The Offer Letter from Three Different Companies
Three friends. Three offer letters. Three different consulting firms.
Rahul: Cognizant Technology Solutions, Associate
Priya: Capgemini India, Senior Analyst
Amit: Accenture Solutions, Analyst
All three got the same question from HR: “Please submit medical fitness certificate within 7 days of joining.”
What exactly do Cognizant, Capgemini, and Accenture need? Are requirements the same across these firms? What format works?
If you’re joining one of these major IT services and consulting companies, this guide explains their medical certificate requirements.
Why These Companies Require Fitness Certificates
Cognizant, Capgemini, and Accenture have similar reasons:
1. Insurance compliance: Group health and life insurance policies require baseline medical documentation
2. Long-term employment: Hiring for career positions, need fitness verification
3. Client deployments: Some client sites have medical requirements
4. Global standards: Parent companies have worldwide HR policies
5. Regulatory requirements: IT industry standards and labor laws
Standard Requirements Across All Three
Despite being different companies, medical certificate requirements are remarkably similar:
Doctor Credentials
- MBBS or MD qualification mandatory
- Medical council registration number (State or National)
- Full name, signature, clinic stamp
Patient Information
- Your complete name (as per offer letter)
- Age and gender
- Employee ID (if already assigned)
Physical Examination
- Height (in cm)
- Weight (in kg)
- Blood Pressure (mmHg)
- Pulse rate (bpm)
Fitness Declaration
- “Medically fit for employment as [position] at [company]”
- Clear, unambiguous statement
- Mentions specific company name
Format
- On clinic/hospital letterhead
- Doctor’s official stamp
- Recent (within 3 months of joining)
- Digital (PDF) or physical both acceptable
Company-Specific Requirements
Cognizant
General policy:
- Standard fitness certificate required
- Must be from registered medical practitioner
- Upload through onboarding portal
- Deadline: Usually within first week of joining
Format specifics:
- No specific format typically required
- General fitness certificate works
- Should mention “Cognizant Technology Solutions”
- Position title (Associate/Programmer Analyst/etc.)
Submission:
- Digital submission standard
- PDF upload to HR portal
- Some locations may collect physical copy on day 1
Additional notes:
- Certain client projects may require detailed medical
- Overseas assignments need comprehensive examination
- Standard onboarding only needs basic fitness certificate
Capgemini
General policy:
- Medical fitness certificate mandatory for all new joiners
- Part of document verification process
- Required before official joining date
Format specifics:
- General fitness certificate acceptable
- On doctor’s letterhead
- Should state “fit for employment at Capgemini”
- Include basic vitals
Submission:
- Upload to onboarding system
- PDF format preferred
- Physical copy may be collected at joining
Additional notes:
- Europe/US client projects may need additional medical clearance
- Travel roles sometimes require vaccination records
- Standard office roles: basic fitness certificate sufficient
Accenture
General policy:
- Fitness certificate required as part of joining formalities
- Must be from MBBS/MD qualified doctor
- Should be recent (within 3 months)
Format specifics:
- Must be on clinic/hospital letterhead
- Should specifically mention “Accenture Solutions” or “Accenture Services”
- Fitness statement for IT industry work
- All vitals included
Submission:
- Digital submission through HR portal
- PDF format standard
- Original may be requested at joining location
Additional notes:
- Consulting roles (strategy/management consulting) sometimes stricter
- Client-facing roles may need faster processing
- International assignments require comprehensive medical
Location-Wise Variations
Bangalore Locations
- All three have major presence (Whitefield, Electronic City, Outer Ring Road)
- Standard fitness certificate works
- Digital submission preferred
- Fast processing (HR teams experienced)
Hyderabad Locations
- HITEC City, Gachibowli campuses
- Same requirements as Bangalore
- Digital certificates widely accepted
Pune Locations
- Hinjewadi for all three companies
- Standard requirements
- Some prefer hospital certificates over clinic
NCR Locations (Gurgaon, Noida)
- Cyber City, DLF offices
- Requirements same as other locations
- Digital submission standard
Chennai Locations
- Cognizant has major presence (Sholinganallur, OMR)
- Capgemini in Siruseri
- Accenture in OMR
- Tamil Nadu medical council registration accepted
Getting Your Certificate
Option 1: Hospital Visit
Process:
- Visit nearby multi-specialty hospital
- Request employment fitness certificate
- Basic examination (15-20 minutes)
- Certificate issued same/next day
- Cost: ₹500-1000
Pros: Some HR teams prefer hospital certificates
Cons: Time-consuming, need appointment, waiting time
Option 2: Clinic Visit
Process:
- Visit MBBS doctor’s clinic
- Quick examination
- Certificate issued immediately
- Cost: ₹200-500
Pros: Faster, cheaper, convenient
Cons: Ensure doctor has proper letterhead and registration number
Option 3: Online Consultation
Process:
- Online form submission
- Share vitals (height, weight, BP, pulse)
- Video/phone consultation with MBBS doctor
- Certificate delivered within 30 minutes
Pros: Fastest, no travel, convenient
Cons: Some traditionalists may question (though rare now)
Legal status: Telemedicine Practice Guidelines 2020 make online certificates valid
Timeline Planning
When offer letter received:
- Note joining date
- Get certificate within first week of offer
- Don’t wait until last moment
Typical deadlines:
- Cognizant: Within 7 days of joining
- Capgemini: Before or on joining day
- Accenture: Within first week usually
If relocating:
- Get certificate in current city before moving
- Or use online consultation
- Or plan hospital visit in first 2-3 days after relocation
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Missing registration number: Certificate without doctor’s medical council registration = rejection
2. Too old: Certificate from 6 months ago won’t work
3. Wrong company name: Should mention exact company (Cognizant/Capgemini/Accenture)
4. Incomplete vitals: All fields must be filled
5. No letterhead: Plain paper certificates unprofessional
6. Non-MBBS doctor: BAMS, BHMS invalid for these companies
7. Generic statement: Should mention employment purpose
8. Name mismatch: Must match offer letter exactly
What HR Teams Verify
All three companies check:
- Doctor registration: Verify at nmc.org.in or state medical council
- Completeness: All required fields filled
- Date: Recent examination
- Authenticity: Signature and stamp genuine
- Name match: Exact match with offer letter
Red flags:
- Registration number doesn’t exist
- Certificate months old
- Missing elements
- Generic certificate not mentioning company
- Suspiciously similar to other applicants’ certificates
Cost Considerations
Hospital: ₹500-1000
Government hospital: ₹100-300
Private clinic: ₹200-500
Online consultation: Varies
Budget: Keep ₹500-1000 for fitness certificate
Health Conditions and Consulting Jobs
Controlled chronic conditions:
- Diabetes: Managed with medication, acceptable
- Hypertension: Controlled BP, acceptable
- Asthma: Controlled with treatment, acceptable
- Thyroid: Managed, acceptable
Vision correction: Glasses/contacts perfectly fine
Past surgeries: Mention if recent, otherwise usually not issue
Key point: Managed conditions rarely disqualify for IT/consulting roles
Digital vs Physical Certificates
Digital (PDF):
- Email/WhatsApp delivery
- Easy portal upload
- No physical damage risk
- Preferred by all three companies
Physical:
- Original signature and stamp
- Can be scanned for backup
- Some locations still collect on day 1
Recommendation: Get digital, keep physical backup or vice versa
Special Situations
Lateral Hiring (Experienced Professionals)
- Same requirements as freshers
- No exemption for experience
- Fresh certificate needed (can’t reuse from previous company)
Campus Hiring
- Standard requirements
- Batch processing by HR
- Templates sometimes provided
- Mass submission deadlines
International Assignments
- More comprehensive medical required
- Vaccination records needed
- Different process from standard onboarding
- Company arranges detailed medical
Final Thoughts
Medical fitness certificate for Cognizant, Capgemini, or Accenture is straightforward:
Key requirements:
- MBBS doctor with registration number
- Recent (within 3 months)
- All vitals complete
- Mentions company and position
- Proper signature and stamp
Get it early: Don’t wait until deadline
Multiple options: Hospital, clinic, online – choose what works
Budget: ₹500-1000 covers most cases
You’ve landed a job at a top IT services or consulting firm. Don’t let a simple medical certificate delay your joining.
Get it done properly, submit on time, start your career without documentation issues.