Is a strong academic and professional record not sufficient to secure a job in India? A social media post has sparked widespread debate online regarding job safety in the country. The post by Venkatesh Alla, which has gone viral on X, shares the story of a high-earning Bengaluru techie who was laid off from a leading tech company recently.
The techie, identified as Salim in the post, held a job with a salary of Rs 43.5 lakh per annum.
The post talks about the tough situation faced by the top-performing engineer from the National Institute of Technology (NIT) who had paid over Rs 30 lakh in income tax over five years. According to the X post, Salim was laid off last month with only three months' severance pay.
He is now unemployed and relies on his severance pay and savings to pay for his children's education, which costs Rs 1.95 lakh per child per year. “Last year alone, he paid ₹11.22 lakhs in income tax. In just 5 years, over ₹30 lakhs gone into the system, and in return, he got zero support. No safety net. No job security. No respect for his contribution,” the post by Alla read.
His post further mentioned that the techie had fallen into depression, saying he felt “abandoned from every direction.”
“The same government he paid lakhs to in taxes betrayed him the moment he needed it most. He asked me to keep his identity anonymous, so I'm just sharing his initial, Mr. Salim,” the post added.
In conclusion, the X user highlighted the lack of any framework by the government for the job security of private sector employees, writing, "This is what happens to genuine taxpayers in India. You pay. You comply. You contribute. And when you're in crisis, you're on your own. This country desperately needs to change. Because, right now, it's failing the very people who carry it forward."
Take a look at the post here:
Just got a message from Mr. Salim a topper from his NIT, working in Bangalore with a ₹43.5 LPA package laid off last month. The company handed him just 3 months' severance.
June 29, 2025
Last year alone, he paid ₹11.22 lakhs in income tax. In just 5 years, over ₹30 lakhs gone into the…The post, which has since gone viral, sparked sharp reactions online. Many social media users advocated for important reforms, such as organised unemployment compensation and mental health programs, while others differed over whether the government should assist in such instances.
"The only solution is to expand the tax base, bring more into the formal economy. Only then can we reduce the burden on the salaried middle class," a user commented. "You want the government to give him a job because he lost his job? Does this make any sense?" asked another. "This is the same everywhere in the world. The problem isn't taxation, it's the lack of long-term financial planning," read the third comment.
"Layoffs are always a tragedy and it's difficult for young and brilliant minds to get fired. I hope the brilliant guy will get the job soon. But what's the relationship between getting fired and paying taxes? It happens all the time in the US. India can't sustain the European model of unemployment payment," a user wrote.
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