Jasveer Singh, co-founder and CEO of KnotDating, has expressed frustration over last-minute salary negotiations by a candidate, triggering a wider debate about hiring culture in the Indian corporate sector.
In an X post on Wednesday, Singh shared he had recently interviewed a backend developer who was earning Rs 21 lakh per annum (LPA). The company offered the candidate Rs 28 LPA, a hike of nearly 33%. According to Singh, the candidate accepted the offer and confirmed he would join the company.
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“Yesterday, he emailed saying he got a Rs 32 LPA offer elsewhere and now wants Rs 36 LPA from us. Nonsense. Why agree in the first place?” Singh questioned the practice in his post.
Interviewed a backend developer.
— Jasveer Singh (@jasveer10) March 11, 2026
Guy was at 21 LPA. We offered 28 LPA, roughly a 33 percent hike. He agreed and confirmed joining.
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.
If you are… pic.twitter.com/3X4DqhiJyr
Criticising the attitude, Singh saying candidates should be transparent if they are still exploring other offers. He said the company had already stopped interviewing other applicants and was waiting for the candidate's notice period based on the confirmed joining date.
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“If you are still shopping, just say it upfront. We stopped interviewing other candidates and waited through the notice period for the joining date. Now, two days before joining, he came back with a new price tag,” he said.
Netizens School CEO
As his X post about the incident went viral, it has also sparked a broader debate about ethics in India's tech hiring market. While some people agreed with Singh's argument, many also said that companies never hesitate to prioritise their interests.
“What's wrong with this? The candidate has the right to negotiate. He has skills that are in demand. This is a capitalist world, companies do the same - re-org, firing, etc,” a user commented.
Responding to this, Singh said that while salary negotiation is normal, asking for a higher package after accepting the offer and confirming the joining date is unfair to employers.
“Negotiation should happen before the commitment, not after it,” the CEO argued.
However, many users were not convinced. One user pointed out that Singh's company had asked about the candidate's previous salary instead of directly offering a package based on market value.
“How do you know he was at Rs 21 LPA? You know this because you are giving an offer after asking for salary slips. This is the root problem that causes such issues. Such practices by employers would be illegal in many countries…” the user posted.
Echoing similar sentiments, another said, “Bottom line is someone offered him more money than you did. Just like you have the right to hire people and negotiate for lower CTC, a candidate has the right to look out for their interests.”
Urging Jasveer Singh to "move on," some users suggested keeping multiple candidates in the pipeline for such situations.
“Wish him luck and move on. Don't you have backup candidates? Didn't you anticipate such last-minute backouts and negotiations?” a person asked.
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