Amid criticism, Cognizant says entry-level salaries not Rs 2.5 lakh per annum

Amid heavy criticism and trolling on social media regarding its freshers’ salary at as low as Rs 2.5 lakh per annum, IT major Cognizant on Sunday clarified that its recent job posting was grossly misrepresented. It said that the job posting, with compensation of Rs 2.52 lakhs annually was only for candidates with a 3-year undergraduate degree and not for engineering graduates.

In a statement, Surya Gummadi, EVP and President, Cognizant Americas, said, “Our annual compensation for fresh engineering graduates ranges from Rs 4 lakhs to Rs 12 lakhs annually, depending on the category of hiring, skill set, and advanced industry accredited certifications. The compensation we offer for engineering graduates is highly competitive within the IT services peer group.”