India’s Global Capability Centers (GCCs) are in the midst of a hiring transformation, with a marked surge in demand for freshers—recent graduates entering the workforce. In 2025, this trend is reshaping both the talent landscape and the strategic priorities of multinational firms operating in India. Here’s why GCCs want more freshers, what’s driving this demand, and how it’s impacting the broader ecosystem.
According to recent industry reports, Bengaluru leads the nation in fresher hiring for GCCs, with 17% of companies in the city projecting a more than 50% increase in fresher intake this year—a far more aggressive approach than seen in other metros. Nationwide, 64% of GCCs anticipate a 1–20% increase in fresher hiring, while 9% expect a surge of over 50%. The IT sector, in particular, has nearly doubled its share of fresher hiring from 17% in 2024 to 34% in 2025.
GCCs are at the forefront of digital transformation, automation, cybersecurity, and cloud adoption. As these trends accelerate, companies need a workforce that is adaptable, tech-savvy, and eager to learn. Freshers, often equipped with the latest technical skills and a willingness to embrace new technologies, are seen as ideal candidates to fill this gap.
Rather than hiring simply to fill immediate vacancies, GCCs are strategically investing in freshers to create a pipeline of talent that can be upskilled and molded to meet future business needs. This approach is crucial for sustaining innovation and maintaining a competitive edge as industries evolve.
Hiring freshers allows GCCs to manage costs while scaling operations. Entry-level salaries are competitive but lower than those for experienced hires, enabling companies to allocate resources to training, technology, and long-term talent development.
The push for freshers is also helping narrow the gender gap in critical sectors. The entry-level workforce now boasts a much-improved gender ratio, with women making up nearly half of new hires in IT, BFSI, manufacturing, and healthcare.
While metros like Bengaluru remain hiring hotspots, tier 2 and 3 cities are emerging as new talent hubs. Cities such as Coimbatore, Udaipur, Bhubaneshwar, Chandigarh, Nashik, Salem, and Vadodara are witnessing remarkable growth as freshers choose to stay local, attracted by competitive salaries, lower living costs, and robust infrastructure. In some cases, fresher salaries in these cities are at par with or even slightly higher than those in traditional metros.
