As the first cycle under Tata Consultancy Services’ (TCS) new bench policy concludes on 18 July, thousands of employees without project allocations are facing growing uncertainty. The policy, introduced on 12 June, limits the bench period to 35 days per year. After that, employees risk career stagnation or potential job termination.
This new directive has led to anxiety among TCS staff, with many sharing their concerns on platforms such as Reddit. Some claim they are being pressured into roles that do not match their skills, while others are struggling to find suitable projects, especially in preferred or home locations. Freshers have also raised issues about mismatched assignments after undergoing specific training.
The policy impacts a significant portion of the workforce. Industry data suggests that between 15 and 18 per cent of employees in large Indian IT firms are typically on the bench. For TCS, which employs over 6.13 lakh people, that figure translates to tens of thousands potentially affected.
Employee concerns have drawn attention from the Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES), which has approached the Union labour minister. The group alleges that TCS is using pressure tactics and threats to enforce project placements, calling the policy unfair and mentally distressing for skilled workers.
At the same time, some employees support the new approach, saying it addresses long-standing inefficiencies and underperformance. The management of TCS maintains that the system encourages accountability and career ownership, aligning workforce deployment with client needs and skill alignment.
The company’s decision comes at a time when IT services are facing a downturn. Automation and artificial intelligence are reducing demand for entry-level roles, pushing firms to tighten resource management. TCS reported reduced employee utilisation and shrinking margins last quarter, with workforce costs hitting record highs.