India's healthcare GCCs to generate 67,000 jobs in 2026: Quess Corp report

Quess Corp, India’s largest and a global leader in staffing and workforce solutions, has released its India Healthcare GCC Outlook 2026 report, revealing a significant shift in India's healthcare GCC hiring landscape.

While the sector is projected to generate 67,000 job openings in 2026, nearly 93% of demand is concentrated among professionals with 3–12 years of experience, signalling a growing preference for specialised, mid-career talent.

The findings come as India's healthcare GCC ecosystem expands to 155 GCC organisations employing approximately 3.2 lakh professionals, with companies increasingly moving beyond traditional support functions into AI, scientific research, clinical development and digital health.

Healthcare GCC hiring nearly doubled in 2025, with demand surging 97.5% from 32,000 roles in 2024 to 63,200. But the nature of this hiring surge is changing. As companies move beyond traditional support functions, demand is shifting towards specialised talent in AI, data analytics, clinical research and regulatory functions. The report also highlights a growing talent crunch in these areas, with the availability of professionals struggling to keep pace with hiring requirements.

According to the report, 38,391 of the 67,000 job openings are for professionals with 3–7 years of experience, while another 23,856 are for those with 7–12 years of experience.

In contrast, entry-level hiring demand declined 12.4% year-on-year in Q2 2026, even as overall quarterly hiring demand increased 6%. The findings highlight the growing preference for professionals who can contribute to specialised healthcare, digital and regulated functions, while raising questions about the development of the industry's future talent pipeline.

Bengaluru and Hyderabad continue to anchor India's healthcare GCC ecosystem, together accounting for 62.2% of the existing workforce and 58.4% of projected hiring demand in 2026.

Pharmaceuticals, Life Sciences, Medical Devices & Diagnostics account for 105 of the country's 155 healthcare GCCs and employ approximately 2.22 lakh professionals.

The report also reveals that AI is expected to be the fastest-scaling capability in healthcare GCCs. Its penetration could rise from about 60% of centres today to 80–90% by 2030 as it moves into clinical, R&D, operations and product workflows.