Cognizant Plans to Hire About 25,000 Freshers in 2026: How to Get One of the Offers

Cognizant's CFO, Jatin Dalal, said the company plans to hire about 24,000 to 25,000 fresh graduates in 2026, roughly 20% more than the close to 20,000 it took in during 2025, according to Free Press Journal (6 February 2026). It is a company target, not a count of offers made. As of 13 October 2026, the headcount data is more mixed than the headline suggests.

How many freshers is Cognizant hiring in 2026?

Cognizant is aiming for 24,000 to 25,000 school graduates in 2026, up about 20% from 2025. The Free Press Journal reports Dalal said this at a post-earnings press conference, and The People's Board, which credits the Economic Times, reports the same range. Headlines round it to 25,000, which is the top of the range.

The 16,000 and 4,000 split matters for timing. It suggests a new graduate can spend months in training before billing to a client, so a 2026 offer does not always mean a 2026 start.

Why is Cognizant hiring more freshers?

Cognizant's stated reason is a "broader pyramid." CEO Ravi Kumar S said the company's partnerships with AI platforms let expertise be distributed to junior staff, per the Free Press Journal. The People's Board adds that he favours "learnability" over experience.

The Free Press Journal also reports revenue of $5.33 billion in the December 2025 quarter, up 4.9% year on year. The article frames the plan as a response to fears that AI will erase entry-level jobs. Those are the company's claims and framing, not independent findings.

Is Cognizant's headcount actually growing?

Not in the latest quarter. Cognizant's Q2 2026 release (29 July 2026) puts total headcount at 356,700 on 30 June 2026. That is 900 fewer than on 31 March 2026, though 12,900 more than a year earlier.

The release also lists restructuring under "Project Leap," with charges of $230 million to $320 million expected, mostly in 2026. The second quarter included $84 million, of which $56 million was employee separation costs. A fresher target and a restructuring programme can coexist: the company can add junior staff while cutting elsewhere. The release does not say how the two interact.

How does Cognizant's GenC fresher programme work?

Generation Cognizant (GenC) is, in Cognizant's description, "our hiring and development program for emerging talent in India." The page lists no service bonds and says high-potential GenCs can fast-track into advanced roles through a "Digital Honors Program."

Two details are worth knowing before you apply:

• Batch onboarding. Joining happens in batches based on business demand, so there can be a gap between accepting an offer and your start date.
• Preferences are not guaranteed. Cognizant says it tries to match business unit, role and location preferences, but this is not always possible.

Cognizant's page states no degree, stream or grade criteria. Off-campus drives are described as designed for specific streams, roles and batches, and open to students from all colleges. Check the eligibility on each individual drive.

How do you apply for a Cognizant fresher job?

Use one of two routes on the GenC page. Campus students apply through their university's recruitment drive and should ask their placement officer about events. Off-campus candidates apply to an open position listed on the GenC page.

Cognizant describes five steps:

1. Application, through the campus drive or an open position.
2. Initial screening.
3. One or more assessments of communication, aptitude and/or technical skills.
4. Virtual or in-person interviews.
5. Result, sent to the placement officer for campus hiring or directly to you for off-campus hiring.

Not all candidates go through every step. Details as of 13 October 2026.

What does Cognizant pay freshers, and what is GenC Elevate?

Cognizant does not publish fresher pay on its careers pages. The only figures available are from third parties. A FACE Prep guide (May 2026) describes GenC as the standard route for engineering graduates and GenC Elevate (also called GenC Pro) as a higher tier with a stronger coding bar and, in some cycles, a project walkthrough.

FACE Prep cites no Cognizant document for these bands and sells training products, so treat them as unofficial. Other guides quote different ranges. Your offer letter is the only reliable figure.

Are there fresher routes beyond GenC?

Yes, on Cognizant's India page. The Finance Excellence Program is a two-year rotational programme for recently qualified Chartered Accountants in Chennai or Bengaluru. The B-School Talent Accelerator is a bootcamp for nearly 500 B-school graduates.

Outside India, Cognizant's students and new grads page routes you to regional sites for the US, Canada, Brazil, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Australia and New Zealand, EMEA, and the UK and Ireland. Each region has its own programme and rules.

What does Cognizant say about entry-level roles and AI?

The Q2 2026 release says Cognizant plans to augment its Frontier talent pipeline "through annual direct hires of Frontier-native talent from American and global universities." It plans to scale to 5,000 Frontier Certified Engineers and 10,000 Frontier Business Operators, with the first cohort expected by Q4 2026.

The release also cites a joint study with Pearson saying entry-level roles are being reimagined by AI. It gives no fresher or overall hiring number. Cognizant has not said AI skills are part of fresher selection.

What's still unclear?

• Whether the target still stands. The 24,000 to 25,000 figure dates from February 2026, and the Q2 release contains no fresher number.
• How the target squares with Project Leap. Net headcount fell by 900 in the June quarter, and separation costs were booked. Cognizant has not said how many of its exits are being replaced by freshers.
• Independence of the reports. Both reports were published the same day and The People's Board credits the Economic Times, so they are not fully independent.
• Pay. Cognizant publishes no fresher salary, and third-party bands differ by guide.
• The weakest point of the headline. A hiring target is an intention. Offers, joining dates and start dates are separate, and onboarding is by batch.