turbo programme, candidates must receive additional training and upskilling through the company’s Velocity programme. This training is offered to students in the last three months of college, and involves learning Java, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and full stack development.
After candidates waited for months to be onboarded, Wipro sent an email to those who completed the Velocity training on February 16. The email gave the candidates the choice to join the company from March. However, to do so, they would have to choose the Rs 3.5 lakh pa package. “Currently, we have certain Project Engineer roles available for recruitment with an annual compensation of INR 3.5 lakhs. We would like to offer all our Velocity graduates in the FY23 batch an opportunity to opt for these roles,” it read, adding that candidates must make the choice by February 20. It also mentions that if one chooses this option, all other offers would be considered void.
Candidates may choose to hold on to their original offer of Rs 6.5 lakh pa, however, the date of joining would remain uncertain as it depends on “prevailing economic environment and evolving customer needs,” the email said. The move has left several candidates miffed, as many of them declined offers from other companies in order to join Wipro. Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES), a group that represents the interests of tech employees, has condemned the move and alleged that the candidates were not consulted by Wipro before the email was sent. “The decision to cut the salaries of the employees without prior consultation and negotiation is not only unjust but also goes against the principles of fairness and transparency. It is unacceptable that the burden of the company's financial troubles is being placed solely on the shoulders of the employees. We demand that the management reconsider its decision and engage in meaningful dialogue with the union to find a mutually beneficial solution. We will not stand by while the rights and dignity of our members are being violated," Harpreet Singh Saluja, president of the NITES, said in a statement.