In a shift within India’s IT industry, 12%-15% of IT professionals now favour temporary job roles over permanent positions, according to a Careernet report published by news agency Asian News International. The data did not provide comparative figures.

The report said this shifting trend is gaining traction as professionals increasingly see temporary roles as gateways to reputable organisations and opportunities to diversify their experience while enhancing skills.

The study also highlighted that cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai, Gurugram, and Mumbai have the highest concentration of temporary IT professionals.

Meanwhile, organisations are increasingly favouring temporary hires, particularly for short-term, project-based, and non-core roles in areas like IT infrastructure administration, ERP (enterprise resource planning) expertise, and software development.

Among industries, IT Services leads in adopting the temporary hiring model, followed by consulting and BFSI sectors.

Neelabh Shukla, CBO, Careernet, said, “Temporary hiring in the IT sector has huge opportunities that can be capitalised by both employers and employees. While professionals can gain flexibility and exposure, companies can access skilled professionals who suit their immediate, short-term, and project-basis requirements. This trend is reshaping the traditional approach to employment in the IT sector.”

Shukla added, “However, there is a need for concentrated efforts to bridge the gap between demand and supply of talent for the right talent in AI and cybersecurity. We are further anticipating a boost in demand for temporary IT roles in Q4 2024-25, with a focus on data, analytics, Salesforce, SAP, and digital skills.”