Job Market: Freshers Get More Choices in H2 2026 as Hiring Expands Beyond IT
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India’s Freshers Hiring outlook has improved for the second half of 2026, with 75% of employers planning to hire freshers between July and December. The figure is up from 73% in the first half of 2026, showing a modest improvement in entry-level recruitment.
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However, the rise does not mean hiring is increasing across all industries. Several sectors have reduced their plans for fresh graduates, including IT, consulting, telecom, marketing and advertising, media and entertainment, and education.
The findings are from TeamLease EdTech’s Career Outlook Report HY2 2026. The survey covered 1,097 companies across industries and cities between May and July 2026. The study covers hiring plans across industries, cities, job roles and qualifications.
Retail, E-commerce and Start-ups Lead
Some of the strongest hiring plans are coming from sectors linked to consumer demand, manufacturing and technology businesses.
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Key fresher hiring figures for H2 2026:
- Retail: 93%
- E-commerce and technology start-ups: 93%
- Manufacturing: 89%
- FMCG: 86%
- Travel and hospitality: 81%
- IT: 76%
- Marketing and advertising: 59%
The strong hiring plans in retail, e-commerce and manufacturing show that fresher opportunities are not limited to traditional IT services. Companies in these sectors are recruiting graduates for sales, operations, supply chain, customer-facing and technical positions.
Manufacturing is also emerging as an important source of entry-level jobs as companies expand production and related operations.
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The overall Freshers Hiring intent has risen from 73% in the first half of 2026 to 75% in the second half. While the increase is small, it indicates that employers continue to see fresh graduates as an important part of their workforce plans.
IT Hiring Shows Caution
IT continues to offer jobs to fresh graduates, but hiring plans in the sector have weakened compared with the first half of the year.
Fresher hiring intent in IT has fallen from 81% in H1 2026 to 76% in H2 2026. Consulting has also declined from 22% to 19%. Marketing and advertising has fallen to 59%, while telecom has recorded a three-percentage-point decline.
Media and entertainment and educational services have also reported lower hiring intent.
The trend suggests that companies in certain sectors are being more careful with entry-level recruitment. Instead of hiring large numbers of graduates for general roles, employers are looking for candidates who can meet specific job requirements.
For fresh graduates, this could make practical exposure more important. Internships, live projects, industry certifications and technical training can help candidates demonstrate what they can actually do beyond their academic qualifications.
New Job Roles Open Up
The types of roles being created for freshers also provides an indication of changing demand in the job market.
Some of the leading fresher roles for the second half of 2026 include:
- AI Application Developer
- Junior Semiconductor Design Engineer
- Data Centre Operations Associate
- Programmatic Advertising Associate
- Inventory and Dispatch Executive
Other areas of opportunity include cybersecurity, full-stack development, automation, digital marketing, data research, supply chain and quick-commerce operations.
The range of roles shows that fresher hiring is spreading across both technology and non-technology functions. Semiconductor design and data centre operations are creating technical opportunities, while inventory, dispatch and supply chain roles are supporting growth in retail, e-commerce and logistics.
Bengaluru Leads City-wise Hiring
Bengaluru remains the strongest market for freshers hiring, with 89% hiring intent. Mumbai follows at 75%, while Chennai records 71%.
The other major cities covered in the report include:
- Bengaluru: 89%
- Mumbai: 75%
- Chennai: 71%
- Hyderabad: 60%
- Delhi: 49%
- Pune: 41%
Bengaluru’s strong position is supported by its large technology and start-up base. Mumbai and Chennai also have a broad mix of businesses across technology, manufacturing, financial services and other sectors.
Skills Will Matter More for Fresh Graduates
The latest hiring outlook presents a mixed picture for young job seekers. More employers plan to hire freshers in the second half of 2026, but the improvement is limited and differs significantly from one industry to another.
The decline in IT and consulting hiring intent also shows that graduates may need to look beyond the traditional entry-level technology jobs.
For employers, the focus is increasingly on finding candidates with skills that match specific jobs. For graduates, this means that a degree alone may not always be enough.
Internships, practical projects, certifications and hands-on training can help candidates stand out in a competitive fresher job market.
Overall, H2 2026 is likely to offer opportunities for fresh graduates, particularly in retail, e-commerce, manufacturing, FMCG, technology start-ups and selected technical roles.
But the market is becoming more selective, making job-ready skills increasingly important for those entering the workforce.