TCS Onboarding process: A small guide

Introduction: As a digital trainee who joined TCS in June 2023, please note that the process I describe here is from the perspective of a digital trainee and is subject to change, as experiences may differ based on cadre and other factors

Highlighting Key Points:

1. The onboarding dates may vary, and not all individuals receive the Joining Letter on the same day.
2. Flexibility in location preference — be prepared to relocate as per the company’s requirements.

The Onboarding Process:

1) Joining Preparedness Mail (Optional): Before receiving the official Joining Letter, some trainees might receive an email seeking preparedness details, such as college result status and provisional certificate availability.

2) Joining Confirmation Mail and Survey : Upon receiving the Joining Confirmation Mail, trainees need to proceed with accepting the Joining Letter through the Next Step Portal. The portal will have a section where you can formally accept the offer, confirming your intent to join TCS. this will unlock few more sections like on boarding, first day to TCS. Which has info like PF forms, and FAQS & procedure about ILP

Joining Letter (JL) Details: In the Joining Letter, you will receive essential information, including your working/Base location and training location.

After few days, on-boarding HR will be Mailing all the candidates with a scheduled session, which may last to 2–3 hours. You will be briefly explained the procedure here, followed by a explanation mail with PDFs explaining the same.

Please note that the Next Step Portal may not offer an option to reject the Joining Letter directly. If, for any reason, you wish to decline the Joining letter, you will have to fill out the survey provided in the mail.

Once you accept the Joining Letter, the Next Step Portal unlocks various sections, including essential information about the Initial Learning Program (ILP) and onboarding forms.

3) On-boarding Forms and Affidavits: These forms are required to be filled as per statutory compliance norms.
On-boarding forms consists of five forms:
1. Provident Fund (PF)/ Pension Scheme Nomination form (Form 2 — Part A and Part B)
2. Gratuity Form (GF)
3. Superannuation Form (SF) — only to eligible employees
4. Declaration Form (Form 9)
5. Group Life Insurance (GLI)

Ninja cadre trainees might need to fill a service agreement affidavit, while academic gaps may require a GAP affidavit(100rs stamp paper).

4) Background Verification (BGC): The BGC process involves submitting sets of documents, including mark sheets, ID proofs, birth certificates, and more. Trainees must ensure all documents are accurately uploaded, and any failed verifications should be promptly addressed.

In the BGC process, there are three sets of documents:

Set 1 Documents:

• Sem1-sem8 (mark sheets, web copy + attested if you don’t have original or consolidated copy)
• 10th and 12th mark sheets
• Birth certificate (if in regional language or any other problems like name mismatch, a birth affidavit on a 100rs stamp paper)
• ID proof (any one mentioned on the portal)
• Passport (mandatory; If you don’t hold one then, apply online and upload application form)
• Aadhar card digital copy which can be digital verified (to be uploaded after removing the password)
• Provisional certificate with CGPA or course completion certificate with CGPA and backlog information
• If you don’t have the Provisional Certificate, you can upload the Course Completion Certificate that includes your CGPA and information on any backlogs. In case you don’t possess both or the required details are not present on your documents, you should obtain a Bonafide with your CGPA, the number of backlogs, and information on when the results will be published if they are not yet available.

Set 2 Documents: Upload remaining semester mark sheets, provisional certificate, bonafide, etc., not submitted in Set 1.

Set 3 Documents: This section is unlocked before some days before the joining date which includes a non-criminal affidavit (format will be provided to you, get it in 100rs stamp paper), medical certificate signed by an MBBS or higher grade doctor, and an e-NSR card (if not already available, apply online and upload the acknowledgment slip from mail or web screen shot).

You May need to upload pdf copy of hand signed printed offer letter , Service agreement(only for ninja cadre) to Xplore Portal or any other portal, which will be communicated to you by on-boarding team.

Note:

A) Ensure that you submit all documents for verification. Simply uploading the documents won’t suffice; they need to be verified by the concerned team. In case of any failed verification, you might receive an email requesting you to re-upload the document within a specified time frame. Additionally, you may be provided with contact details to address any issues or doubts.

B) Don’t forgot to submit the documents after uploading all the docs.

C) Some BGC verification is outsourced by TCS, you may get any query regarding your bgc documents directly from that company associate.

D) In case the Stamp Paper are not available, Franking the service agreement on a non-judicial stamp is allowed. E-Stamping of the Service Agreement is allowed if it is available for non-judicial stamp.

E) Stamp paper should be purchased in your name

F) Don’t lose any on-boarding form, medical certificate, signed Offer letter, Service agreement, Non criminal affidavit etc after uploading it online, you may have to submit the physical copy you uploaded after joining.

In few days, You may receive an email communication from the On boarding Team, instructing you to open a salary account with one of the designated banks which will be listed on the mail. Some banks will ask salary slip, employee id or id card for that account opening, you can open open the bank after you get the id card and employee id.
Some of the banks i got are.
1) ICIC
2) SBI
3) HDFC
4) Kotak
5) Axis
you can also convert saving account to salary account, if you already have account in any of these banks in your name after joining. And please don’t open the salary account before you get the mail, you may get direct link on the pdf attached to the mail through which you can apply.

Once the Background Verification (BGC) and on-boarding form verification are completed. you will get a,

Address Verification Mail: You will receive an address verification mail as part of the final verification process. In this step, you may be required to post a photo of your house, landmark, and even yourself. It’s essential to note that this verification is not conducted by TCS directly; instead, it is managed by a third-party vendor appointed for the task.

Upon successful completion of the address verification process, you will soon receive an Induction mail from TCS. This mail is a significant milestone as it provides crucial information about your official reporting date, time, and the specific TCS office where you need to report for your joining.

Note: Only if your all the documents are verified then only you will get a induction mail

Accommodation for ILP: It’s essential to note that if your ILP location is not in your preferred location or Base Location, then only TCS may provide accommodation during the ILP period.

5) Pre-ILP Procedure: On the first day, trainees undergo the pre-ILP process, which includes obtaining temporary ID cards and attending induction sessions. The sessions provide insights into TCS’s policies, terms, rules, and employee portal access. In the next coming days you will get your employee id card.

6) The ILP Experience:

During the ILP, you will be allocated to a specific batch, where your training journey begins. The duration of the ILP varies depending on your cadre:

• For Ninja Trainees: The training period for Ninja cadre can last around 3–4 months, but please note that this duration is tentative and may vary for different batches. The training culminates with the PRA exam.
• For Digital Trainees: As a digital trainee like me, the ILP duration is usually between 2–3 weeks. In my case, the ILP lasted for 2 weeks

A) Course Structure and Progression: The ILP is carefully designed to ensure a comprehensive learning experience. Courses are divided weeks, and you are expected to complete a set of courses within each week.

1. Bizz Skills Training: This aspect of the ILP focuses on honing essential business skills, including workspace etiquette and communication. The Bizz Skills training ensures that you develop a well-rounded professional demeanor, enabling you to effectively engage with clients and team members.
2. Technical Skills Training: The Technical Skills training is a vital component of the ILP. Here, you will primarily receive in-depth training on technologies such as JAVA Spring Boot. For Ninja cadre trainees, this training also encompasses web front-end technologies.
3. Mini Project with Team Members: Towards the end of the ILP, you may participate in a mini project of Tech . This project provides a practical application of the technical skills you’ve acquired during the training. You will collaborate with randomly assigned team members, the team will follow Agile methodology.

B) Mandatory Courses: Throughout the ILP, there are certain mandatory courses that you must complete to successfully finish the program. These courses cover essential topics, technologies, and skills necessary for your role at TCS. Be sure to stay on top of these mandatory courses and complete them within the specified timeframes.

Note: It is crucial to complete all mandatory courses within the designated time to ensure a successful ILP experience. Failure to do so might result in an extension of the ILP training period for those who haven’t fulfilled the requirements.

Conclusion: The onboarding journey at TCS is filled with opportunities to interact with diverse individuals from various backgrounds. Embrace the diversity and engage in communication as it is essential for professional growth in the IT industry. Completing the ILP successfully will pave the way for mapping to projects and embarking on an exciting career at TCS.

Disclaimer: Keep in mind that my onboarding experience might differ from others, and it’s advisable to stay updated with the latest onboarding guidelines provided by TCS.