Latest news with #B.Tech
Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Indian startup founder shocked after interviewing 150 interns, calls out ‘broken' talent system
An Indian startup founder has sparked debate online after sharing his frustrating experience interacting with over 150 candidates for an internship position. Posting anonymously on Reddit, the entrepreneur criticised not just the candidates' technical skills, but more so their approach and mindset toward work. "The Indian curriculum is broken," he wrote in his post. The entrepreneur said that a wide range of candidates applied for the remote internship including and even a few PhD students. But despite the impressive-sounding degrees, he found that "most of them had very weak fundamentals." "Many seemed to expect us to train them from scratch instead of coming in with a 'how can I contribute' attitude. I know I am only hiring for an intern and I might have to guide them a bit, but not hold their hand every step of the way," he said. He compared them to candidates from Egypt whom he found significantly ahead of their Indian counterparts. "They not only had strong fundamentals but also knew relevant tools, asked smart questions, and came prepared. They dressed formally for virtual interviews and were extremely polite and professional," he added. The founder said that he wanted his startup to help India's economy but he was left frustrated by a "broken talent pipeline." He also offered some blunt advice for students hoping to land internships: "Your mindset should be: 'How can I help the company?' not the other way around. Companies aren't charities. Nobody expects you to know everything, but you must understand your fundamentals. Show up on time, be respectful, and take the process seriously," he added. The post struck a chord with several recruiters and startup founders who shared similar hiring struggles. One commenter, who interviews computer engineering, BCA, and MCA students, wrote: "More than 50% of the candidates lack basic knowledge of computers. Not programming or networking just basic computer skills." Another recruiter added that the job market dynamics are partly responsible: "The good candidates have already secured jobs while in their last or second last semester. We get the bottom of the barrel because we can't pay equivalent to a flashy startup or big corporations." A third startup founder shared: "That's nothing. I posted one vacancy on got 1,500 resumes. The level of naivety was shocking. They all expected to be treated as the best, and there were hundreds like them, it's crazy."
News18
05-06-2025
- Business
- News18
B.Tech Or MBA: Which Pays More In 2025? Check Latest Report
1/5 After the economic slump of 2024, top job offers for and MBA graduates are once again on the rise. According to Deloitte's latest report, companies are back to offering lucrative salary packages to young professionals pursuing these degrees in 2025, reversing last year's dip. 2/5 The report, which surveyed 508 academic institutions, reveals that MBA graduates this year have secured offers 8.3% higher than those in 2024. Likewise, graduates have seen a 4.3% increase in average packages. This marks a recovery from the previous year, when MBA salaries dropped by 9% and offers dipped slightly by 0.1%. 3/5 Data from the top 10 MBA institutes shows the average package has risen from Rs 24 lakh per annum in 2024 to Rs 26 lakh in 2025. For students from the top 10 colleges, the average salary has gone up from Rs 16.3 lakh to Rs 17 lakh per annum.
Economic Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
‘Abuse, fear and no lunch breaks': Zepto's ex-contract worker alleges harassment in Reddit post
A former contract worker at Zepto has accused the quick-commerce startup of fostering a toxic and abusive work environment. In a widely shared Reddit post, the graduate described facing long hours, verbal intimidation, and a complete lack of HR support, calling the experience 'psychological warfare.' Zepto clarified the individual was employed through a third-party vendor and not on its official payroll. The controversy has reignited discussions on workplace culture following previous remarks by CEO Aadit Palicha on work-life balance. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads No lunch breaks, no holidays, no support Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Zepto denies direct involvement Previous work culture claims still linger Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads An ex-contractual employee at Zepto has gone public with disturbing claims about their time at the fast-growing quick-commerce startup, describing the experience as nothing short of 'psychological warfare.' The detailed Reddit post, now widely circulated, paints a picture of relentless work hours, abusive management, and a void of institutional support.'I was broke, jobless and desperate,' the user wrote, explaining why they took up the job. Their post, reportedly written with the help of ChatGPT, chronicles an emotionally draining routine and what they described as a constant climate of fear, as reported by the post, the former worker described a grueling schedule, 'Six days a week, sometimes all seven. 9 AM to 8 PM, occasionally later. No lunch break some days. No holidays. No structure. If someone from the team took a break, it was fine—but if I took one, I'd get a call from a senior asking why I'm not 'committed',' they individual claimed they were isolated in the system because they were hired on a contract basis and therefore had no access to Zepto's HR mechanisms. 'That's not a job. That's psychological warfare,' they post details more than overwork—it points to direct and repeated intimidation. 'One manager literally started making hand gestures as if he was going to slap or punch me—repeatedly. He never hit me, but the intimidation was constant,' the user added, 'That feeling of being trapped, of never knowing when the shouting might turn into something physical... that's trauma.''I used to freeze at my desk, scared, anxious, and helpless,' they wrote. According to the post, even on the employee's final working day, there was no compassion from the company. 'The HR showed zero empathy,' they claimed, noting they had a fever but were still asked to return the company laptop within an to the controversy, Zepto told that the issue stemmed from a third-party vendor, not the company's official team. 'The issue is pertaining to a contractual employee and that particular vendor's ecosystem. No on-roll Zepto employee is directly involved in this incident,' a source familiar with the situation distinction, while significant on paper, has done little to calm the rising wave of criticism directed at the startup's workplace isn't the first time Zepto has been at the centre of a workplace culture row. Just months ago, in December, CEO Aadit Palicha stirred controversy following another Reddit post that accused the company of toxic practices. The timing of that post coincided with online debates around extreme working hours and startup then 22, responded on X (formerly Twitter) with a statement that many saw as dismissive. 'I have nothing against work-life balance. In fact, I recommend it to all our competitors,' he backlash, he added clarification: 'FYI, not my quote - read it from an interview of Daksh Gupta.' Gupta, an Indian-origin tech CEO based in San Francisco, had recently faced sharp criticism for promoting 84-hour workweeks at his AI Zepto has distanced itself from the latest allegations by pointing to the contractor arrangement, the underlying issues—workplace treatment, lack of accountability, and rising burnout—remain unresolved. For many, the story reinforces concerns that aggressive growth in India's startup ecosystem is often built on the back of vulnerable and unsupported the Reddit post continues to circulate, the scrutiny over how young companies treat their people—regardless of employment status—appears far from over.(Disclaimer: This article is based on a user-generated post on Reddit. has not independently verified the claims made in the post and does not vouch for their accuracy. The views expressed are those of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of Reader discretion is advised.)
Mint
23-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Contractual employee calls Zepto's work culture ‘toxic,' ‘straight-up abusive'
A former contractual employee at Zepto has levelled serious allegations against the quick-commerce firm, describing the workplace as 'toxic' and comparing their experience to 'psychological warfare'. The claims, made in a now-viral social media post, have sparked fresh scrutiny of the company's work culture. According to sources cited by HT, the incident concerns a contract worker employed through a third-party vendor, and 'no on-roll Zepto employee is directly involved in this incident'. The graduate alleged that their managers were 'straight-up abusive' and that, being a contractual worker, they had no access to HR support or any formal grievance redressal mechanism. 'I was broke, jobless and desperate,' the Redditor explained, stating this was why they accepted the offer. They also admitted to composing the viral post 'with the help of ChatGPT'. The account details grueling work conditions: 'Six days a week, sometimes all seven. 9 AM to 8 PM, occasionally later. No lunch break some days. No holidays. No structure. If someone from the team took a break, it was fine—but if I took one, I'd get a call from a senior asking why I'm not 'committed'.' The post further alleges physical intimidation by a manager. 'One manager literally started making hand gestures as if he was going to slap or punch me—repeatedly. He never hit me, but the intimidation was constant. That feeling of being trapped, of never knowing when the shouting might turn into something physical... that's trauma.' 'I used to freeze at my desk, scared, anxious, and helpless. That's not a job. That's psychological warfare,' the former employee wrote. The user also recounted their last day at work, claiming HR 'showed zero empathy' even after being informed the worker was unwell. They were reportedly told to return the company laptop within an hour despite having a fever. The controversy has resurfaced past criticism of Zepto's CEO, Aadit Palicha, who faced backlash in December last year over remarks seen as dismissive of work-life balance. 'I have nothing against work-life balance. In fact, I recommend it to all our competitors,' he wrote on X, formerly Twitter, amid another wave of allegations around the company's workplace culture. He later added, 'FYI, not my quote - read it from an interview of Daksh Gupta.' Gupta, an Indian-origin CEO based in San Francisco, had drawn flak for promoting 84-hour workweeks at his AI startup.
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
‘Abuse, fear and no lunch breaks': Zepto's ex-contract worker alleges harassment in Reddit post
A former contract worker at Zepto has accused the quick-commerce startup of fostering a toxic and abusive work environment. In a widely shared Reddit post, the graduate described facing long hours, verbal intimidation, and a complete lack of HR support, calling the experience 'psychological warfare.' Zepto clarified the individual was employed through a third-party vendor and not on its official payroll. The controversy has reignited discussions on workplace culture following previous remarks by CEO Aadit Palicha on work-life balance. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads No lunch breaks, no holidays, no support Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Zepto denies direct involvement Previous work culture claims still linger An ex-contractual employee at Zepto has gone public with disturbing claims about their time at the fast-growing quick-commerce startup, describing the experience as nothing short of 'psychological warfare.' The detailed Reddit post, now widely circulated, paints a picture of relentless work hours, abusive management, and a void of institutional support.'I was broke, jobless and desperate,' the user wrote, explaining why they took up the job. Their post, reportedly written with the help of ChatGPT, chronicles an emotionally draining routine and what they described as a constant climate of fear, as reported by the post, the former worker described a grueling schedule, 'Six days a week, sometimes all seven. 9 AM to 8 PM, occasionally later. No lunch break some days. No holidays. No structure. If someone from the team took a break, it was fine—but if I took one, I'd get a call from a senior asking why I'm not 'committed',' they individual claimed they were isolated in the system because they were hired on a contract basis and therefore had no access to Zepto's HR mechanisms. 'That's not a job. That's psychological warfare,' they post details more than overwork—it points to direct and repeated intimidation. 'One manager literally started making hand gestures as if he was going to slap or punch me—repeatedly. He never hit me, but the intimidation was constant,' the user added, 'That feeling of being trapped, of never knowing when the shouting might turn into something physical... that's trauma.''I used to freeze at my desk, scared, anxious, and helpless,' they wrote. According to the post, even on the employee's final working day, there was no compassion from the company. 'The HR showed zero empathy,' they claimed, noting they had a fever but were still asked to return the company laptop within an to the controversy, Zepto told that the issue stemmed from a third-party vendor, not the company's official team. 'The issue is pertaining to a contractual employee and that particular vendor's ecosystem. No on-roll Zepto employee is directly involved in this incident,' a source familiar with the situation distinction, while significant on paper, has done little to calm the rising wave of criticism directed at the startup's workplace isn't the first time Zepto has been at the centre of a workplace culture row. Just months ago, in December, CEO Aadit Palicha stirred controversy following another Reddit post that accused the company of toxic practices. The timing of that post coincided with online debates around extreme working hours and startup then 22, responded on X (formerly Twitter) with a statement that many saw as dismissive. 'I have nothing against work-life balance. In fact, I recommend it to all our competitors,' he backlash, he added clarification: 'FYI, not my quote - read it from an interview of Daksh Gupta.' Gupta, an Indian-origin tech CEO based in San Francisco, had recently faced sharp criticism for promoting 84-hour workweeks at his AI Zepto has distanced itself from the latest allegations by pointing to the contractor arrangement, the underlying issues—workplace treatment, lack of accountability, and rising burnout—remain unresolved. For many, the story reinforces concerns that aggressive growth in India's startup ecosystem is often built on the back of vulnerable and unsupported the Reddit post continues to circulate, the scrutiny over how young companies treat their people—regardless of employment status—appears far from over.
