<PAGE>   1
                                                                   Exhibit 10.17

                                 AMENDMENT NO. 2
                                       TO
                   AGREEMENT OF SEVERANCE, WAIVER AND RELEASE


          This Amendment No. 2 to Agreement of Severance, Waiver and Release
(this "Amendment") is made as of March 31, 2000, between UBICS, Inc., a Delaware
corporation ("UBICS"), and Manohar B. Hira ("Hira").

                                    PREAMBLE:

          UBICS and Hira are parties to an Agreement of Severance, Waiver and
Release dated March 18, 1999, as amended on December 1, 1999 (the "Severance
Agreement"), which sets forth the terms of Hira's retirement from employment
with UBICS effective on March 31, 2000 (the "Termination Date"). The parties
wish to amend further the Severance Agreement to provide for the continued
employment of Hira by UBICS on a month-to-month basis following the Termination
Date.

          Therefore, UBICS and Hira, intending to be legally bound, agree as
follows:

          1.        Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 1 of the
Severance Agreement, Hira shall continue to be employed by UBICS on a month-to-
month basis from and after the Termination Date, and during such time Hira shall
receive compensation and benefits pursuant to, and Hira and UBICS shall be
bound by the other terms of, the Employment Agreement, except as otherwise
provided in this Amendment or in the Severance Agreement, as amended hereby.
Either UBICS or Hira may elect to terminate Hira's employment effective as of
the last day of any calendar month by giving to the other party written notice
of such intent to terminate on or before the 15th day of the month in which such
termination is to be effective. The effective date of such termination shall be
the "Final Termination Date" for purposes of the Severance Agreement and this
Amendment. On the Final Termination Date, except as otherwise provided in the
Severance Agreement, as amended hereby, the Employment Agreement shall terminate
and be of no further force and effect and the parties shall be released from all
of their obligations under the Employment Agreement.

          2.        Section 2 of the Severance Agreement shall be amended in its
entirety to read as follows:

                    2. Resignation as President and Director. Hira hereby
                    resigns from the office of President of UBICS effective on
                    the earlier of (a) the date on which UBICS hires a new
                    President and Chief Executive Officer (the "Hiring Date") or
                    (b) the Final Termination Date. The parties acknowledge that
                    Hira was not nominated for reelection to the Board of
                    Directors of UBICS at the 1999 Annual Meeting of
                    Stockholders of UBICS, but that on December 1, 1999, the
                    Board of Directors of UBICS elected Hira to fill the vacancy
                    on the Board created by the resignation of Craig A.
                    Wolfanger.
<PAGE>   2
                    Hira hereby resigns from the Board of Directors of UBICS
                    effective on the Termination Date. During the period from
                    the Hiring Date until the Final Termination Date, Hira shall
                    perform such duties as shall be necessary or appropriate to
                    make a transition of his responsibilities to the new
                    President and Chief Executive Officer, and shall perform
                    such other duties and responsibilities as the Board of
                    Directors, Chairman or President of UBICS may from time to
                    time designate.

          3.        The first sentence of Section 4 of the Severance Agreement
shall be amended to read as follows:


                    4. Healthcare Benefits. For a period of four (4) years
                    following the Final Termination Date (the "Severance
                    Period"), Hira shall be entitled to continued participation
                    in the medical insurance plans maintained by UBICS for its
                    employees.

          5.        Section 6 of the Severance Agreement shall be amended in its
entirety to read as follows:


                    6. Automobile. Hira shall continue to have use of the
                    automobile currently provided to him by UBICS until the
                    Final Termination Date and will surrender such automobile to
                    UBICS on or prior to the Final Termination Date.

          6.        Section 7 of the Severance Agreement shall be amended in its
entirety to read as follows:

                    7. Other Benefits. All other benefits and incidents of
                    Hira's employment will terminate as of the Final Termination
                    Date.

          7.        Except as set forth above, the Severance Agreement shall
remain unchanged and in full force and effect.

                                      -2-
<PAGE>   3
          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Amendment as
of the date first written above.


                                                -------------------------------
                                                Manohar B. Hira



                                                UBICS, Inc.



                                                By:
                                                   ----------------------------
                                                Name:
                                                     --------------------------
                                                Title:
                                                      -------------------------

                                      -3-