Infosys Faces Second Complaint Over Termination of Apprentices, NITES Alleges “Unethical and Illegal” Layoffs

Pune, 18th April 2025: The Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES) has filed a fresh complaint with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, accusing Infosys Ltd. of unlawfully terminating another batch of 370 trainees enrolled under the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS).

This is the second such complaint by NITES in less than six months. The earlier grievance, filed in October 2024, alleged the illegal dismissal of over 700 apprentices and is currently under investigation by the Director of the Board of Practical Training (Eastern Region).

In a strongly worded statement, Advocate Harpreet Singh Saluja, President of NITES, said, “Infosys has once again shown blatant disregard for legal procedures and government authority by coercing apprentices into signing ‘mutual separation’ agreements. These terminations have occurred without any legal justification or due process.”

Saluja emphasized that the repeated actions by Infosys while the first complaint is still being investigated amounts to contempt for India’s legal and institutional frameworks. “The company is sending a dangerous message that it can violate the law with impunity. Infosys appears to have no fear of the law, no respect for India’s statutory apprenticeship framework, and no concern for the welfare and dignity of India’s youth,” he said.

NITES has accused Infosys of exploiting the apprenticeship model by hiring young professionals under temporary contracts and discarding them without proper justification or recourse. The complaint highlights that no prior notice was given, and the trainees were allegedly pressured into agreeing to separations they did not willingly seek.

Saluja added, “Apprenticeship is supposed to empower and train the next generation of professionals — not turn them into disposable labour. This repeated behaviour is not just unethical, it is a direct challenge to the credibility of government oversight mechanisms.”

NITES has urged the ministry to take immediate and strict action against the tech giant, ensuring that the rights of apprentices across India are protected and upheld.

Infosys has not yet issued a public response to the latest complaint.