Aegis pays Trainee Agents after they throw stones
By Rahul Kumar

Aegis is one of the leading BPO’s in India and part of the $40 Billion Essar Group Aegis has more than 30 thousand employee’s world wide. After the recent loss of a number of respected HR managers, there is increased friction in the company. Recently, dozens of trainees of Aegis BPO stoned its building in Infocity just off the Gurgaon Expressway.

The protest damaged the front glass panels as well as some cars. A couple of security guards also sustained minor injuries as the stones rained. The agitating trainees hailing from various parts of the country, including Nepal, took their protest to the streets complaining about training fees and lingering tenure by its training wing - Aegis Aspire. However, timely intervention of the area police officials averted the violence from escalating and the matter was resolved amicably the same day in the evening. 

The agitating trainees claimed that the company had offered to refund the training amount to some of them after deducting 30 percent which was not acceptable to them. They alleged that when the trainees wanted to take up the issue with the higher management, they were asked to get out of the company premises.  “When we shouted to raise our voice, the company guards even manhandled us all and shunted us out of the company. At this,  we got agitated and stoned the building,” said a protesting trainee. 

The police officials later said that said that the company refunded the training fee amount to about 50-60 trainees in full after they intervened. The company officials did not opt to file a criminal complaint against the agitating trainees who had stoned the building and damaged glass panes and cars.

The Aegis officials said that the training to the youths was offered on no-profit no-loss basis and the trainees successfully accomplishing the standards set by it were absorbed as regular employees. However, those requiring more training are asked to carry on further and take little more time before being hired as full-time Agents. The officials said that some of the trainees were not able to achieve the required training standards and were asked to go away.