Techie claims ‘Old IIT’ tag gave him $65k per annum package, sparks debate online

A Reddit post by a graduate of an “Old IIT” earning ₹55 Lakh per annum ($65k) sparked debate online. The user wrote telling students to give higher priority to the college name rather than the study branch. 

The user shared their experience saying they opted for a “low” branch of study at IIT Madras rather than taking a CS seat at IIT Bhilai. 

“If you think stream matters more than the institute in a place like India, good luck convincing yourself of that. Many of you love to preach: ‘Take CS anywhere, it’s the branch that matters, not the college’. Let me stop you right there. I’m making ₹55 LAP today, not because I followed that tired advice, but because I chose a low-branch in an old IIT over CS in a shiny new one,” the user wrote in the post. 

The post further claimed they took the “non cool” branch because they “knew the truth that brand trumps branch”. 

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“A degree from an old IIT isn’t just a degree, it’s a signal. Recruiters at top tech firms like Google, Microsoft and Atlassian don’t just look at your branch; they look at your pedigree. And when they see “Old IIT” on the resume, it skips half the filters.”

The user further made claims that one does not need a CS degree as CS skills can be learnt later on, but one “can’t manufacture a brand”. 

“You don’t need a CS degree to be a great developer. What you do need is access to the right ecosystem, and old IITs provide exactly that,” the user further wrote. 

They went on to say that a new IIT with CS “might give you lectures on operating systems” but old IITs force you to compete with the best minds in the country. 

The post grabbed the attention of the people on the internet with one Reddit user saying his friend got ₹1 Cr package with CS from a “not old IIT”. The user wrote, “There’s no fixed rule there”. 

Another wrote, “Sounds like OP would hate it if a Tier-3 college graduate got the same salary as them”. 

(With inputs from agencies)