In a city where many well-reputed IT professionals with five to eight years of experience can barely reach this “optimum salary” — a viral job posting has rocked Bengaluru tech circles. First on LinkedIn, and then re-launched on X (formerly Twitter), the ad offered an attractive package of ₹35 lakh per annum, including compensation for Software Development Engineer (SDE-1) with one year of experience.
Getting a Clear Idea of the “Golden” Offer
The post shared by EngiNerd (@mainbhiengineer) shows a break down of benefits that are perhaps too well thought out to just actually be true. As the tech industry grapples with layoffs and wage freezes, this obscure company is doubling down on fancy perks to woo young talent. Based on the viral screenshot, the package offers:
- Base Salary: ₹25 lakh per annum (LPA).
- ESOPs (Stock Options): ₹20 lakh (vested over 4 years).
- Joining & Relocation Bonus: ₹5 lakh (signing ₹3L, moving ₹2L).
- Bonus: 10% of base salary.
At one side layoffs are happening and other side companies are offering such high salaries for 1 year experience
— EngiNerd. (@mainbhiengineer) January 14, 2026
And the fun part is that same company would be paying lesser to 5-8yrs experience employee already working with them.
Salary structure is completely broken in tech. pic.twitter.com/5k5Rivwb3H
Lifestyle perks: How You Lifestyle: Not Just Paycheck
What intrigued internet eyeballs and others would pay to read it out loud though was not really the lakhs found by the thousands in the bank, but the over-the-top lifestyle bonuses:
- Daily Nutrition: ₹600 Zomato credits every day, day in and day out.
- Tech upgrades: All new smartphones every three years.
- Home Office: ₹21,000 allowance and WFH setup (Work-From-Home)
- Wellness & Connectivity: Full reimbursement for gym memberships, mobile bills, high-speed Wi-Fi.
Netizens React: “Broken Salary Structure”
The article has been a lightning rod for heated debate over salaries and loyalty in India’s Silicon Valley. Some view it as a sign of how aggressively companies compete for skills that have been in high demand, while others said they were frustrated. One user added, "On one hand huge layoffs are being done, on the other side companies are offering this to freshers. It’s the same company that probably pays its loyal employees 5-8 years less.”
Another user had pragmatic advice on behalf of job seekers: “Don’t be naive and loyal to a company; be loyal to your career. But market rates fluctuate, and if not then you have to jump to remain relevant.” With the screenshot circulated so many times, it serves as a grim reminder of the growing disparity between the “market rate” for new hires and the “loyalty rate” for existing employees in the churn-filled tech landscape of 2026.
