India’s tech job market records first hiring uptick in six months
BENGALURU: India’s technology job market has shown its first clear sign of improvement after nearly six months of subdued hiring activity, according to a new report by Xpheno.
The report titled Active Tech Jobs Outlook – India for February 2026 shows that active tech job openings rose by 8% month-on-month to 109,000 in February. This marks the first statistically significant increase since August 2025.
Despite the rise, overall hiring levels remain below last year. The report notes that active tech job volumes are still 18% lower than in February 2025, indicating that the sector has not yet entered a full recovery phase.
One of the most notable changes in February is the sharp rise in full-time remote roles. According to the report, remote tech job openings increased by 67% compared with January, reaching 15,000 positions. In contrast, full-time hybrid roles fell by 24% month on month.
The report highlights changing employer strategies around work formats, especially as several large technology firms continue to push for full-time work from office arrangements.
Full-time work from office roles still dominate the market, accounting for 72% of all active tech openings, with volumes rising 7% over the previous month.
Mid-senior talent demand remains strongest
Demand continues to be concentrated at the mid-senior level. Roles requiring mid to senior experience account for 55% of total active tech openings, with volumes rising 3% month on month.
Entry-level hiring, however, remains flat at 14,000 roles, unchanged from January and down 14% compared with a year ago. Senior-level roles saw a month-on-month increase of 50%, although volumes remain relatively small.
Global Capability Centres (GCCs) stood out as a relatively strong hiring segment. GCC tech hiring rose 6% month on month and is up 7% year on year, even as most other tech cohorts remain below last year’s levels.
IT services firms, the largest consumers of tech talent, recorded a 5% monthly rise to 43,000 active openings, but demand in this segment is still 18% lower than in February 2025.
Geographically, hiring remains concentrated in major cities, which account for 64% of all active demand. However, on a year-on-year basis, tech hiring in megacities has fallen by 39%.
In contrast, Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities recorded a 28% year-on-year rise in tech job openings, signalling a continued shift in demand beyond traditional technology hubs.