TCS layoffs row: Why are netizens in panic mode?

A recent wave of allegedly forced resignations at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has led to rumours spreading about the exact number of employees that will be fired from the tech giant over time.

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This comes nearly two months after TCS reportedly announced its intention to restructure itself by cutting off 2 per cent (roughly 12,000 employees) of its workforce.

Panic spread when netizens inflated the layoff figure to 30,000 and 60,000, which led to the Union of IT & ITES Employees (UNITE) staging protests in various cities.

TCS told Business Line that the union's allegations were "incorrect and misleading", and reiterated that only 2 per cent of its 6,00,000-strong global workforce would be cut. 

Still, UNITE leaders—with help from the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU)—demanded that TCS withdraw its decision and called for government intervention, warning that the actual number of layoffs could be higher than what TCS said.

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The panic also stems from a larger job security crisis worldwide, with IT giants like Microsoft and Accenture trimming their workforces in favour of restructuring and AI integration.

In TCS' case, the fact that the cuts are affecting even mid-level employees, has also dealt a serious blow to the company's reputation for job security.

An unnamed TCS employee told MoneyControl that he felt “betrayed by the Tata Group company he had been loyal to for over a decade”, after he refused to resign from TCS when asked to, was "harassed" for months, and was then forcibly laid off anyway in mid-2025.

A Redditor weighed in on the issue, explaining that people were being "terminated because of failing PIP and not bcoz of past bad performances, atleast not now or in all projects".

"This will continue until we reach to point where people will have skills to work 'in AI' along with 'on AI'," an X user wrote.