Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Feb 1: India’s technology job market has shown its first clear signs of revival after nearly six months of muted hiring, with active tech job openings rising 8% month-on-month to 1.09 lakh in February 2026, according to a new report by talent intelligence platform Xpheno.
The report, titled “Active Tech Jobs Outlook – India (February 2026)”, noted that this is the first statistically significant jump since August 2025, offering early optimism for the sector.
However, the rebound is still not strong enough to signal a full recovery, as overall hiring volumes remain 18% lower than February 2025, the report added.
One of the biggest shifts in February was seen in work-format preferences. Full-time remote tech roles surged 67% compared to January, touching 15,000 openings.
In contrast, full-time hybrid roles fell 24% month-on-month, highlighting changing hiring strategies as several major technology companies continue pushing for full-time office-based work models.
Despite the rise in remote opportunities, work-from-office (WFO) roles continue to dominate, accounting for 72% of all active tech openings, with volumes increasing 7% over the previous month.
The report underlined that hiring continues to be concentrated at the mid-senior experience level, which makes up 55% of total active openings, registering a 3% monthly rise.
Entry-level hiring, however, remained stagnant at 14,000 roles, unchanged from January and 14% lower year-on-year, reflecting continued caution in fresher recruitment.
Senior-level roles saw a sharp 50% month-on-month rise, though the total volume remains comparatively small.
Global Capability Centres (GCCs) emerged as a relatively resilient hiring segment. GCC tech hiring rose 6% month-on-month and is up 7% year-on-year, even as several other tech cohorts remain below last year’s demand levels.
IT services firms — still the largest consumers of tech talent — posted a 5% monthly rise to 43,000 active openings, but hiring in this segment remains 18% below February 2025.
Hiring shifts beyond metros
Geographically, demand remains heavily concentrated in India’s major cities, which account for 64% of active tech openings. However, megacities have witnessed a steep 39% year-on-year fall in tech hiring.
On the other hand, Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities recorded a 28% year-on-year increase, indicating a continued expansion of tech opportunities beyond traditional hubs.
With remote roles rising sharply and smaller cities gaining traction, the report suggests that India’s tech job market may be entering a gradual transition phase, even as a full-fledged hiring boom is yet to return.