Hyderabad program opens doors to underrepresented talent in India’s IT sector
CGI’s collaboration with the International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad (IIIT-H) continues to support diversity in India’s technology education. The partnership provides full scholarships to students from rural and underrepresented backgrounds, including women pursuing technology and engineering degrees.
IIIT-H Special Channel of Admission
Through IIIT-H’s Special Channel of Admission (SPEC), launched to increase participation from women and rural students, 15 students from the Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies and the UDAAN project joined the institute’s Bachelor of Technology program. CGI’s scholarships ensure these students can complete their four-year degrees without financial barriers.
Beyond financial aid, CGI contributes through knowledge-sharing seminars and career-mentoring sessions. The company aims to inspire more young people to consider careers in information technology and bridge the ongoing skills gap in India’s fast-growing tech industry.
George Mattackal, President of CGI’s Asia Pacific Global Delivery Centers of Excellence, said CGI aims to “give back to the communities in which we live and work.” He added that partnerships with educational institutions help “empower youth to become future technology leaders and innovators.”
IIIT-H Director Professor P. J. Narayanan said the institute’s inclusive approach welcomes all students with a passion for technology. He noted that CGI’s support allows talented students “to follow their passion and make significant contributions in various areas of research.”
Staff
CGI employs about 14,000 professionals in India across five cities — Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Pune — serving more than 200 global clients. The company’s long-standing local presence supports its worldwide network of 74,000 professionals delivering IT and business consulting services.
Founded in 1976, CGI operates on a local relationship model with a global delivery network that helps organizations digitally transform and accelerate results.
What Has Changed Since 2018
IIIT-Hyderabad’s Special Channel of Admission (SPEC) now offers 20 seats annually — 10 each in Computer Science and Electronics — for students from underrepresented groups. The first two SPEC batches (2018 and 2019) were funded entirely by CGI CSR grants. Later cohorts gained backing from AT&T CSR, the Alumni Fund, and the institute’s own aid programs.
IIIT-H has broadened its financial assistance framework, offering tuition waivers for students with family incomes below ₹8 lakhs and additional pay-it-forward alumni funding. Human-interest profiles such as “SPECs of Gold in the Dust” showcase rural students whose journeys began under CGI’s original program.
While IIIT-H continues to celebrate individual SPEC achievements — including a 2024 “Best All-Rounder” award — the institute does not publicly release SPEC-specific graduation or placement statistics.
Editor’s note:
IIIT-H does not publish SPEC-only graduation or employment data. However, the university reports that it conferred 529 degrees at its 24th convocation in July 2025, reflecting continued growth in academic and research activity.