An Indian techie’s post on social media triggered a debate over outdated hiring practices after he claimed a start-up rejected him because of his college CGPA. Speaking to Hindustan Times, the anonymous professional said the rejection came despite years of industry experience and a current salary of over Rs 80 LPA at Google.
The software engineer expressed frustration with the interaction, noting that his resume did not include his college grades, yet the company still brought them up. Online users reacted sharply, accusing the startup of using old academic records as a pretext due to budget constraints.
According to the anonymous professional, he had applied to the startup while exploring a job switch. However, he reportedly received a WhatsApp message from the company stating that his application was rejected due to his college CGPA, which was below 7.
He told Hindustan Times, “They mention this only, nothing else.” The individual expressed frustration on social media, saying it felt unfair to be rejected based only on exam results despite having eight years of experience in the same field. He also shared that he works at Google and earns over Rs 80 LPA.
The techie shared with Hindustan Times that the firm in question was a startup. When asked if the company contacted him after his social media post about the CGPA-based rejection, he replied in the negative, saying, “No.”
The post, now widely shared across social media platforms, has triggered a wave of reactions from users.
One user commented, “They probably used his CGPA as an excuse because they couldn’t afford his salary.”
Another wrote, “Honestly, he dodged a bullet. Better companies will value his experience.”
A third reaction read, “This is crazy. How are such hiring decisions still happening in 2026?”