TCS hires 50,000 in 9-months of FY 11

Mumbai, Jan 17 (PTI) Tata Consultancy Services (TCS),India''s largest software exporter, today said it has hired50,000 personnel in the nine-month period ended December 2010and expects to add another 12,000-15,000 in Q4.

TCS added 20,219 people (gross) during the quarter, itshighest addition yet, taking its total headcount to 1,86,914at the end of the December quarter.

"Given the strength of business demand, we have exceededthe hiring target of 50,000 employees, we had set for thisfiscal year," TCS''s Vice-President, Head, Global HumanResources, Ajoy Mukherjee, told reporters here.

"We have welcomed the highest-ever number of new TCSersin a single quarter with a gross addition of 20,219 employeesas we continued to support the company''s strong growth andbusiness pipeline," Mukherjee said.

However, the company faces the major challenge ofattrition, TCS CEO and MD, N Chandrasekaran, said.

"Our short-term challenge is we have to continue toretain people although the attrition rate has come down in Q3FY 11," Chandrasekaran said.

Utilisation in Q3 FY 11 remained at 83.8 per cent(excluding trainees) and 77.1 per cent (including trainees).

The attrition rate in Q3 for IT Services was 13.2 percent and BPO 24.7 per cent while overall attrition was at 14.4per cent. At the end of Q3, non-Indian nationals formed 6.8per cent of the total employee base and 31 per cent werewomen.