ET Graphics: IT hiring rebounds in 2025, thanks to India’s GCC boom
More than half of hiring is now centered on emerging skills in AI/ML, cloud, cybersecurity, data engineering, DevOps and platform engineering, while legacy skills have fallen below 10% of demand. Hiring remains metro-heavy, with 88–90% of roles ...
India’s IT hiring rebounded in 2025, with demand reaching 1.8 million roles, up 16% over 2024, and 31% above 2022 levels, according to data from Quess Corp. Growth is led by GCCs, which now account for roughly 27% of demand, while IT services hiring stays modest and highly selective.
More than half of hiring is now centered on emerging skills in AI/ML, cloud, cybersecurity, data engineering, DevOps and platform engineering, while legacy skills have fallen below 10% of demand. Hiring remains metro-heavy, with 88–90% of roles in Tier-1 hubs, although Tier 2/3 shares are inching up.
For 2026, overall IT hiring is projected to grow 12–15%, led by GCC expansions and AI‑first, cloud and cyber mandates, not volume recruitment.
