Notice Period in India 2026: IT Resignation Guide, Buyout, Early Exit & What to Say

Notice period varies significantly across Indian IT. Know your company's policy before you start the process:

| Company | Notice Period | Bond Penalty | Notes | |---|---|---|---| | TCS | 90 days | ₹50K (freshers, 1-year bond) | Freshers must serve full notice OR pay the bond. Mid-career: negotiable by project status | | Infosys | 60 days (junior) / 90 days (senior) | None (post-bond period) | Bond expired? Standard exit applies. Active InfyTQ training? May extend. | | Wipro | 90 days | ₹75K (NTH/Elite freshers, 1-year) | Wipro standard policy; Turbo track has separate terms | | Cognizant | 45–60 days | None | GenC and GenC Pro tracks have same terms | | Accenture | 90 days | None | 90-day notice strictly enforced in most cases | | Tech Mahindra | 90 days | ₹50K (ELP, 1-year bond) | Longest notice period in tier-2 IT services | | HCL | 60 days | None | Negotiable with manager approval | | Capgemini | 60 days | None | Standard industry terms | | IBM | 60 days | None | Performance review period can complicate exit timing | | LTIMindtree | 60–90 days | None | 90 days for senior roles | | Infosys BPO | 30 days | None | Separate from Infosys tech arm | | Razorpay | 30 days | None | Standard startup-style policy | | Swiggy / Zomato | 30–60 days | None | Depends on level | | Flipkart | 60 days | None | Standard | | Amazon | 30 days | None | India offices follow standard policy | | Microsoft | 30 days | None | Rare early releases given on case-by-case basis | | Google India | 30–60 days | None | Notice period waiver possible for senior hires |

The 90-day problem: Accenture, TCS, Wipro, and Tech Mahindra all have 90-day notice periods. If your new company wants a 30-day joinee, you have a gap. Most product companies absorb this by either (a) buying out your notice period or (b) waiting, depending on urgency.

The resignation process in Indian IT has a specific sequence. Skipping steps creates friction with HR that delays your clearance.

Step 1: Inform your manager verbally before submitting formal resignation Don't submit formal resignation through the HR portal as your first communication. Tell your manager in a 1:1 first: either in person or video call: and give them 24–48 hours. This preserves the relationship and often results in the manager expediting your exit or supporting an early release request.

Step 2: Submit formal resignation on the HRMS portal All major IT companies use HRMS systems:

• TCS: iEvolve portal
• Infosys: InfyMe
• Wipro: MyWipro
• Accenture: myHR portal
• Cognizant: 1Cognizant portal

Submit through the portal on the same day or next day after informing your manager. The notice period countdown typically starts from the submission date, not the verbal communication.

Step 3: Serve or negotiate the notice period

• Full service: Safest option. No financial risk.
• Early release: Request from manager + HR approval. Success depends heavily on your project status, client relationship, and manager's goodwill. Prepare a proper knowledge transfer plan and offer it proactively.
• Notice buyout: Your new company pays the salary for the remaining notice days to your current company. Not all companies offer this; most large IT companies accept it.

Step 4: Complete knowledge transfer (KT) Document every system, process, and client contact you handle. A thorough KT document significantly improves your chances of early release: it signals that you've made the transition easy for your team.

Step 5: Clear IT assets and complete exit formalities Return laptop, access cards, and any other company assets. Complete clearance from IT, admin, and finance. This must be done before your final working day.

Step 6: Collect relieving letter and experience letter The relieving letter confirms your last working day. The experience letter (or service letter) confirms your tenure, role, and responsibilities. Both are required for your background check at the new company. Don't leave without them: follow up with HR explicitly.

Notice period buyout is when your new employer pays your current employer for the remaining days of notice so you can join earlier. It's common in the Indian IT industry but not universal.

How to initiate a buyout:

1. Confirm your new company is willing to buy out the notice (not all companies do: product startups often do; large IT services rarely offer it)
2. Get the buyout amount in writing from your new company (usually an email from HR stating the amount and how it will be reimbursed)
3. Request early release from your current company's HR with the buyout letter
4. Current company HR may accept payment from the new company or from you directly

Buyout amounts:

• TCS: equivalent to remaining days' gross salary: typically ₹30–50K for fresher package for 1–2 months remaining
• Wipro: same formula, ₹30–60K range
• Accenture and IBM: negotiated case-by-case; some offices accept, others do not

When buyout doesn't work:

• Your project is in a critical phase (client delivery, live deployment)
• Your manager refuses to approve early release despite buyout offer
• Your role is on a billable project and the client relationship requires handover time

In these cases, your options are: serve the notice, negotiate a longer joining date with your new company, or accept that the new offer may be withdrawn (rare but happens with companies that have fixed joining batches).

Protecting yourself if they push back: If your company refuses a legitimate early release despite proper KT, document all communication in writing (email). In India, companies cannot legally force you to work beyond the statutory notice period under the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, though specific contractual terms and state-level shops-and-establishments rules may apply.

Keep it short. Long resignation emails create opportunities for awkward responses. The goal is clarity, not closure.

Template for IT services companies:

--- Subject: Resignation: [Your Name]: [Employee ID]

Dear [Manager's Name],

I am writing to formally resign from my position as [Job Title] at [Company Name], effective [last working day: calculate your notice period from today].

I have genuinely valued my time here and will ensure a complete handover of all responsibilities before my last day. I will share a detailed knowledge transfer document by [specific date: suggest 2 weeks before last day].

Please let me know the next steps for the exit formalities.

Thank you, [Your Name] [Employee ID] [Contact number] ---

What to omit:

• Why you are leaving
• Details about your new company or role
• Any complaints about the current role, manager, or team
• Any ask for a counteroffer (if you want to explore a counteroffer, have that conversation verbally, never in the resignation email)

CC list: Your manager (To:), HR (CC:). Nothing else.

Counteroffer warning: In Indian IT, counteroffers are common when you are leaving a critical project. A counteroffer that doesn't address the root reason you were leaving (career growth, salary ceiling, work culture) is a trap. Accept it and you delay the inevitable by 6–12 months, and your negotiating position deteriorates: the company now knows your floor.

You will receive your full salary for every working day during the notice period, including PF and any variable components that have already been declared.

What gets deducted in F&F (Full & Final Settlement):

• Notice pay shortfall (if you leave before your notice period ends without a buyout)
• Any pending loan recoveries (if you took a company loan)
• Unreturned asset value (rare: company claims if laptop is damaged)
• Gratuity adjustment (you receive it if you have served 5+ continuous years; not applicable for most freshers)

What you receive in F&F:

• Unpaid salary for last partial month
• Encashment of unused leave (depends on company policy: Infosys pays up to 30 days; TCS policy caps it)
• Gratuity (if applicable at 4 years 240 days+ at some companies: they treat this as 5 years)
• Variable pay / performance bonus if already declared

Timeline: F&F settlement in India takes 30–90 days after your last working day. Companies are legally required to process it, but delays are common at large IT companies. Follow up with HR via email (keeps paper trail) every 2 weeks if it's delayed.