Tier-2 tech hiring jumps 95% YoY: Why India’s small cities are outpacing megacities

India’s tech hiring map is changing. Active tech job openings in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities have jumped 95% year-on-year, even as demand in the country’s megacities has cooled.

The latest Active Tech Jobs Outlook – India, September 2026 report by specialist staffing firm Xpheno points to a major change in where companies are hiring tech talent. Smaller cities are gaining a bigger share of India’s tech jobs.

The change is real, even if the sharp percentage growth needs to be seen in context, according to Xpheno co-founder Kamal Karanth.