In the wake of Tata Consultancy Services’ (TCS) announcement to lay off over 12,000 employees, a viral post on X by user @thekaipullai has struck a nerve across India’s tech community, reviving memories of a time when job security at TCS was considered ironclad.
From Freshers on Bench to Forced Exits
“Once upon a time TCS was so indifferent about manpower that they used to keep freshers on the bench for a year before they were allocated to projects,” the post begins, capturing the industry’s long-standing perception of TCS as an IT behemoth that prided itself on job stability—even at the cost of inefficiency.
“There used to be joke in the IT circles that nobody got fired in TCS for non performance,” he added. The line is both sarcastic and nostalgic and has resonated with thousands of IT professionals and alumni who have commented below to share their own experiences and shock.
But it’s the last line that hits the hardest, “If TCS is publically announcing layoffs, then shit has not only hit the proverbial fan… it is not above it.”
AI and Hybrid Work Drive the Cuts
The sharp shift in tone reflects the growing alarm in the tech industry as one of its most stable players moves to cut 2 percent of its global workforce—a staggering 12,000+ roles—by fiscal 2026. The decision, explained by TCS CEO K Krithivasan, comes as the company adapts to AI-led changes and workplace model shifts.
The post by @thekaipullai, known for his irreverent takes on business and current affairs, has amassed many likes and retweets, not just for its wit but for its unsettling truth: if TCS, the company once seen as the last safe haven in IT, is trimming its workforce, no job is truly safe anymore.
One user in the thread commented, “TCS was called the government company of the IT Sector! Things are changing rapidly!!!”
Another said, “In my batch 650+ people joined TCS. My room-mate didn’t get a project for 3 yrs. In that time he enjoyed his time, finally got depressed, made a good score in CAT and resigned.”