An engineering graduate broke the news of landing a job to his family. But instead of seeing them overjoyed, he was met with disappointment. His father was far from ecstatic when he heard his annual pay package and stated that he had heard of autodrivers who outearned him.
The young man turned to the online community on the Indian Workplace subreddit to vent his frustrations. He revealed that although he had completed his engineering degree and landed a job with a salary of Rs 4 LPA, he was still in the waiting period for onboarding. When he shared this update with his father, he was told bluntly that such a pay scale was lower than that of the auto drivers in their locality.
Feeling dejected, the graduate tried to reason with his father, explaining that he had worked hard to earn the opportunity and didn’t deserve to be compared to others. But his efforts did little to bridge the emotional gap. The situation, he said, mirrored that of one of his friends who earns about Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 a month. His friend’s father reportedly dismissed the income, saying workers at their family-owned store brought home similar earnings.
The young engineer reflected on the broader issue of how freshers in the engineering field, especially those from Tier 2 institutions, are significantly underpaid. According to him, many college graduates struggle to secure offers above Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 per month—equivalent to about Rs 4 LPA. Only a fortunate few land jobs paying Rs 5 to Rs 6 LPA, leaving the rest to navigate an industry where compensation seems disconnected from the effort and education invested.
He questioned why large multinational companies, which generate massive profits by working with international clients, offer such meager salaries to entry-level employees in India. For him, this raises a fundamental question of fairness in corporate compensation practices.
In response, several Reddit users weighed in with their perspectives. One commenter emphasized that holding a degree doesn’t automatically translate into a high salary. In the job market, employers compensate based on value and skills brought to the table—not for years spent studying. They encouraged upskilling and building expertise as a way to climb the salary ladder.
Another user suggested confronting the generational bias by asking parents if the individuals they reference—such as drivers or shop workers—started their careers earning large sums. The commenter pointed out that most professionals begin with modest incomes and work their way up. They stressed that unless someone has credentials from elite institutions like IIT or IIM or is recruited by top-tier tech firms, sky-high starting packages are rare.