Avoid Indian startups like the plague
Most managers here have a sales background which in the Indian corporate context often translates to loud, clueless, and obsessed with optics over actual work. Then you’ve got senior engineers, mostly ex-IIT or NIT. No offense, but I’ve yet to meet one who didn’t flex their college badge within two minutes of conversation. That’s not an achievement, that’s arrested development.
Their entire personality revolves around a college entrance exam they cracked a decade ago. And because of that, they walk around with the delusion that anyone from a “lesser” college is intellectually inferior. The arrogance is unbearable, and it trickles down into the work culture rigid, toxic, and elitist.
Take Ola, Zepto, or Zomato, pick your poison. A guy working at Ola’s AI wing literally killed himself from the pressure. Zomato canned over 300 employees for the crime of being slightly late. Not after warnings, not after reviews just out. No empathy, no support. It’s not just mismanagement. It’s inhumane.
Indian startups love slogans like “building for Bharat,” but internally, they’re sweatshops in hoodies. Avoid them unless you’re into career masochism.
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I think this is a wrong view of startups. I agree with every point, everything written here is true. But, we should not avoid them because of the stated reasons. We should join them for the pay. The money they pay is filthy. Outrageous. We employees need to work with a dissociative mindset. We should enter a startup with a clear idea of leaving it in a fixed time period. Once we have a timeline set, life becomes more easier. 2 years in a startup is equivalent of working 8-10 years in a WITCH company.
Think of startups like hookers. People who hire them are for their services , not for long term relationship. Have fun, get fucked and leave. Don't hang on to them or try to change them.
And all those IIT/NIT badgers, think of them like your street dogs. Pat them , call them cute, but don't let them into your house. (Ps: before, any IIT/NIT gift of god people get offended, am NIT too. I agree with @IfIcouldIwould, we do strut around with our college ID like Thor and his hammer).
Hey loser can't cope up with work and crack 'the' exam. At least they have some achievement they sold some products, closed some deals. Others cracked one of the most competitive exam in the world. What have you done???
It seems you got offended, Are you too from ITTS/NIT
Calling the person loser makes your point more valid I guess? Hey loser are you aware about the reservation in India may be they got seat only through reservation, had financial backings from family to support their ideas, don't assume when you don't know 💩and we can clearly see who is a loser here mr hardware engineer
At the age of 45, with over 10 years of experience, you will come to understand why graduates from IITs and NITs often rise to top roles, despite those roles representing only about 10% of the opportunities at that level. Many people getting promoted to top positions either come from IIT/NIT backgrounds or have started successful ventures. That speaks volumes.
If you visit any well-paying MNC, you’ll find that around 80% of the employees come from IITs, NITs, or other premier institutions, even though these colleges account for less than 10% of the total number of engineering graduates each year.
These individuals are paid well because they can accomplish tasks that many assume are nearly impossible. However, I’ve also seen talented people from non-premier colleges doing tremendous work.
In terms of success rates, if you hire 100 IIT/NITians, at least 80% will prove themselves worthy. In contrast, when hiring from other colleges, the success rate is usually lower. This creates frustration among students from non-premier institutions. They often feel they don’t receive the same opportunities as IIT/NIT graduates, leading to resentment. Instead of blaming the lack of opportunities or support, the frustration gets redirected, sometimes unfairly.
Yeah they come, mostly because of perceived value and a mindset of elitism. Suck mine, I’ll suck yours. An echo chamber, if you will.
Not to say thats 100% of the case but yeah mostly it is. Arrogance is rampant, perspiring ego instead of sweat. Not being able to finish 3 sentences without mentioning XYZ school.
A lifetime to looking down upon people.
The thing with these exams is, more is out of your control than you’d fancy thinking.
‘A’ grade student fractures his hand, last attempt couldn’t give the exam. Does that diminish his quality as a student? Make him dumb? Not ‘worthy’? Give me a break.
Talent can sprout even in a slum and will always make a name for itself. Or atleast until people grow out of a 15 year old kids mindset and start treating people for who they are right now and not who they were 5:10:15 years ago!
Yes it is frustrating being subjected to prejudice. Yes it’s frustrating having your ides rejected because of something that was largely not in your control. Imagine if your granddad was a nazi and they were punishing you for it? That wouldn’t be very nice now would it?
Your ideas are being rejected because you haven’t yet proven yourself to be bigger than them.
I know some people from Tier-3 colleges who proved their worth over time. Now, they hold top positions and their ideas are appreciated.
I get the iit and nit part. I still don't get why ppl flash those badges even now. I'm also from nit and t1 MBA, , but hardly anyone in my current company knows about it. I in fact have lot more respect from ppl who's from t2 or t3 colleges. They've had a tough start and climbed up thru hard work
This dude, this attitude is what I like when I meet someone who graduated from such college but not many of them have it, you will have an amazing supportive team I can guarantee it.
You’ll make a great manager and an even greater mentor if that’s your true mindset
Getting into an IIT or NIT is a significant achievement.
You have to be among the top 1%, one out of a hundred to secure a seat in these colleges. And the journey doesn’t end there. To truly succeed, you often need to work hard for 10 to 12 continuous years. It means sacrificing much of your youth, dedicating yourself to studies just to get ahead in a highly competitive Indian society.
No one handed them success for free, they earned it.
Indian start up is the biggest hustle scam with following features
- No real innovation or product. Copy paste from West like food delivery, cab aggregators.
- Playground for IIT IIM blokes whose whole identity is tied to their degree. As if zin 4 years they get super computer brain chip installed in their head.
- Everyone is burning VC money with very few exceptions. Their flex is a,b,c round of funds raised. Now compare that with China. No fuss, fanfare just do it.
I think you have jumbled two issues. OR are you saying that all startups have iitians, nitians who flaunt their degrees within two minutes ?
Very less context about startups problem
Fair point, let me clarify. Most tech startups in India especially the high profile ones tend to be backed or led by ex IIT/NIT folks. And those are the ones I’m talking about. Not saying every single one is toxic, but the pattern’s hard to miss. Since there’s no label to tell you which ones are the bad apples, the safest move is to steer clear altogether.