§  14-year TCS employee forced to resign on medical leave—offered ₹14L instead of ₹24L legal entitlement. Pune Labour Commissioner hearing today. This is the #DarkSideTCS exposed.

§  “I was crying and afraid but refused to resign.” A benched TCS employee’s viral story exposes the pressure tactics used on workers. FITE demands investigation. Read what’s really happening

§  If TCS can lay off without proper severance, who is safe.? 65 lakh voters were removed from electoral rolls. 12,000+ TCS employees forced out. Democracy + Labour Rights are under attack. It’s time to fight back.

Mumbai, November 22, 2025: The অন্ধকার দিক (dark side) of TCS layoffs has taken an even grimmer turn. A senior employee with 14 years of unwavering service and 29 years of cumulative IT industry experience has alleged that he was forced to resign while on approved medical leave, awaiting critical surgery. The kicker.? Instead of receiving the promised two years’ severance for employees with over a decade of service, he was allegedly given an ultimatum: accept just 10 months’ compensation or face termination. This shocking case has ignited a firestorm on social media, with the Forum for IT Employees (FITE) calling it the “dark side of TCS lay offs” and demanding a special investigation into what they claim are systematic forced resignations across India’s largest IT company.

Part 1: The Mumbai Incident - How Medical Leave Became a Termination Trap

According to FITE’s detailed social media account, the Mumbai employee was actively contributing to a critical project and had kept himself updated with the latest technologies—a model employee by any standard. Yet when his health deteriorated and he requested approved medical leave for surgery, TCS HR allegedly turned it into an exit opportunity rather than a compassionate accommodation.

The employee was reportedly called into a private HR meeting and presented with a stark choice: accept 10 months’ severance compensation or face immediate termination. This offer was a fraction of what TCS publicly claims to provide. According to TCS’s own stated policy, employees with over 12 years of service are entitled to compensation of up to two years’ salary—a massive gap that raises serious questions about the company’s actual practices versus its public promises.

The Human Cost: The employee, who had spent 14 consecutive years building his career at TCS and 29 years in the IT sector, found himself in a vulnerable position. Facing surgery, needing approved medical leave and suddenly confronted with forced resignation ultimatums, he was left with an impossible choice: resign quietly or risk being fired and blacklisted in the industry.

Part 2: More Than One Victim - FITE Reveals Systemic Pattern of Forced Exits

This case is not isolated. FITE’s “Dark Side” series on social media has exposed multiple instances of similar behaviour across TCS locations, painting a disturbing pattern of how the company allegedly handles its workforce reduction strategy.

·       Case Studies from FITE’s Dark Side Series

o   Nagpur Case: An employee was recalled from approved leave and forced to resign with zero severance package despite years of service.

o   Pune Case: A mother on maternity leave faced systematic harassment and pressure to resign post-leave, jeopardizing her financial security and family’s future.

o   13-Year Veteran Shock: A senior employee with 13 years of service was billed for company-provided health insurance costs upon exit—a practice many consider unethical.

o   30-Minute Termination: In another shocking incident, a 47-year-old employee was given just 30 minutes to resign or face termination with no opportunity to consult legal counsel or family.

o   What This Reveals: These are not individual HR mistakes but a coordinated pattern. FITE raises critical questions: “How many employees were forced to resign.? How many actually received the compensation TCS claims.? How many victims were medically vulnerable.?” The answers, FITE suggests, would expose the true scope of TCS’s harsh practices.

Part 3: Violation of Indian Labour Law - What TCS Allegedly Did Wrong

Under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, companies like TCS with over 100 employees must follow strict legal procedures for layoffs and terminations. Yet FITE and the Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES) allege that TCS is systematically bypassing these legal requirements by pressuring employees to resign “voluntarily.”

·       What Indian Labour Law Says

o   Retrenchment Compensation: Under Section 25C of the Industrial Disputes Act, employees are entitled to 50% of basic salary plus dearness allowance and in certain cases, up to two years’ salary for long-service employees.

o   Notice Period: Employers must provide at least one month’s prior notice or payment in lieu. Simply calling an employee into a room and demanding a resignation on plain paper violates this.

o   Government Approval: For companies with 100+ employees, mass layoffs often require government approval—a step FITE claims TCS bypassed by framing terminations as “voluntary resignations.”

o   Forced Resignation = Illegal Termination: Indian courts have consistently held that “forced resignations cannot be termed as voluntary and resignations tendered under duress amount to termination of services by the employer.”

·       The TCS Problem: By allegedly forcing employees to resign, TCS avoids

o   Statutory retrenchment compensation requirements

o   Government notification and approval processes

o   Employee legal recourse under the Industrial Disputes Act

o   Public accountability for mass layoffs

FITE accuses TCS of “bypassing legal retrenchment norms” through what amounts to “informal retrenchment disguised as voluntary resignation.”

Part 4: The Numbers Game - Are 12,000 or 80,000 Employees Affected.?

TCS announced in July 2025 that it would lay off approximately 12,000 employees (2% of its global workforce of 600,000+) due to “automation, AI adoption and limited deployment opportunities.”

However, social media claims suggest a far grimmer reality. In August 2025, a Reddit discussion claimed that up to 80,000 employees may have been affected, with some receiving 18 months’ severance while others got just three months or nothing at all.

·       The Discrepancy Questions

o   Did TCS mislead investors and the public about the true scale of layoffs.?

o   Are affected employees being pressured into signing NDAs to remain silent.?

o   Why the massive gap between official figures and employee testimonies.?

While TCS has denied these claims, the lack of transparency and the mounting allegations suggest employees are being systematically isolated and silenced.

Part 5: FITE Demands Action - Special Investigation Demanded

FITE and NITES have formally called for the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to audit TCS’s entire forced-resignation pattern and ensure accountability.

·       Key Demands from FITE

o   ✓ Transparent Auditing: Complete investigation of all forced resignations in 2025

o   ✓ Compensation Recovery: Payment of full lawful retrenchment compensation to affected employees

o   ✓ SIT Formation: Independent special investigation team to probe allegations

o   ✓ Accountability: Identification and disciplinary action for HR personnel involved

o   ✓ Policy Review: Investigation into whether TCS deliberately structured its layoff strategy to bypass labour laws

o   Labour Commissioner Summons: The Pune Labour Commissioner has already summoned TCS for a hearing on 18 November 2025, following multiple complaints filed by NITES alleging “illegal termination of employment” and “unlawful layoffs.”

This marks a significant escalation, as state authorities have formally accepted the validity of these allegations and are investigating potential labour law violations.

Part 6: What Employees Lose When Forced to Resign

Many employees don’t realize the catastrophic financial impact of forced resignations versus formal terminations. Here’s the reality

·       If Formally Retrenched (Legal Process)

o   Up to 2 years’ salary for 10+ year employees

o   1 month notice or payment in lieu

o   Gratuity payments

o   Full benefits until exit

o   Legal recourse and appeals

·       If “Forced to Resign” (What TCS Allegedly Does)

o   Negotiated severance (often a fraction of legal entitlement)

o   No notice period

o   Possible loss of gratuity if resignation is on employee’s “demand”

o   Limited legal recourse

o   Difficulty challenging the termination later

The Financial Impact: A 14-year employee who should receive 2 years’ salary (~₹24-36 lakh depending on role) but receives only 10 months (~₹14-20 lakh) loses ₹10-16 lakh—money that could have funded his medical treatment, family expenses and job search.

Part 7: Social Media Erupts - “If TCS Can Lay Off, Who’s Safe.?”

The viral reaction on Twitter/X, Reddit and LinkedIn has been explosive. The question “If TCS can lay off, who’s safe.?” has become a rallying cry across India’s tech community.

Viral Social Media Reactions

@thekaipullai (80K+ followers) Viral Post

“Once upon a time, TCS was so indifferent about manpower that they kept freshers on the bench for a year before allocation. There used to be a joke that ‘nobody got fired at TCS for non-performance.’ But if TCS is publicly announcing layoffs, then shit has not only hit the fan—it is way above it.”

This post garnered thousands of retweets and comments from current and former TCS employees sharing their own harrowing stories.

Reddit’s r/Indian Workplace

·       One user shared: “It’s been 3 days since I was asked to resign in a meeting room. I denied it. I was crying and afraid but I’m not going to resign. They threatened me with a bad review if terminated, so I said, ‘Do as you like but I’m not resigning.’ I came out of that room crying and scared.”

·       Common Theme: An atmosphere of anxiety, humiliation and betrayal. Senior employees who spent 15-20 years building careers at “the safest company in IT” are now leaving in distress, often in tears.

Part 8: The Bigger Picture - Is This Illegal or Just Unethical.?

Legal Status

According to legal experts and Indian court precedents, forced resignations obtained under duress or coercion constitute illegal termination, even if the resignation letter appears voluntary.

Unethical vs. Illegal

Why Companies Do This

·       Avoids government approval for mass layoffs

·       Eliminates statutory compensation obligations

·       Creates no public record of “layoff” (just “resignations”)

·       Prevents employees from accessing legal remedies under Industrial Disputes Act

·       Reduces financial liability significantly

READ MORE: What Happens When Your Name Gets Deleted from the Voter List.? Complete Guide to Voter Roll Removal Problems and Solutions in India 2025

Part 9: TCS Has Not Responded - The Silence Speaks Volumes

Despite the mounting allegations, social media outcry and formal labour commissioner summons, TCS has not issued any official response to FITE’s claims or the individual case allegations.

The company has only

·       ✗ Denied social media claims about “80,000 layoffs” (but offered no clarification on actual numbers)

·       ✗ Maintained that layoffs are part of “future-ready transformation”

·       ✗ Not addressed forced resignation allegations

·       ✗ Not clarified why compensation offered is below stated policy

·       ✗ Not responded to FITE’s specific case details

What This Silence Means: According to legal experts, corporate silence during labour controversies often signals:

·       Awareness of problematic practices

·       Concern about legal liability

·       Strategy of waiting for media attention to fade

·       Reliance on employees being too intimidated to pursue legal action

Part 10: What Affected Employees Can Do

If you’ve been forced to resign or are facing pressure to resign at TCS or any company, you have legal rights and remedies:

Immediate Steps:

       i.          Document Everything

·       Keep all HR meeting records, emails, WhatsApp messages

·       Note dates, times and people present during resignation pressure

·       Preserve all communication about severance offers

     ii.          File Complaints

·       Labour Commissioner: File formal complaint alleging forced resignation

·       Industrial Tribunal: File case under Industrial Disputes Act

·       NITES/FITE: Join organized employee groups for collective action

   iii.          Seek Legal Counsel

·       Consult labour lawyer immediately (many offer free consultation)

·       Do NOT sign resignation letter under pressure

·       Understand your rights before any HR meeting

   iv.          Join Collective Action

·       FITE (Forum for IT Employees): মহারাষ্ট্র Maharashtra-based, accepts all employee complaints

·       NITES (Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate): National organization, filed complaints against TCS

·       CITU, INTUC: Established trade unions with legal support

     v.          Report to Authorities

·       Pune Labour Commissioner (for Pune/West region)

·       Your state’s Labour Department

·       Central authorities if interstate company

Conclusion: A Turning Point for Indian Tech Workers

The TCS dark side of layoffs represents a watershed moment for India’s tech industry. For decades, IT workers were told that job security at places like TCS was guaranteed—that hard work and loyalty meant lifelong employment.

That narrative has been shattered.

What’s happening at TCS isn’t unique to the company—it reflects a broader industry-wide shift toward aggressive cost-cutting through forced resignations, lowballed severances and systematic avoidance of labour law compliance. But TCS’s scale (600,000+ employees) and prominence (India’s largest IT company) make it a test case for what Indian labour authorities will tolerate.

The November 18 hearing before Pune’s Labour Commissioner will be crucial. If TCS is found to have violated labour laws, it sets precedent. If the company faces penalties and forced to pay full compensation, it signals that even India’s mightiest tech giants cannot bypass worker protections.

The real question: Will Indian authorities and courts protect worker rights or will corporate convenience win.? The answer will shape not just TCS’s future but the entire IT sector’s approach to layoffs, severances and employee treatment.

Call to Action (CTA)

If you’ve experienced forced resignation, harassment, or denial of severance at TCS or any IT company:

·       ✓ Contact FITE: মহারাষ্ট্র Forum for IT Employees - Maharashtra’s leading IT worker advocacy group

·       ✓ File with NITES: Report to Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate for legal support

·       ✓ Report to Labour Commissioner: File formal complaints in your jurisdiction

·       ✓ Don’t Sign Under Pressure: You have legal rights and protections—use them

Your story matters. Your rights matter. Your voice matters.

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