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Things are really changing fast in the Indian IT world, especially for new grads. For years, software engineer salaries here kinda stayed stuck between 3 and 4 lakhs a year. But now, Infosys is offering some people with special skills as much as 22 LPA! That's a big deal and got everyone talking. It's not just about paying more; it's like they're changing focus to AI, where knowing tech stuff is worth more than just being able to code a lot. IT jobs are going toward things like AI, machine learning, and cloud stuff. So, companies aren't just hiring tons of people anymore. They want people who can really solve tough problems around the world. This stops the long pay freeze and starts something different for IT jobs.
The Pay Stays Flat No More
People have complained for a while that entry-level pay in Indian IT wasn't keeping up, even though companies were making lots of money. This new pay scale at Infosys is a big step for engineers getting into the job market in 2026.
➤What Companies Want Has Changed: Now, it's more important to be really good at something than just having lots of people. There's a huge need for software people who get how systems work and know about big data.
➤Special Jobs: This high starting pay is for jobs like Specialist Programmer and Digital Specialist Engineer.
➤Setting a New Standard: This changes things for fresh IT grads, and other companies like TCS and Wipro will probably have to think about what they're doing, too.
➤How It Impacts the Economy: If young people start out making more money, they can pay off debts faster and invest in learning more.
Learn how IT giants like Infosys are now offering entry-level packages up to ₹21 lakh for freshers in AI and tech roles.
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How Salaries Compare for New Grads in 2026
Here’s how Infosys is figuring out how much to pay people based on how good they are at tech and how hard the job is. These are big numbers, but remember, it's for the really good candidates. What This Means for IT Jobs in India, let’s have a look
When companies start paying this much, it changes everything about IT jobs in India. You can see who are the general workers and who are the special ones.
➤The Specialist is Rising: Hiring tons of people is going away. Infosys paying freshers this much proves that being really good at development is what matters now.
➤Competing on Skills: Even if you didn't go to a top school, you can still get paid well as a software engineer in India if you can show you have skills in new tech.
➤What's Happening on Campus: Getting a job is harder now. Companies care more about how you solve problems than what you know from a textbook.
➤Keeping Talent in India: Indian IT companies are trying to keep the best people here by paying more, so they don't all go work for companies overseas.
Check out the latest insights on tech salaries and what Infosys is offering freshers in today’s competitive IT job market.
How to Prepare for High-Paying Tech Jobs in India
If you want these high-paying jobs, you need to get ready differently than people did before. Getting a 22 LPA job is way harder than getting a 4 LPA job.
➤Show What You Can Do: You need a good GitHub page and to do well on sites like LeetCode.
➤Be an Expert in Deep Tech: Focus on AI/ML, DevOps, and security. That's what's important in IT today.
➤Never Stop Learning: The IT world changes fast, so you need to be able to learn new things all the time.
➤More Than Just Coding: Companies want people who understand how the software they write helps the company.
Explore the NASSCOM compensation benchmarking survey to understand industry-wide salary trends across India’s tech sector.
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Skills and Salaries in IT
Students also need to know what not to do when they’re starting out. When companies like Infosys offer packages as high as 22 LPA, it affects even schools, engineers are pushed to learn beyond textbooks and classroom teaching
➤Changing the Curriculum: Colleges need to teach more practical software engineering and AI stuff.
➤Picking a Path Early: Students are deciding what they want to do as early as their second year to get the skills they need.
➤Compared to Other Jobs: It's interesting that high-paying IT jobs are now similar to other special jobs. For example, tech is becoming one of the best-paying fields.
➤Staying or Going: With higher salaries here, not as many people want to move to another country.
Furthermore, get insights into cardiologist salaries across experience levels in India, from new doctors to senior specialists.
Do read about common pitfalls students face when launching a business plus practical tips to avoid them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Does Infosys pay all new grads 21-22 LPA?
A. Nope. That top salary is only for special jobs, like Specialist Programmer L3. Most new hires will probably get paid at the usual rates for standard jobs.
Q2. What skills do I need to get one of those high-paying IT jobs?
A. You'll need to be really good at things like AI, Machine Learning, Advanced Data Structures, and Cloud stuff. You also gotta be a great problem-solver.
Q3. Will other companies start paying freshers more too?
A. Probably! To keep up with each other and reel in the best Engineers, other Indian IT companies will likely have to bump up their pay.
Q4. Can you get these jobs if you didn't go to a target school?
A. Yep! Infosys said they're looking at both campus hires and people applying on their own to find talented people for these special jobs.
Q5. Is it harder to get hired for these higher-paying jobs?
A. Yes, definitely. Expect tougher coding challenges, discussions about system design, and really detailed technical interviews that focus on the basics.
Q6. Does this mean those old 3.5 LPA starting salaries are gone for good?
A. Not completely. While the top end of what you can earn has gone up, many basic support roles might still start at lower salaries. But generally, expect to get paid more for having more skills.
Q7. How many grads is Infosys planning on hiring this year?
A. Infosys wants to bring on around 20,000 new grads this year to help grow its AI stuff.