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@article{191972,
        author = {Riteshraj Bharat Shetage and Prof. Badrinath Bulepatil and Prathamesh Digambar Musale and Yash Santaji Yadav},
        title = {The Evolution Fresher Hiring Trends in Pune’s IT Sector (2020–2025)},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {8},
        pages = {8706-8710},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=191972},
        abstract = {Between 2020 and 2025, Pune's IT sector transitioned from unsustainable mass-hiring to precision-based recruitment driven by Generative AI and economic volatility. This longitudinal study evaluates Volume versus Value hiring models using secondary data (FY2020–2025) from industry reports, job analytics, and institutional records. Analysis reveals a significant hiring contraction in FY2024 followed by a calibrated recovery in FY2025; while mass recruitment stalled, specialized firms saw robust growth, with niche skills commanding 30–50% salary premiums. These findings confirm that the era of volume-based hiring is effectively over, replaced by a "train-and-hire" model where employability is determined by specialized, demonstrable competencies rather than generic degrees. Consequently, the study highlights an urgent need for academic institutions to realign curricula with industry demands, prioritizing high-value domains like AI/ML and Cloud Computing over traditional generalist programming.},
        keywords = {Freshers, Hiring Trends, Pune IT, Skill Gap, Artificial Intelligence, Campus Placements},
        month = {January},
        }