India's technology hiring market is showing signs of a strong recovery, with active job openings reaching an 18-month high in October. But the revival comes with an important caveat for students and fresh graduates: companies are hiring more, yet experienced professionals continue to account for the bulk of demand.

India had 1.23 lakh active technology openings in October 2026, the highest level in 18 months, according to Xpheno's Active Tech Jobs Outlook. Active demand increased 5 per cent from September and 17 per cent from October last year.

The numbers point to a healthier technology jobs market after a prolonged slowdown. However, the distribution of openings suggests that freshers may not benefit from the recovery as quickly as the headline figure implies.

Tech jobs are returning, but experience still counts

Mid-senior positions made up the largest share of the market, with 68,000 openings, or about 55 per cent of all active technology jobs. Demand for these roles was 19 per cent higher than a year ago.

Entry-level opportunities stood at 15,000, marking a 15 per cent increase from October 2025. However, entry-level hiring declined 6 per cent from September.

The contrast is significant. While fresher opportunities have improved on a yearly basis, the strongest momentum is still concentrated among professionals who already have experience.

For graduates entering the workforce, therefore, the recovery is less about a sudden surge in entry-level vacancies and more about a gradually expanding market where competition for the available fresher roles remains high.

AI and specialised technology skills gain ground

IT services are emerging as one of the biggest drivers of the recovery. The sector recorded 66,000 active openings, a 57 per cent increase from October last year.

According to Xpheno, demand is being supported by roles such as AI engineering, analyst positions and technical leadership. Across six major IT services companies, the active talent pool for these roles has expanded between 14 per cent and 22 per cent over the past two quarters.

Core technology and engineering remained the largest functional category, accounting for 61,000 openings.

For students, the message from the hiring data is increasingly clear: a technology degree alone may not be enough. Employers are placing greater emphasis on skills that can be deployed directly in ongoing technology and business projects.

GCC hiring jumps, while remote jobs shrink

Global Capability Centres, another important source of technology employment, recorded 18,000 active openings in October. That was 64 per cent higher than a year earlier.

But the recovery is also coinciding with a clear shift in workplace expectations.

Work-from-office positions accounted for 1 lakh openings, or 81 per cent of total active technology demand. In contrast, remote openings fell 23 per cent year-on-year, while hybrid opportunities declined 19 per cent.

For job seekers, this means the expanding market may come with less flexibility than the technology sector offered during the peak remote-work era.

Bengaluru still leads, Tier 2 cities gain momentum

Bengaluru remained India's largest technology hiring hub with 31,000 openings, followed by Hyderabad with 14,000 and Delhi NCR with 9,000.

However, smaller cities are becoming an increasingly important part of the employment story. Tier 2 and Tier 3 locations together accounted for 40,000 openings, up 67 per cent from October last year.

That expansion could be significant for graduates who are unable or unwilling to relocate to the country's traditional technology hubs.

The broader trend is encouraging. India's technology hiring market has moved substantially higher from the lows seen in June, with overall demand now at its strongest level in 18 months.

But the recovery is not yet an across-the-board hiring boom. The technology jobs market is growing, AI and specialised roles are gaining traction, and smaller cities are seeing more opportunities — but experience remains one of the biggest dividing lines between those benefiting most from the rebound and those still trying to enter the industry.