From Rs 28 LPA to Rs 36 LPA: Should salary renegotiation after offer acceptance be allowed? Gurgaon startup founder weighs in

A recent experience shared by a startup CEO in Gurgaon has sparked debate about professional ethics and salary negotiations in the tech industry, particularly around last-minute pay adjustments after a job offer has been accepted.

Jasveer Singh, co-founder and CEO of the dating platform Knot Dating, shared on social media that a backend developer who had initially accepted a job offer tried to renegotiate the salary just days before the scheduled joining date.

In his post, Singh explained that the candidate had been offered a significant pay increase, moving from Rs 21 lakh per annum in his previous job to Rs 28 lakh, a 33% hike. The developer accepted the offer and confirmed his decision to join the company.

However, just before the candidate was set to begin, Singh said the developer contacted the company again, claiming he had received a more lucrative offer elsewhere and requested a higher salary from the startup.

“Yesterday, he emailed saying he got a 32 LPA offer elsewhere and now wants 36 LPA from us. Nonsense. Why agree in the first place?” Singh posted.

The CEO voiced frustration over the timing of this request, especially since the company had already paused its hiring process after the offer was accepted. He added, “If you are still shopping for offers, just say it upfront. We stopped interviewing other candidates and waited for the joining date. Now, two days before the start, he came back with a new price tag."

Singh also shared a screenshot of an email exchange in which the candidate outlined some "personal boundaries," including a refusal to work on weekends.

The post quickly caught the attention of users, sparking a range of reactions. Many supported Singh, stating that renegotiating after accepting an offer was unprofessional and caused unnecessary disruption to employers.

Others, however, pointed out that such salary negotiations are common in the tech industry, especially as the demand for skilled developers is high.