New Delhi, May 14 (IANS) Hiring activity across India’s semiconductor design global capability centers (GCC) gained momentum in Q1 2026, with open roles rising to 3,549 by March, a report said on Thursday.
The report from Careernet said small‑scale GCCs accounted for 50 per cent of centers and led hiring momentum, with Hyderabad emerging as a growing hub alongside Bengaluru.
Semiconductor design GCCs accounted for about 5 per cent of India’s total GCC landscape and have grown at 7.2 per cent over two decades with demand concentrated in high-skill VLSI and software roles.
Hiring activity showed a gradual build-up after a slower start, with February recording the highest month-on-month increase and March seeing peak open positions. Total open roles stood at 2,426 in January, increasing to 3,077 in February and 3,549 in March.
While nearly 50 per cent of semiconductor GCCs continue to operate in a single-location setup, the overall spread of roughly 180 units reflects a growing shift towards multi-location operating models, with several organisations scaling across three or more centres in India.
The report analysed talent demand across the top 50 semiconductor design GCCs in India and indicated a transition from inconsistent hiring patterns to a more structured and phased approach to workforce expansion. The study analysed hiring at 79 semiconductor design GCCs, spanning roughly 180 GCC units and a workforce of over 1.1 lakh professionals.
“For years, semiconductor hiring in India was largely led by a handful of large GCCs. What we are seeing now is a shift—small scale and mid-sized centers are stepping up and building teams more proactively, rather than waiting for demand to stabilize,” said Neelabh Shukla, Chief Business Officer, Careernet.
“While strategic decisions continue to be anchored in the Americas, execution is increasingly moving to JAPAC, and within JAPAC, to India. The rise of Hyderabad alongside Bengaluru reflects this shift as companies expand into newer talent hubs,” Shukla added.
VLSI roles accounted for 37–45 per cent of demand, while system and application software made up 39–46 per cent. Business operations and IT infrastructure roles accounted for 10 per cent to 18 per cent of hiring demand.
—IANS
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