When Sarita, 24, recently learned of her new position with a premier tech company in India, she was more surprised than happy about it.
After being reduced from 650,000 rupees ($7,849; £6,484) to 350,000 rupees, the annual salary package she was being offered had been revised.
She was urged to "grab this opportunity as it is timebound" in the email as well.
She claims to know several new hires who, like her, also received a similar email last week from the IT powerhouse Wipro.
Around 4,000 new hires at Wipro who were awaiting onboarding, according to the Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES), a union for IT workers, have been impacted by the revised offer.
The IT juggernaut told the BBC that if the new hires "refuse" to accept the revised pay, "the original offer stands.". But if the candidates decided to accept the initial offer, it was unclear how long they would have to wait to start.
"We had to change our onboarding plans due to the shifting macro environment and, consequently, our business needs. This current offer gives candidates the chance to launch their careers, increase their expertise, and learn new skills right away as we work to honor all outstanding offers made, according to a statement from Wipro.
Sarita claims that during a hiring drive while she was an engineering student in September 2021, she submitted an application to work for the company.
She received word from Wipro in July of last year that she had successfully completed their Velocity training program, one of two that the company offers to new applicants. This came after numerous exams, interviews, and an unpaid internship.
Since then, she claims, she had been waiting for a joining date, but on February 16, she claims she received an email offering her a different role and salary.
Wipro stated in an email to candidates, a copy of which the BBC has seen, "Like others in our industry we continue to assess global economies and customer needs which factor into our hiring plans.".
To accept the revised offer, candidates were also asked to complete a survey by February 20. If they did, "all prior offers will stand void," according to the email.
The offer was extended to "all Wipro's candidates under the Velocity graduates category in the FY23 batch," according to the email, and onboarding for these positions "will be initiated from March 2023 onwards.".
"I feel duped. In order to pass the tests, I really studied hard. Since I was satisfied with the package Wipro was offering me, I also declined offers from other businesses. Since I have no other option, I must now settle for less, says Sarita.
The union has requested that the government step in to assist the graduates, according to NITES president Harpreet Singh Saluja.
He claims that "it is unacceptable that the burden of the company's financial troubles is being placed solely on the shoulders of the employees," and that "the decision to cut the salaries of the employees without prior consultation and negotiation is not only unjust but also goes against the principles of fairness and transparency.".
Sarita states, "I have friends who are devastated by the pay cut who are the only earners in their family or come from low-income families.
"Even though I'm not in the same situation, my parents and I are very disappointed. ".
In order to protect their identities, some names have been changed in the story.
