Cognizant to hire 6,500 engineers

IT services major Cognizant Technology Solutions has said it would hire 6,500 people in the next nine months and announced that its Chinese centre would start operations in April.

Addressing a news conference in Chennai, Lakshmi Narayanan, president and CEO, Cognizant, said the company planned to add 7,200 employees in the 2005 calendar year, of which 85 per cent would be employed at its software development centres in India.

"During the first two-and-a-half months of this calendar, we have hired 700 people. In the remaining months, we will add another 6,500 people," he said, adding that the total employee strength of the company would exceed 22,500 by December 31, 2005.

In 2004, Cognizant hired 6000 people.

On the Chinese operations, Narayanan said the company's new development centre at Shanghai would commence operations next month. About six Chinese persons are currently undergoing training in Cognizant's Chennai office. Narayanan said about 25 local people would manage the facility.

In 2007-08, Cognizant would consider ramping up its operations in China, he said.

On the revenue front, he said Cognizant was aiming at $845 million for the 2005 calendar, a growth of 44 per cent compared to 2004.