The Monday Morning Call
Priya woke up at 5 AM. Fever. Headache. The kind that tells you getting to your HITEC City office isn’t happening today.
She worked at a fintech company in HITEC City Phase 2. Important project deadline this week. But she was genuinely sick.
She knew the process: inform manager, mark sick leave in HRMS portal, and submit medical certificate within 48 hours. Without the certificate, her sick leave would be marked as casual leave or worse – unauthorized absence.
If you work in Hyderabad’s IT corridors – HITEC City, Gachibowli, Madhapur, Kondapur, Financial District – you know this drill. When you’re too sick to work, you need documentation.
This guide covers exactly what Hyderabad IT companies require, why they require it, and how to get proper medical certificates without making yourself sicker by traveling to clinics.
Hyderabad IT Hubs: What Each Area’s Companies Expect
HITEC City (Hyderabad Information Technology Engineering Consultancy City)
Home to Microsoft, Google, Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Deloitte, Accenture, and dozens of major IT companies.
Certificate requirements:
- Most companies require certificates after 2-3 consecutive sick days
- Some MNCs ask for certificates even for single days during probation
- Digital certificates widely accepted
- Doctor registration number mandatory
- Upload to HRMS portals (Workday, SAP, Oracle, Darwinbox)
Gachibowli
Microsoft India Development Center, TCS, Wipro, Infosys, Tech Mahindra campuses.
Certificate requirements:
- Certificates typically needed after 2-3 days continuous absence
- Tech companies comfortable with telemedicine certificates
- Quick turnaround expected (within 24-48 hours of return)
- Digital submission standard
Madhapur
Raheja Mindspace, smaller IT companies, startups, coworking spaces.
Certificate requirements:
- Policies vary by company size
- Established firms follow 2-3 day rule
- Startups often more flexible but still need documentation for payroll
- Digital certificates accepted
Financial District (Nanakramguda)
Banks, financial services, fintech companies, consulting firms.
Certificate requirements:
- Stricter policies due to regulatory compliance
- Some require certificates from day 1
- Doctor credentials verified carefully
- Both digital and physical accepted
Kondapur
Mix of IT companies, BPOs, smaller tech firms.
Certificate requirements:
- Standard 2-3 day requirement
- BPOs often have stricter attendance tracking
- Digital certificates work
What Hyderabad IT Companies Actually Need
Despite variations, most HR teams need the same core documentation:
Doctor qualifications:
- MBBS or MD degree
- Registered with Telangana State Medical Council or National Medical Commission
- Registration number clearly mentioned on certificate
- Full name, signature, clinic stamp
Certificate content:
- Your complete name (matching company records)
- Employee ID (if known)
- Date(s) of illness
- Diagnosis or nature of illness (can be general – “viral fever”, “acute gastroenteritis”)
- Recommended rest period
- Date certificate was issued
- Ideally addressed to your employer or HR department
Format:
- Digital (PDF) or physical both acceptable at most companies
- Must be legible
- On letterhead or with official stamp
- Recent (issued during or immediately after illness)
Company-Specific Policies in Hyderabad
| Company Type | Typical Certificate Policy |
|---|---|
| US MNCs (Microsoft, Google, Amazon) | After 2-3 consecutive days, digital preferred |
| Indian IT Giants (TCS, Wipro, Infosys) | After 3 days usually, HRMS upload required |
| Consulting Firms (Deloitte, PwC, EY) | Strict from day 1 during client projects |
| Fintech/Banking (Financial District) | Required for most absences, regulatory compliance |
| Startups/Smaller Firms | Varies widely, usually after 2-3 days |
Why Hyderabad Traffic Makes Online Certificates Practical
The reality of getting to a clinic when you’re sick in Hyderabad:
You live in Kukatpally, work in HITEC City:
- You’re sick with fever
- Nearest clinic with MBBS doctor available is in KPHB
- That’s 20-30 minutes travel (if traffic cooperates)
- Wait at clinic: 30-60 minutes
- Consultation: 5 minutes
- Getting certificate printed: 10-15 minutes
- Travel back: 20-30 minutes
Total: 2-3 hours when you should be resting.
You live in Gachibowli, nearest good clinic is Jubilee Hills:
- That’s 30-40 minutes each way
- Plus clinic waiting time
- Half your day gone
Under India’s Telemedicine Practice Guidelines 2020, registered doctors can legally issue medical certificates after online consultations.
This isn’t a loophole. It’s legitimate medical practice. Your Hyderabad employer’s HR team verifies:
- Is the doctor MBBS/MD qualified?
- Is there a valid medical council registration number?
- Does the certificate contain all required information?
They don’t check whether you physically visited a clinic. That’s not relevant to documentation validity.
How to Get Your Certificate Online
Step 1: Fill consultation form (2-3 minutes)
Provide your details:
- Name and employee ID
- Company name
- Current symptoms
- How long you’ve been unwell
- Any relevant medical history
Step 2: Doctor consultation (5-10 minutes)
Registered MBBS or MD doctor calls you via phone or video:
- Assesses your symptoms
- Asks about illness progression
- Determines if rest is medically necessary and for how long
- This is a real medical consultation, not automatic approval
Step 3: Certificate issued (within 30 minutes)
PDF delivered via WhatsApp and email:
- Doctor’s complete credentials and registration number
- Your details and dates of illness
- Diagnosis
- Recommended rest period
- Doctor’s signature and official stamp
- On clinic letterhead
Step 4: Submit to HR
Email to HR or upload to your HRMS portal (Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Oracle HCM, Darwinbox, etc.)
Common Hyderabad Employee Questions
My HITEC City company needs certificate within 24 hours of return. Is that possible?
Yes. Online consultations provide certificates within 30 minutes. Well within any company deadline.
Can I get a certificate for leave I already took?
A doctor can issue a certificate covering dates when you were genuinely ill, based on medical history during consultation. However:
- Only for legitimate illness on those specific dates
- Ethical doctors won’t backdate for dates when you weren’t actually sick
- HR teams are suspicious of certificates obtained days after return
- Better to get documentation while you’re actually unwell
My company uses Darwinbox HRMS. What format works?
PDF format works with all HRMS systems including Darwinbox. You can upload directly or email to HR for manual entry.
Will certificate be valid if doctor isn’t in Hyderabad?
Yes. Medical council registration is national. A doctor registered with Karnataka Medical Council or Maharashtra Medical Council can issue valid certificates for Hyderabad employees. Registration is what matters, not location.
What if I need to extend sick leave beyond original certificate?
Contact the doctor again. They can issue an extension certificate if you’re still unwell, or a fresh certificate covering additional days based on follow-up consultation.
What Happens Without Proper Documentation
Hyderabad IT companies typically:
Mark as unauthorized leave: Flagged in your record, can affect performance reviews and future opportunities.
Deduct from earned leave: Instead of sick leave quota, comes from vacation days. Not ideal.
Salary impact: Some companies deduct pay for undocumented absences.
Disciplinary process: After 3-5 instances of undocumented sick leave, formal warnings or termination proceedings can begin.
Future leave scrutiny: Managers become more careful about approving your leave requests.
This isn’t companies being harsh. It’s maintaining functional HR systems and preventing policy abuse.
Common Mistakes That Get Certificates Rejected
No registration number: Most common rejection. Without doctor’s medical council registration number, certificate is invalid.
Non-MBBS practitioner: Certificates from BAMS (Ayurveda), BHMS (Homeopathy), physiotherapists, pharmacists aren’t accepted. Must be MBBS or MD.
Poor scan quality: Blurry images, cut-off edges, illegible text leads to rejection.
Name mismatch: Certificate name doesn’t match company records exactly.
Dates don’t align: Certificate says you were sick on dates when biometric/VPN logs show you were working.
Generic template: Certificates that look mass-produced without patient-specific details get questioned.
Too old: Reusing certificate from previous illness doesn’t work. Each illness needs fresh documentation.
Hyderabad Sick Leave Entitlements
Most Hyderabad IT companies offer:
- Sick leaves: 12-15 days annually
- Separate from earned leave: Don’t eat into vacation days
- May or may not accumulate: Check company policy
- Certificate requirement: Usually after 2-3 consecutive days
Using sick leave without certificate often forces HR to classify it as earned leave or casual leave, reducing your vacation quota.
Pro Tips for Hyderabad IT Employees
Get certificate while actually sick: Don’t wait until you’re back in office. HR teams are more skeptical of certificates obtained after return.
Save digital copies: Keep certificates in Google Drive or email. Might need for insurance claims, visa applications, or future reference.
Know your HRMS upload process: Understand where to upload in Workday/SAP/Darwinbox before you need it urgently.
Inform manager promptly: Quick message: “I’m unwell, getting medical certificate, will submit to HR” maintains good relationships.
Check company handbook: Some Hyderabad firms have specific sick leave policies. Know yours.
Hyderabad monsoon factor: Dengue, viral fevers spike during monsoon. If you’re genuinely sick, get proper documentation rather than trying to work through it.
Industry-Specific Notes
IT Services (TCS, Wipro, Infosys): Usually flexible until 3 consecutive days. After that, certificate mandatory.
Product Companies (Microsoft, Google, Amazon): More trust-based but still need documentation for payroll and compliance.
Consulting (Deloitte, PwC, BCG): Stricter because client commitments involved. Certificate often needed sooner.
BPOs (Genpact, WNS, etc.): Attendance-critical operations. Certificates often required from day 1.
Fintech/Banking: Regulatory compliance makes documentation mandatory for almost all absences.
Startups: Wildly variable. Some very flexible, others strict from day 1. Check your offer letter or employee handbook.
Final Thoughts
Hyderabad’s IT industry runs on deadlines, sprints, and deliverables. But when you’re genuinely sick, you need to rest.
Your company’s HR policy isn’t designed to make life difficult. They need documentation for payroll, compliance, and workforce planning.
Modern telemedicine eliminated the “getting a certificate is too hard” excuse. You don’t need to drag yourself from Kukatpally to HITEC City when you have fever.
Online consultations: registered doctor assessment, proper certificate with all requirements, delivered in 30 minutes.
When you’re sick, focus on recovery. Let technology handle the paperwork.
Your code can wait. Your meetings can be rescheduled. Your health can’t be postponed.