Techie turns down Rs 96 LPA offer, demands Rs 1.3 crore; social media reacts

A recent hiring saga in the tech industry has gone viral after a candidate reportedly declined a job offer of Rs 96 lakh per annum, insisting instead on a Rs 1.3 crore salary.

Juned Khatri, a recruiter, shared the story on X, revealing that he was hiring for a ‘Head of Engineering’ position at an undisclosed company. Despite the company’s keen interest in the candidate, the salary expectations far exceeded the allocated budget for the role.

According to Khatri, the candidate, who has 17 years of experience, requested a fixed salary of Rs 1.3 crore, while the company had budgeted Rs 96 lakh. Attempts to negotiate a middle ground did not succeed, leading the candidate to turn down the offer.

In his post, Khatri expressed regret, writing, “Hurts to reject this one candidate…tried finding a compromise, but it didn’t work.” The post has since sparked widespread discussion online about compensation expectations in the tech sector.

“I think at that level of pay, many would willingly come down,” a user commented.

“Don't worry I'll take that job for 96L,” another user wrote.