Cognizant Addresses Salary Backlash: Clarifies Compensation for Fresh Graduates

Cognizant faced a social media backlash for allegedly offering low salaries to fresh graduates. The company clarified that the lower salary cited applies to non-engineering undergraduates, while engineering graduates receive higher packages ranging from Rs 4-12 lakh annually. Cognizant invests significantly in training and upskilling its employees.

Facing social media backlash over the Rs 2.52 lakh annual salary offer for freshers, IT giant Cognizant on Sunday clarified that it offers Rs 4-12 lakh salary to fresh engineering graduates. The salary being quoted on social media is for non-engineering undergraduate degree holders.

The firm also grappled with social media ridicule for annual salary hikes as low as 1 per cent. However, Cognizant stated that these figures represent the lower band of their 1-5 per cent annual increments, varying based on individual performance.

Cognizant emphasized its commitment to hiring and upskilling freshers from both engineering and non-engineering backgrounds. The company invests significantly in training, enabling new hires to advance in their careers. Surya Gummadi, EVP and President of Cognizant Americas, noted the importance of this investment in maintaining competitive compensation standards within the IT services peer group.

(With inputs from agencies.)