IIT student job offer at ₹ 70 LPA comes with dilemma: ‘He will never be happy living like this’ | Today’s news
For many engineering students, securing a lucrative job offer is seen as the ultimate reward for years of academic effort and intense competition. However, one final year IIT student revealed that landing a ₹A package of 70,000,000 a year made him feel insecure rather than satisfied.
The student’s concerns came to light after entrepreneur and content creator Ankur Warikoo shared an email he received from an IITian who had recently completed an internship at a multinational company and was subsequently offered a pre-placement offer (PPO).
In his email, the student reflected on how his life was shaped by academic expectations from an early age. He explained that he was always focused on achieving high scores and surpassing his peers, leaving little room to explore his personal interests or ambitions.
He wrote, “I am a final year student of IIT born in a middle class family. Since my childhood I didn’t really ask myself what I want to do in life. In school I was taught to compete with toppers and get 90+ marks in all subjects. I became a class topper who only knew how to get good marks and that’s how I got into IIT. I entered IIT shyly but shyly and confidently. the same.”
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‘I don’t want it anymore’
Despite receiving the job offer that many graduates strive for, the student said the success didn’t bring the sense of happiness or purpose he expected.
Instead, he found himself questioning the prospect of spending decades in a competitive corporate environment while constantly adapting to changing industry demands and technological disruptions.
He wrote: “I got an internship in an MNC and got a PPO with 70 LPA CTC. From the outside it looks like a dream life – maybe even a dream of many students. But I don’t want this anymore. I know I’ll never be truly happy living like this. Now I feel like I’ll just compete with my colleagues for promotions and if Al affects my whole life as a developer I’ll stay as a developer. 20 million portfolio and try to enjoy life but how am I going to really enjoy life in my 50s or 60s, at the same time I can’t refuse this job, I come from a farming family and there are high financial expectations from me after placement.
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Passion for fitness but no clear career path
The student also talked about his strong interest in fitness and a healthy lifestyle. While he likes to maintain a disciplined routine, he admitted he struggles to understand how such a passion could provide long-term financial security.
He wrote: “It’s not that I don’t like my life, I really enjoy fitness. I like to go to the gym and follow a disciplined diet. But I don’t see a clear way to make money from it. A high-paying job like this forces people to give up their dreams to earn money and provide a comfortable life for their family. Will this race ever end?”
Warikoo council
Responding to the student’s concerns, Warikoo said many people experience similar feelings after achieving goals that society widely associates with success.
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He wrote: “Thank you for being so honest. First I want to tell you: your feelings are completely valid. You have achieved what the world calls ‘success’ and yet you feel trapped. Because you are playing a game designed by others, not you.”
Warikoo argued that the pursuit of higher salaries and career milestones can become an endless cycle if individuals do not consciously decide what is enough for them.
He said: “The race never ends (if you don’t quit): If you wait for the right time to stop competing, it will never come. There will always be a bigger CTC, a better title or a bigger portfolio. The race only ends when you decide you’ve had enough.”
Rather than treating the offer as a lifetime commitment, he suggested using it as a financial foundation that could eventually provide the freedom to pursue personal ambitions.
He wrote: “Gift 70l: Use this job not as a career, but as a “life fund.” Use the first 2-3 years to secure the financial future of your family. To make the “guilt” of following your dreams disappear. Fitness doesn’t have to be just a hobby: You say you don’t see a way to make money from it, but we live in an attention economy. If you can combine your passion 9% for your discipline. people.”
Warikoo further added, “Use work to buy your freedom. Earn, save aggressively and spend your nights/weekends/holidays building your fitness brand or expertise. The goal is not to retire at 60. The goal is to build a life you won’t have to retire from!”
The viral post sparked widespread discussion online, with users offering varying opinions on ambition, financial security and personal fulfillment.
