The office of the Chief Labour Commissioner, under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, has directed the Karnataka Labour Department to investigate the alleged exploitation of young IT graduates by the Bengaluru-based tech firm Infosys Ltd. following the delayed onboarding of its campus recruits in 2022.

In a directive dated September 3 and addressed to the Labour Commissioner, Karnataka, the office of the Chief Labour Commissioner said, ‘‘Since appropriate government for action under respective Labour Law in this matter is State Government, you are requested to look into the matter and take suitable action under intimation to the applicant and this office.’‘

The directive signed by Regional Labour Commissioner, O.P. Singh, was in response to an email it received on August 20, 2024 from Harpreet Singh Saluja, president, of Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (Nites), regarding the alleged exploitation of young professionals by Infosys.

Nites had previously filed a complaint with the Ministry of Labour and Employment, in June and also in August, alleging that Infosys had deferred the onboarding of more than 2,000 campus hires for over two years.

Infosys finally issued offer letters, but to only 1,000 of the fresh graduates, Nites said, on September 2. The union also confirmed that these new hires have a starting date of October 7, 2024. The Labour Ministry further advised the applicants to make any further correspondence with the Labour Commissioner, Karnataka, if required.

Infosys did not respond to The Hindu’s query on this matter at the time of going to print.