According to the TeamLease EdTech’s Career Outlook Report for the first half of 2025, approximately 74% of Indian companies intend to recruit freshers, marking a 2% increase from the previous half-year. This surge is primarily driven by the Information Technology (IT) sector, which has seen a significant rise in hiring intent, jumping from 45% to 59% compared to the previous year. The report highlights that over 150,000 entry-level positions are projected, as leading IT firms expand their workforce to meet growing project demands. Shantanu Rooj, CEO of TeamLease EdTech, noted that the renewed optimism in the IT sector is encouraging, especially after a period of muted sentiments, and is expected to positively impact the placement of graduating engineering students. Additionally, the report identifies e-commerce and technology startups (70%), manufacturing (66%), and engineering and infrastructure (62%) as the top sectors with the highest intent to hire fresh graduates. Emerging roles in artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics, and cloud technologies are anticipated to grow by 30-35% in the fiscal year 2025. Regionally, Bengaluru (78%), Mumbai (65%), and Chennai (57%) are leading cities with the highest recruitment intent for freshers. However, sectors such as media and entertainment, marketing and advertising, and consulting are experiencing a downturn in hiring sentiment. The report underscores the increasing importance of technological proficiency in the workplace, with employers prioritizing skills in productivity and collaboration tools, project management software, and data visualization tools. Conversely, fresh graduates are focusing on gaining expertise in data visualization, coding assistance tools, and prompt engineering to align with industry demands. The overall hiring intent across all experience levels stands at 79%, with a notable decline for mid-career and senior professionals, indicating a preference for entry-level talent among companies.