The Karnataka Labour Department has been instructed by the Union Labour Ministry to investigate the alleged "exploitation of young IT graduates" by Infosys Ltd., a Bengaluru-based IT behemoth.

The problem concerns around 2,500 workers who have not yet started work after receiving offers from Infosys to fill positions as System Engineers (SE) and Digital Specialist Engineers (DSE) in 2022.

In response to a complaint via email on August 28, 2024, from Harpreet Singh Saluja, President of the IT union Nascent Information Technology Senate (NITES), the Center took notice of the issue and asked Karnataka to take appropriate action in a letter dated September 3, 2024.

"Intervention in the matter has been requested in the attached email to safeguard these recent graduates from the companies' exploitative practices (Infosys)." You are urged to investigate the situation and take necessary action under notification to this office and the applicant, since the State Government is the proper government for action under the applicable labor legislation in this matter," the letter stated.

Following NITES' requests for assistance from the federal government in June and August of last year, Infosys sent out about 2,000 offer letters with an October 2024 joining date that was verified.

Still, around 700 of these candidates are awaiting dates for firm onboarding. Infosys declined to comment in the matter.