‘Over Rs 1 lakh a month': Reddit post on maid's income triggers debate on India's middle class

Time of India

12 hours ago

A Reddit post has sparked widespread discussion about India's changing class identity, after a user compared their taxed salaried income with their domestic worker's growing, tax-free household earnings. The post, shared by a Redditor from a tier-3 city, detailed how their maid's family now earns more than their own family, despite having no formal employment and paying no income tax.
A closer look at the numbers
According to the Reddit post, the domestic worker earns Rs 30,000 per month by working full-time across three households. Her husband, a daily wage laborer, earns Rs 35,000, while their eldest son makes Rs 30,000 per month at a saree shop. Their daughter, currently learning tailoring, earns Rs 3,000 but is expected to bring in Rs 15,000–Rs 20,000 monthly once she completes her training. The youngest son is learning plumbing and is expected to earn Rs 15,000–Rs 25,000 per month.
Together, the family currently earns Rs 98,000 each month. In a few months, their monthly income is projected to touch Rs 1.3–1.35 lakh. None of this income is taxed.
Government support adds to household income
The family also receives support through government schemes. They get free rations, pay only Rs 6,000 per month in rent, and own a rural house under a central housing scheme. Additionally, they expect to earn another Rs 30,000–Rs 40,000 every quarter by leasing out inherited land.
Salaried taxpayer questions class definitions
'I'm genuinely happy for her,' the Redditor wrote. 'She's worked hard all her life. But it does make you wonder, who really belongs to the
middle class
now?'
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The statement sparked a wide-ranging conversation online, especially among professionals earning fixed monthly salaries and paying income taxes. Many users pointed out the widening gap between formal and informal income, with some informal workers now earning more than white-collar professionals.
The middle class debate reopens
Commenters offered different viewpoints. Some supported the post's message, saying many informal sector families now take home more money than salaried ones. Others noted that such comparisons ignore key differences—such as job stability, employment benefits, healthcare coverage, and legal protections that formal workers receive.
Still, the post raised a fundamental question that many seem to be asking: as costs and taxes rise for salaried workers, and as informal sector incomes remain untaxed, is India's idea of who belongs to the 'middle class' shifting?