Indian engineer left ₹9 LPA job offer for US masters, now survives on part-time job with education loan burden
A software engineer’s account of a friend who turned down a 9 lakh per annum (LPA) campus placement to pursue a master’s degree in the US has sparked debate on social media, with many users debating whether the promise of an overseas education still outweighs the certainty of a job offer.Shared on X by a user named Vikas, the post follows the journey of a technology graduate (B.Tech) in IT who chose higher studies abroad over an internship at Tech Mahindra.According to Vikas, his friend graduated in 2023 and got a campus placement in Tech Mahindra with an LPA package of ₹9.“There is a B.Tech friend of mine who graduated in Computer Science in 2023. During campus placement, he got placed in Tech Mahindra with a 9 LPA package, but he didn’t take up the offer because everyone moved to the US for Masters, so he went too,” he wrote.The friend moved to the United States in August 2023 and completed his master’s degree in December 2024. However, the transition from university to work proved more difficult than expected.“Since then, he has not been able to find a job. Every time he applies, some problem comes up, be it visa sponsorship, preference for local candidates or something else,” the post said.
Debt, uncertainty and pressure to succeed
The situation, according to Vikas, got complicated after the friend’s father, who had been paying off an education loan of ₹40 lakh, lost his job.“Now, he earns from part-time work every day, he doesn’t have a proper opportunity to improve his skills, and he recently told me that he is thinking of returning to India. But then he starts to reconsider because he is afraid that his family and society will see him as a failure, along with the loan burden,” he wrote.Vikas concluded by saying, “Sometimes the American Dream is not the life or the colorful image social media portrays. There are many people who suffer in silence and suffer from depression.”
The Internet reflects on changing realities
The post prompted many users to discuss the current job landscape for international graduates.One user wrote: “Brutal story but common now. US Masters plus heavy debt vs Indian offers. Visa reality is hitting hard. Weigh risks early.”Another suggested that the decision was influenced by fear of missing out, writing: “She turned down a 9 LPA offer due to FOMO and survives on a part-time job today. Social media only showed the success stories.”Several others argued that the post reflected a wider dilemma facing many students, where international education aspirations increasingly intersect with visa restrictions, student debt and an uncertain global job market.
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