Forbes Ranks Cognizant Top Technology Company in Best Small Companies List; Cognizant Ranked #2 Overall Due to Strong Financial Performance in Final Year of Qualifying for Forbes' Small Company Criteria

Business Wire, Oct 28, 2005

TEANECK, N.J. -- Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH), a leading provider of IT services, today announced that it is ranked #2 among the 200 Best Small Companies, published by Forbes magazine in the October 31, 2005 issue. Cognizant is the top ranked technology company this year and marks its sixth time on the list since debuting at #1 in 1999. In determining this year's ranking, Forbes evaluated companies based on five-year sales and earnings per share (EPS) growth rates.

"We are honored that Forbes has recognized Cognizant on its prestigious 200 Best Small Company list for the fourth consecutive year," said Lakshmi Narayanan, President and CEO of Cognizant. "This ranking is a great accomplishment for Cognizant and a clear testament to the hard work of our employees and the dedication of our customers, who have enabled Cognizant to grow rapidly into a truly global IT services company."

Forbes noted, "If you're looking for a list of the hottest sensations of the moment you've come to the wrong place. Our list of the 200 Best Small Companies doesn't do flashes in the pan. It does, however, feature solid and consistent hitters that have performed well when measured over the last 12 months and the past five years, and are poised for another growth spurt."

Cognizant focuses on enterprise-wide business applications and large-scale, complex application development, integration and management services. The Company has established itself as a leader in the fast-growing offshore outsourcing services market by building deep technology and industry domain expertise, relentless focus on long-term customer relationships with major global companies, and a highly differentiated services model.

About Cognizant

Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH) is a leading provider of IT services. Focused on delivering strategic information technology solutions that address the complex business needs of its clients, Cognizant provides applications management, development, integration, and re-engineering, infrastructure management, business process outsourcing, and a number of related services such as enterprise consulting, technology architecture, program management, and change management through its onsite/offshore outsourcing model.

Cognizant's more than 22,000 employees are committed to partnerships that sustain long-term, proven value for customers by delivering high-quality, cost-effective solutions through its development centers in India and onsite client teams. Cognizant maintains P-CMM and SEI-CMM Level 5 assessments from an independent third-party assessor, was recently named one of Forbes' Best Small Companies in America for the fourth consecutive year, and ranked among the top information technology companies in BusinessWeek's Hot Growth Companies. Cognizant is a member of the Nasdaq-100 index and further information about Cognizant can be found at www.cognizant.com.

This press release includes statements which may constitute forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the accuracy of which are necessarily subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied include general economic conditions and the factors discussed in our most recent Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Cognizant undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.