There is no end to woes for freshers who were first made to wait months to join by Wipro, then their payout was abruptly cut to half, and now have a sword of Damocles hanging over their heads.
Wipro has asked freshers, who had to join at a lower package of Rs 3.5 lakhs per annum instead of Rs 6.5 lakhs per annum, to complete a new programme called Project Readiness Programme (PRP) or face termination.
It is important to note that these are the same candidates who have already completed the “velocity training” programme for four to six months, and were supposed to receive an upgrade in their package from Rs 3.5 lakh to Rs 6.5 lakh.
The union claimed employees were promised no more training after completing the “velocity” programme.
In an email sent to freshers, Wipro explains that the “Project Readiness Program” is designed for all new off-campus and on-campus recruits, also known as NGAs. The broad goal of PRP is to train and equip NGAs with all the knowledge and skills essential to working on client projects. And that’s where the twist is involved. Freshers are not only asked to complete the training but also to clear an exam associated with the program.
Candidates will need to take the PRP Assessment Test. Interestingly, each question will receive a negative mark of 0.25. In addition, every candidate must attain a minimum of 60% after a final supplementary test, and failing to do so, HR will take immediate action resulting in termination.
The media house ET reached a Wipro spokesperson requesting more clarification on this matter.
Wipro responded to ET’s (Economic Times) questions by saying that the company is committed towards the success of its employees. It also clarifies that the Project Readiness Program, part of Wipro’s routine onboarding procedure, is designed to ensure our next-generation associates have the latest skillset and are assigned deserving client projects.
However, the Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES) – a body claimed to be working for the welfare of employees in the It sector – has strongly condemned the move made by Wipro towards the freshers.
The major demotivating factor is the condition of termination even after going through the four to eight weeks of training if employees fail to score a minimum of 60%.
In a strong statement, NITES president Harpreet Sajia criticised Wipro and believes the company’s actions toward its newer employees are unethical and unfair.
“The company’s misinformation and abrupt policy changes have put these employees’ futures at risk,” Sajia said.
Surprisingly, these are the same candidates who had previously been offered Rs 6.5 lakhs per year through its “Velocity” training program. Later, after months of waiting to join, they were asked to compromise with remuneration and accept an offer of Rs. 3.5 lakh – half of what they were promised – if they didn’t want to wait any longer.
The Bengaluru-based It services firm terminated over 450 trainees in January after they repeatedly failed the company’s tests.
Experts find it quite unethical on the part of Wipro, especially when they are already made to wait months to join. In general, making employees wait for months to join a company is not considered ethical as it can cause financial and personal hardship for the employee, and it can also reflect poorly on the company’s reputation.
The move has also triggered a debate about Wipro’s real intentions behind such weird conditions abruptly, that too one after another!
