'Rs 21,000 salary, Rs 30,000 expenses': Former TCS techie's lament sparks debate on stagnant IT wages
One commenter highlighted the high cost of living in Bengaluru, India's Silicon Valley, noting, "In Bangalore, you will get 1 BHK for 21k these days. Plus food, transport, and medical emergency costs etc. How can one survive?".
- Aug 2, 2024,
- Updated Aug 2, 2024 8:43 AM IST
Shashank Rustagi, who worked at TCS until 2020, shared that his salary in 2019 was Rs 21,000 per month, while his monthly expenses were Rs 30,000. “The worst part is they still offer the same package now,” he wrote.
The post sparked a wave of responses. One commenter highlighted the high cost of living in Bengaluru, India's Silicon Valley, noting, "In Bangalore, you will get 1 BHK for 21k these days. Plus food, transport, and medical emergency costs etc. How can one survive?". Another echoed this sentiment, sharing their long-standing disbelief at the lack of salary growth: "I joined Tech Mahindra in 2006 on 3.0 LPA. I am shocked that the salaries have barely moved in almost 18 years."
This discussion has brought attention to a longstanding issue within TCS. One user recalled, "My first ever 'offer' was from TCS from an off-campus drive. They were offering 21K all the way back in 2013 as well." Despite the passage of years, the entry-level salary at TCS appears to have remained stagnant, frustrating many.
Others provided more recent examples to illustrate the disparity. One commenter noted their nephew was offered a Rs 9 LPA package by TCS, with a joining date next month in Mumbai. Even with a higher pay package, the nephew’s desire to switch locations underscores the inflexibility that many find problematic.
The viral post struck a nerve with many techies, prompting a wider reflection on wage stagnation not just at TCS, but across the IT sector. Many remembered being offered the same salary as far back as 2008, with TCS receiving much of the criticism.
Users have expressed mixed reactions, with some labeling the situation as corporate exploitation and others considering it an inevitable part of life. "My first ever 'offer' was from TCS from an off-campus drive. They were offering 21K all the way back in 2013 as well,” wrote one user. Another added, "Surprising to see they didn’t change the entry package much."
This debate has highlighted the broader issue of wage stagnation in the Indian IT sector, calling for a re-evaluation of compensation structures to better reflect the rising cost of living and inflation rates. One user pointed out, "Did you and 100s of others take the job? The market doesn’t care what your expenses are. It pays what is the lowest they’re able to fill the position at reliably. There are enough upwardly mobile lower middle class who will happily take that job."
Several users emphasized that ₹21,000 would have gone a lot further in the 2000s, urging IT firms to increase base pay to match current economic realities.
Shashank Rustagi, who worked at TCS until 2020, shared that his salary in 2019 was Rs 21,000 per month, while his monthly expenses were Rs 30,000. “The worst part is they still offer the same package now,” he wrote.
The post sparked a wave of responses. One commenter highlighted the high cost of living in Bengaluru, India's Silicon Valley, noting, "In Bangalore, you will get 1 BHK for 21k these days. Plus food, transport, and medical emergency costs etc. How can one survive?". Another echoed this sentiment, sharing their long-standing disbelief at the lack of salary growth: "I joined Tech Mahindra in 2006 on 3.0 LPA. I am shocked that the salaries have barely moved in almost 18 years."
This discussion has brought attention to a longstanding issue within TCS. One user recalled, "My first ever 'offer' was from TCS from an off-campus drive. They were offering 21K all the way back in 2013 as well." Despite the passage of years, the entry-level salary at TCS appears to have remained stagnant, frustrating many.
Others provided more recent examples to illustrate the disparity. One commenter noted their nephew was offered a Rs 9 LPA package by TCS, with a joining date next month in Mumbai. Even with a higher pay package, the nephew’s desire to switch locations underscores the inflexibility that many find problematic.
The viral post struck a nerve with many techies, prompting a wider reflection on wage stagnation not just at TCS, but across the IT sector. Many remembered being offered the same salary as far back as 2008, with TCS receiving much of the criticism.
Users have expressed mixed reactions, with some labeling the situation as corporate exploitation and others considering it an inevitable part of life. "My first ever 'offer' was from TCS from an off-campus drive. They were offering 21K all the way back in 2013 as well,” wrote one user. Another added, "Surprising to see they didn’t change the entry package much."
This debate has highlighted the broader issue of wage stagnation in the Indian IT sector, calling for a re-evaluation of compensation structures to better reflect the rising cost of living and inflation rates. One user pointed out, "Did you and 100s of others take the job? The market doesn’t care what your expenses are. It pays what is the lowest they’re able to fill the position at reliably. There are enough upwardly mobile lower middle class who will happily take that job."
Several users emphasized that ₹21,000 would have gone a lot further in the 2000s, urging IT firms to increase base pay to match current economic realities.