India’s job market is showing renewed strength for recent graduates as nearly 73 percent of employers surveyed plan to hire freshers during the first half of 2026 (January–June). This marks a 3 percent rise in hiring intent compared to the latter half of 2025, indicating growing confidence among companies in recruiting entry-level talent after a period of cautious hiring.
Rising Demand Across Key Sectors
The TeamLease EdTech Career Outlook Report HY1 2026 — based on inputs from over 1,000 employers across various industries — shows that retail leads the demandwith about 91 percent of employers planning to bring on board freshers. Retail’s jump in hiring intent reflects expanding operations, evolving consumption patterns, and broader investment in physical and digital sales channels.
E-commerce and technology start-ups follow closely with 90 percent intentdriven by rapid digital transformation, product scaling, and customer-centric service delivery. The manufacturing sectortoo, demonstrates robust demand, with 85 percent of employers looking to recruit fresh graduates into operational and technical roles.
Skills Over Academic Credentials
A notable trend within the fresher hiring landscape is the shift in employer preferences. Companies are increasingly prioritising practical skills and real-world experience over traditional academic qualifications. Internships, hands-on project work, and demonstrable skills in technical tools or platforms now hold more weight in recruitment decisions, reflecting how employers value proof-of-work. This shift aligns with broader workforce changes where adaptability and job-readiness are becoming key hiring criteria.
As a result, fresh graduates with internships, project portfolios, or professional community engagement are seeing quicker entry into growth tracks, while candidates relying solely on degrees may face longer hiring cycles.
Hot Roles and Geographic Trends
The report reveals specific roles gaining traction in the January–June 2026 hiring cycle. Retail roles such as Dark Store Assistant and Inventory Management Assistant are in demand, while e-commerce and tech-start-up hiring includes positions like Digital Sales Associate and Junior Web Developer. In manufacturing, operational roles such as Inventory and Logistics Coordinator and Battery Assembly Technician are among the priorities for employers.
On the geographic front, cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Chennai are emerging as key hiring hubs, with Bengaluru — in particular — showing strong activity across IT, e-commerce, and start-ups, reflecting the city’s central role in India’s tech-driven job ecosystem.
What This Means for Graduates
The strong fresher hiring outlook suggests that entry-level opportunities are recovering and adapting to evolving industry needs. Prospective job seekers are advised to build practical experience, certificates in high-demand tech areas such as cloud, AI, and software development, and active portfolios that showcase their capabilities. These elements are increasingly differentiating candidates in a competitive landscape where employers seek skills that translate directly into productivity and performance from day one.
Summary
Nearly 73 percent of Indian employers plan to hire freshers in the first half of 2026up from late 2025, driven by retail, e-commerce, and manufacturing demand. There is a clear shift toward prioritising practical skills and project experience over academic qualifications. Fresh graduates with real-world experience are gaining the strongest traction in the evolving entry-level job market.
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