According to the Financial Times, British retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) has terminated its agreement with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to run its IT service desk. However, both businesses maintain that the termination has nothing to do with a hack that occurred earlier this year. The decision ends a more than ten-year collaboration in which TCS oversaw a number of M&S’s technological operations. According to M&S, months before the hacking incident, in January 2025, a competitive procurement process was started, and the service desk contract was terminated in July.
In a statement quoted by the Financial Times, the retailer stated that M&S valued its collaboration with the TCS team and that TCS offers a variety of IT and technology services to the company. As is customary, M&S conducted a comprehensive process, trained a new supplier, and tested the market to find the best product available. M&S’ larger TCS connection is unaffected by this change, the company stated.
Speculations Still Signaling Towards Cyber Attack
According to prior reports, the contract’s termination was related to the April 2025 cyberattack that forced M&S to stop accepting online purchases and left numerous locations with empty shelves. According to British media, the attack may have reduced operating profits by as much as £300 million. TCS, however, denied rumours that it had anything to do with the hack.
Prior to the April cyber incident, the retailer had selected a different service provider through a standard competitive procurement procedure that had been started in January. The Indian IT company declared that the two issues were obviously unrelated. TCS clarified that the IT service desk contract was really a minor portion of its total relationship with M&S, calling reports that connected the two situations “misleading”.
The business still offers the retailer a number of technological and digital transformation services. TCS assured UK legislators in a statement that there was no proof of compromise throughout its client networks, which included M&S, Jaguar Land Rover, and other significant UK-based clients. TCS claimed that its systems were safe and that it provides services to over 200 clients in the UK who work in vital sectors like nuclear energy, water, and finance.
M&S’ Terms Attack as Sophisticated Impersonation
M&S Chair Archie Norman testified before the House of Commons Business and Trade Committee, characterising the April attack on M&S as a “sophisticated impersonation” effort directed at a third-party vendor. Since then, the store has strengthened its incident response and cybersecurity procedures.
One of India’s biggest exporters of technology services and a long-standing IT partner for numerous international retailers is TCS, a division of Tata Sons. Analysts believe the story underscores increased scrutiny on outsourced IT providers in the wake of high-profile cyber attacks in the banking and retail sectors, even though the company’s explanation seems to have allayed worries about its involvement in the M&S breach.
In order to prevent operational interruptions from undermining trust in digital transformation partnerships, industry experts anticipate that both firms will increase due diligence and openness in their supplier networks as cybersecurity constraints increase.
Quick Shots
•M&S has ended its IT service desk contract with TCS,
concluding a decade-long partnership.
•M&S stated the move followed a competitive procurement
process launched in January 2025.
•Reports linked the contract exit to the April 2025 hack that
disrupted M&S’s operations.
•TCS refuted any involvement in the breach, calling such reports
“misleading”.
According to media sources, Indian IT powerhouse Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has cancelled its post-results news conference for the second quarter profits (Q2), which was scheduled for October 9, because the date falls on the anniversary of Ratan Tata’s passing. At 5:30 p.m., the press conference was planned.
However, the Business Line report also stated that the analyst call will happen that same day. In honour of Ratan Tata, TCS has modified their earnings-day schedule for the second consecutive year. Following his death, the business also cancelled its Q2 news conference last year, but other investor-related events went forward as planned.
TCS Already Notified the Stock Exchanges
On September 22, Tata Consultancy Services notified the stock exchanges that the Board of Directors will meet on October 9 to review and approve the company’s audited standalone financial results for the quarter and six months ending September 30, 2025.
The announcement of a second interim dividend to equity owners will also be discussed by the company’s board. The executive team will speak to the media in a press conference at 5:30 p.m., and the earnings conference call will take place at 7:00 p.m., according to a separate filing on September 23. Despite share losses and ramp-downs in a few clients, analysts predict modest revenue growth.
Axis Securities anticipates that BFSI, Hi-Tech, and cross-currency tailwinds would propel TCS’s 3.5% QoQ topline growth. It further stated that salary increases, increased investments, and decreased utilisation are projected to cause the EBIT margin to drop by 21 basis points over the course of the quarter.
TCS Cutting 2% of its Global Workforce
The justification for the anticipated separation of 12,000 employees, the effect on employee morale, and the separation’s expenses will also be of interest to investors. As the corporation now seeks to concentrate on restructuring plans amid the push for artificial intelligence (AI), TCS announced layoffs of about 2% of its global workforce in the fiscal year 2025–2026.
According to Kotak Institutional Equities (KIE), investors are likely to monitor a number of important factors, including (1) the reasons behind the underperformance in growth in developed markets and any potential share losses; (2) whether the impact of the US tariffs on demand subsided; (3) the rate of adoption of GenAI and the deflationary effect on spending; (4) the impact of the GCC ramp-up on company growth and the GCC as a growth lever; (5) H-1B dependence and plans for further de-risking; and (6) margin aspirations in light of elevated competitive intensity.
Quick
Shots
•TCS cancels Q2 results media briefing on Oct 9 due
to Ratan Tata death anniversary.
•Earnings call for investors scheduled at 7:00 p.m.
as planned.
•CS Board to review and approve Q2 & H1
financial results and discuss interim dividend.
•Analysts predict around 3.5% QoQ topline growth
driven by BFSI, Hi-Tech, and cross-currency tailwinds.
The information technology market is among the fastest-growing segments of the economy, with endless possibilities for professional advancement. The industry provides immediate jobs, options in all sectors, various professions, and large pay, and it is simple to join this market without a bachelor’s degree.
A career in IT means helping folks, fixing issues, and trying new things daily. It’s a versatile field that benefits both generalists and specialists. Furthermore, it is a broad industry with good entry-level pay. So, if you want to build your career in the IT industry check out these steps.
If you want to make a career in IT, you should understand what that entails or what sorts of jobs are available. Exploring to familiarise oneself in the IT domain is a smart approach. There are numerous Youtubers, webcasts, discussion portals, and articles devoted to teaching you about IT jobs and which IT jobs are a better match for you.
Make a list of roles that amaze you. Do you want to support a firm’s computer systems operating smoothly, or do you want to create websites? What types of firms pique your interest? What roles do you think you’d be interested in?
This will assist you in narrowing down your job hunt. It will also familiarise you with a few of the terminology you will find throughout the phase. If you’re unsure where to begin, check out popular entry-level IT roles or research IT professions.
Do you believe that IT roles are just available in large cities?
That isn’t entirely accurate. While big American tech giants and innovators are centered in urban parts of the nation, IT professionals can work for practically any entity that utilizes a pc. IT employees may be needed at your bank, college, or local hospital. Furthermore, there is proof that localities are developing into unique startup centers. Startup financing has increased in cities such as Boulder, & Ann Arbor recently.
Remember that roles in big towns may also be open for working remotely.
2. Improve Your Pertinent It Skills
Managers’ preferences for skillsets in IT employees can differ by role. Examine multiple job postings that allure you to view what skillsets you should hone.
Here are some skills that you’d see in an IT JD.
System software: Knowledge of the Linux, and MS OS can place you in a decent role with a range of products & widen the firm for which you are eligible.
Safety: A basic insight into digital technology safety can help you in your career as an IT expert. Encryption is an example of such a notion.
Channels: Understanding the fundamentals of connectivity issues such as internet connectivity and Internet protocol services may prove to be helpful in one’s job hunt.
Interaction: Interacting with those around will almost certainly be an important task in IT. IT experts are frequently required to aid other internal stakeholders with operational glitches or to help teams to launch big initiatives. Enhancing your soft skills could be extremely beneficial to your career.
3. Obtain Certification
Cert is an excellent method to access a cert while also learning basic IT topics. If you’re entering the industry, you can discover a broad range of fundamental IT definitions by obtaining a particular entry-level credential.
Accreditations in specific fields of IT, such as cybersecurity or systems, are available. It can be useful if you’re looking to get into a particular IT sector.
Obtaining a credential necessitates passing a test. Courses for certifications can be found on Google or in-person at spots like state universities.
Remember that certificates can charge big bucks. However, if you are optimistic in your plans to attend the IT field and need to gain skills and qualifications, it may be a good purchase. If you’re hired and believe that an IT credential would help both you & the firm, you can ask your boss if they could cover the test fees.
Employment of the IT-BPM industry in India
4. Boost Your Expertise
If you’re searching for a career as a computer technician or an administrator, a skillset in your domain is probably to be among your most valued assets. You can attain expertise in several ways.
Courses: Curriculum, whether digital or in-person, frequently necessitates the completion of practically oriented projects. Some of them might even help you prep for certifications. You might also be able to locate beginner’s IT classes at your university or virtual.
Individual initiatives: If you perform well without a lot of frameworks, you can experiment with learning through side projects. Developing your apps, designing a webpage for a buddy, or toying with a network system can all put your knowledge to the test & offer you stuff to brag about in interviews.
Summer jobs: Traineeships may not necessitate expertise & can be an excellent way to put your abilities to use in a workplace.
Freelance work: Web designers, for example, can work as contract workers. While searching for a good career, freelance work can be a nice way to end personal projects.
Volunteer work: Many non-profits require assistance. Delivering your expertise can assist you in completing hands-on initiatives which you can use to support a resume.
Schooling: While a bachelor’s isn’t required for several IT roles, you can obtain the necessary in-depth knowledge in a similar field such as comp sci. If you’ve got the energy and time to devote to a bachelor’s or diploma, it’s a viable option.
5. Build Connections
Socializing can help you learn about a specific job role, expose you to possibilities you might not have known about, or get a leg up in the interview process. Old workmates, pals, relatives, former school alumni, and folks you connect with on career platforms like Linkedin can be part of your network.
Keep in mind that effective connections do not always result in a better job. You can also use networking to discover what is it to operate in IT or get help with your job hunt.
6. Find Entry-Level Jobs
A small bit of relevant work expertise in almost any domain is required for an entry role. However, despite the diversity of tasks you can carry on with an IT employee, an entry-level role may have a multitude of labels. Here are some entry-level designations to glance at in your new career:
Game Developer
IT coordinator
Customer Care expert
System expert
Database administrator
7. Improve Your Communication Skills
You will probably be asked both behavioural and technological questions during the recruitment process for a role in IT.
Practice your solutions to various IT interview topics to help you prep for a session. Read the JD to get an idea about what you’ll need to learn. Prepare some tales about your prior events, such as back when things ran smoothly and occasions when they didn’t—and what you’ve done about that.
Conclusion
IT has permeated and profited all industries. IT experts are sought after for their skill and knowledge in designing, supporting, and maintaining computer systems for a wide range of industrial and personal uses.
There are numerous prospects for advancement in IT, no problem where you begin or in what capabilities you begin. It offers amazing opportunities for career growth and advancement.
If you desire to seize opportunities for advancement that professions in IT provide, you must devote yourself to broadening your understanding, achieving your career aspirations, and devoting yourself to your organization’s growth. When it comes to IT jobs, the more manoeuvrable you seem to be, the more useful you’re to your boss.
So, if you’re considering a new journey or a fresh start and thinking about what would be a pretty good gig, the IT sector could be at the forefront.
FAQs
How can I make my career in the IT industry successful?
Work on your communication skills, gain practical knowledge, build an amazing resume, and research the company you want to join.
How do I get into the IT industry with no experience?
Getting a certification, Networking with the right people, Improving your skills, and looking for entry-level jobs are some of the ways you can get IT industry with no experience.
Is the IT industry a good career?
Yes, the IT industry is an industry where you can easily get into and build a successful career. The industry is full of opportunities.
Covid has created a large negative impact on most of the industries in the sector. It has disrupted the economic activities in the country. Most of the sectors are being impacted due to the pandemic. Let’s look at how the various startups can help the government in the Covid-19 vaccination drive.
Since the major sectors of the country have been disrupted due to the ongoing pandemic. There is an opportunity for the various startups to help the government in the Covid-19 vaccination drive. It is said that in every crisis there will be an opportunity.
The healthcare startups have a seminal opportunity in helping the government by aiding and facilitating the vaccination drive in the country. Whereas the other startups like healthcare, IT, logistics, etc. will have plenty of opportunities in various other activities.
IT systems can play a really important role in the vaccination drive. They can help the government by playing a central role in creating and maintaining information related to the vaccination drive. They can do the enlisting and enumerating the people involved in the drive, they can keep the track of the number of dose intake during the vaccination drive of different people.
They can also use the various national IDs such as PAN card, Aadhar card, etc. to keep a number and to identify the individuals and their participation in the drive.
The IT sectors will have to ensure that the vaccination doses are delivered to the vulnerable and the critical sections around the country. They will have to combine their mapping applications and the startups will have to ensure that there is a coordinated vaccination campaign.
They also play an important role in identifying the genuineness of the vaccinations in the country. They will have to quickly detect it. They will have to identify the counterfeits and prevent the use of such counterfeits in the patients.
They will have to help the government in finding the source of such counterfeits and also use social media and other online sources to create awareness among the general public regarding the dangers that are caused by these fraudulent vaccines.
The logistics startups also play a very important role in the vaccination drive. They play a central role in fine tuning the appropriate delivery of the vaccines across the country. The logistics space in India has undergone a lot of developments.
The logistics in India have been innovating and adapting to the new technology to address the challenges faced due to the transportation. The new innovations and technology adaption in the logistic space can help the government in delivering the Covid vaccines to every nook and corner of the country in regular intervals.
Logistics market
The startups can also conduct various activities to share the social information regarding the Covid vaccine drive. They can help in creating trusted communities and categories people of the similar demographics, same geography or people with the same affinities.
These details can be used to discuss various factors which include the vaccination experience, after effects, opinions on the facilities and the actual process, best practices in the vaccination process and documentation on how to deal with the various aftermaths can be documented.
These can be used to share an opinion and be used to socialize for a larger ecosystem.
How Government can utilize this data
All the above details can be used by the government for a timely, granular and actionable plan to utilize it for the entire vaccination drive in an idealized fashion. The government can analyze various other factors such as which vaccinations to order, in administering the vaccines such as the ones that are imported and homegrown, where the vaccines are to be shipped and the logistical details of it.
They can also make decisions on whether to continue the vaccination drive or they will have to continue with a private partnership or public partnership. The government can also analyze the data sets and create vaccination drives in the most needed places and areas.
They can also redirect the resources such as financial and personnel according to the needs of the vulnerable section in the country.
COVID-19 vaccination drive has been initiated to cover healthcare and frontline workers and is to be scaled up to cover citizens above 60 years of age and and/or citizen above 45 years of age suffering from comorbidities.
How many people are vaccinated for Covid in India?
As of April, 8, India had administered 9,01,98,673 total doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.
Is there a shortage of vaccines in India?
Union health minister Harsh Vardhan had stated on that there is no shortage of shots in India. “All the claims of states are baseless and centre is supplying vaccines to all states equitably irrespective of the ruling party.
Conclusion
The startups can help the government in making the vaccination drives easier and carrying it forward more effectively. These are the various ways through which the Indian startups can help the government in Covid 19 Vaccination across the country.
