Amid heavy criticism and trolling on social media regarding its freshers’ salary at as low as Rs 2.5 lakh per annum, IT major Cognizant on Sunday clarified that its recent job posting was grossly misrepresented. It said that the job posting, with compensation of Rs 2.52 lakhs annually was only for candidates with a 3-year undergraduate degree and not for engineering graduates.

In a statement, Surya Gummadi, EVP and President, Cognizant Americas, said, “Our annual compensation for fresh engineering graduates ranges from Rs 4 lakhs to Rs 12 lakhs annually, depending on the category of hiring, skill set, and advanced industry accredited certifications. The compensation we offer for engineering graduates is highly competitive within the IT services peer group.”

He further said that the US-headquartered IT major also invests approximately Rs 2 to 3 lakhs per associate in the initial years to train, mentor and upskill employees at entry level in advanced technologies.

“This is for both engineering and non-engineering associates. Hundreds of our associates who joined us with a 3-year undergraduate degree, today hold key positions from Manager to Assistant Vice President across the company,” Gummadi said.

Cognizant has been recruiting and upskilling freshers from engineering institutions as well as colleges offering degrees in science, arts, and commerce. Today, as AI increasingly powers modern businesses, Cognizant is creating new pathways for talent to thrive in India’s technology industry, Gummadi explained.

“We are a people-first company. India is the heart of Cognizant and its largest talent hub – with over 70% of its over 336,000 global workforce – based in major metros and Tier-2 cities, across the country. To bring our offices closer to where our associates live, we have recently opened new centers in Bhubaneshwar and Indore, and expanded operations in Hyderabad. Everything we do hinges on the quality, dedication and scale of our talent.”

The company also continuously invests in training and upskilling its associates in advanced digital technologies, sponsors higher education and leadership development programs with top institutions, to equip employees to work with global clients and accelerate their career growth, Gummadi clarified.The company clarified that the recent hikes to employees were competitive in the industry.

In a statement, it said, “We work diligently to be competitive in our compensation strategy. The merit increases for this cycle are tied to both individual performance and macro industry dynamics. This year, we are one of the few IT companies in India that has delivered increments and bonuses for employees. This recent pay hike is the 4th that most Cognizant’s associates have received in the past 3 years. Moreover, these hikes are just one component of the comprehensive total rewards package.”

Amid heavy criticism and trolling on social media regarding its freshers’ salary at as low as Rs 2.5 lakh per annum, IT major Cognizant on Sunday clarified that its recent job posting was grossly misrepresented. It said that the job posting, with compensation of Rs 2.52 lakhs annually was only for candidates with a 3-year undergraduate degree and not for engineering graduates.

In a statement, Surya Gummadi, EVP and President, Cognizant Americas, said, “Our annual compensation for fresh engineering graduates ranges from Rs 4 lakhs to Rs 12 lakhs annually, depending on the category of hiring, skill set, and advanced industry accredited certifications. The compensation we offer for engineering graduates is highly competitive within the IT services peer group.”

He further said that the US-headquartered IT major also invests approximately Rs 2 to 3 lakhs per associate in the initial years to train, mentor and upskill employees at entry level in advanced technologies.

“This is for both engineering and non-engineering associates. Hundreds of our associates who joined us with a 3-year undergraduate degree, today hold key positions from Manager to Assistant Vice President across the company,” Gummadi said.

Cognizant has been recruiting and upskilling freshers from engineering institutions as well as colleges offering degrees in science, arts, and commerce. Today, as AI increasingly powers modern businesses, Cognizant is creating new pathways for talent to thrive in India’s technology industry, Gummadi explained.

“We are a people-first company. India is the heart of Cognizant and its largest talent hub – with over 70% of its over 336,000 global workforce – based in major metros and Tier-2 cities, across the country. To bring our offices closer to where our associates live, we have recently opened new centers in Bhubaneshwar and Indore, and expanded operations in Hyderabad. Everything we do hinges on the quality, dedication and scale of our talent.”

The company also continuously invests in training and upskilling its associates in advanced digital technologies, sponsors higher education and leadership development programs with top institutions, to equip employees to work with global clients and accelerate their career growth, Gummadi clarified.The company clarified that the recent hikes to employees were competitive in the industry.

In a statement, it said, “We work diligently to be competitive in our compensation strategy. The merit increases for this cycle are tied to both individual performance and macro industry dynamics. This year, we are one of the few IT companies in India that has delivered increments and bonuses for employees. This recent pay hike is the 4th that most Cognizant’s associates have received in the past 3 years. Moreover, these hikes are just one component of the comprehensive total rewards package.”