IT services provider Infosys [Get Quote] has said it would be hiring most of its engineers from the top 250 engineering colleges in the country.

"Jobs are changing. They are not the typical maintenance jobs. Now we have jobs in systems, consulting, BPOs and lots. So we want the best engineers," Infosys VP & HR head Nandita Gurjar told reporters in Mumbai on Wednesday.

For this year, Infosys has said it would be recruiting 25,000 despite the fear of a slowdown in the US. Infosys maintained that it would be going ahead with recruiting 25,000 persons this financial year.

"Last year, we said we would hire 25,000, but ended up hiring 30,000. So this year also we would hire 25,000," Gurjar said.

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Every year, Infosys visits 1,000 campuses for recruitment and this year it would visit 1,050, she said.

Infosys would be visiting business schools and recruit 350 graduates, Gurjar said. Last year, the company hired more than 100 foreigners. This year also it would be hiring the same number of foreigners.

"Hiring foreigners is not a problem, but assimilating them is. Now, even from our staff from the United States and the United Kingdom are prepared to spend close to two years in India," she said.

They want an Asia-Pacific experience of two to three years before heading home to work for their own companies, she said.

Infosys China office has not been affected because of the earthquake, the official said.

Every year, the company spends about Rs 700 crore (Rs 7 billion) on training its freshers and other trainees.

"This year that expenditure would go up by 10-15 per cent," Infosys board member Mohandas Pai said.

The company would give increments of 10-13 per cent this year. For people at the top management the company has put in a bonus plan.

People at the top management are eligible for a bonus if they complete two years. "Based on their performance they would be eligible for a lump sum bonus after two years," Gurjar said.

For all critical jobs in the company, it has put in place a succession plan so that it doesn't suffer when a person moves, she said.

Infosys said its development centre in Pune is getting delayed by six months, Pai said. Earlier it got delayed because the lack of availability of cement and now it is because of lack of workers, Pai said.

"About 2,800 construction workers used to work in Pune. Now it is 1,500," he said.

Many construction workers are from North India. They faced the ire of local Maharashtrian politicians forcing them to leave Pune.

Once the Pune centre is ready, it would be the largest manpower base for Infosys. At present it is Bangalore, he said.

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