Techie CTC Hike Demand Goes Viral After Candidate Seeks INR 16 LPA From INR 7.2 LPA Salary
A hiring-related post by a MedTech startup founder has triggered a heated debate online, with social media users defending a tech professional who sought a sharp salary hike during a job interview.
A hiring-related post by a MedTech startup founder has triggered a heated debate online, with social media users defending a tech professional who sought a sharp salary hike during a job interview.
Sumanth Raman, founder of Algorithm Health, faced backlash after sharing details of an interview in which a candidate with four years of experience requested an annual compensation package of INR 16 lakh despite currently earning INR 7.2 lakh per annum.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Raman wrote: "Interviewed a candidate for a techie opening yesterday. CTC for the candidate with four years of experience in the current company is 7.2 LPA."
He further added: "Asked what the expectation was. Candidate says 16 lakh. I said that's more than double current CTC." Chennai Founder Sparks Viral X Debate After Techie Earning INR 7.2 LPA Seeks INR16 LPA Offer.
According to Raman, the candidate stood by the demand. "Candidate says yes, that's what I want. The conversation ended soon after. Increasingly feeling out of touch with today's generation."
MedTech Founder Questions INR 16 LPA Demand From Techie Earning INR 7.2 LPA
Interviewed a candidate for a techie opening yesterday. CTC for the candidate with 4 years experience in current company is 7.2 LPA. Asked what the expectation was.
Candidate says 16 lakh. I said that's more than double current CTC. Candidate says yes that's what I want.…
— Sumanth Raman (@sumanthraman) June 2, 2026
The entrepreneur later argued that the market compensation for a professional with four years of experience was "more in line with 7.2 than with 16." Layoffs: Man Rebuilds Income in Village After Losing INR 35 LPA Job, Story Goes Viral on Social Media.
However, the post quickly went viral and sparked widespread criticism. Many users argued that a candidate's current compensation should not determine future salary negotiations and that compensation should instead be based on skills, market demand and the value of the role.
One user wrote, "Only in India is your previous CTC a factor in the next job. You pay whatever the market demand is for that position. You're the one that is out of touch here, uncle."
Another commented, "This is not a problem with Sumanth, but with corporate India as a whole. What the person was getting before is irrelevant. Put what you're paying in the job description, make that clear, and offer them whatever you were intending to pay! That is basic decency. Don't be cheap."
A third user questioned the hiring process itself, saying, "You interviewed a person without knowing if their expected salary meets the budget for the position and you're trying to make it sound like today's generation problem instead of your unprofessional hiring process that is wasting everyone's time."
Another viral response read: "Current. CTC. Does. Not. Matter. F***ing tired of telling people. Should be made illegal to ask. Have even had to tell candidates I'm interviewing to not tell me theirs when I ask for expectations."
The incident has reignited the long-running debate around salary negotiations in India's technology sector, with many professionals arguing that job offers should be based on market rates and candidate capabilities rather than previous compensation packages.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 03, 2026 01:17 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
