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Mumbai: Entrepreneur and Shark Tank India judge Anupam Mittal has triggered a major debate on social media after questioning the widespread trend among job seekers to demand a “standard” 35% salary hike while switching jobs. The founder and CEO of People Group and Shaadi.com shared a post on X (formerly Twitter) mocking the norm, which has since gone viral, attracting thousands of reactions and sparking a larger discussion on salary negotiations in India’s job market. Anupam Mittal’s viral post questions ‘standard hike’ In his post on October 27, Mittal wrote a mock dialogue capturing a typical hiring exchange: “When can you join? In one month. Salary? 35% increment. Why 35%? Standard hai sir. W**? Ye standard kisne banaya?” The post, shared at around 8:46 pm, had been viewed over 1 lakh times and had drawn nearly 300 comments, 35 quote reposts, and more than 800 likes by the same night. While some users found his observation relatable and humorous, many criticised him for being dismissive of candidates’ expectations in a market facing inflation and cost-of-living pressures. Mittal clarifies intent after backlash As reactions poured in, Mittal followed up with another post clarifying that he was not against pay hikes per se but against the notion of a fixed “standard” percentage. “The point that most of you geniuses missed is that there is an entitlement of some arbitrary standard. If a role deserves it, one should demand even 2x, why just 35%? Ultimately, the market decides,” he wrote. His clarification aimed to highlight that compensation should be tied to skill, value, and market demand — not arbitrary benchmarks. “If a role demands it, I’d pay 100%. But I won’t pay 35% just because someone says ‘it’s standard’. That’s a reject right away,” he later added in response to a user. Netizens react with humour and criticism Mittal’s post drew a flood of responses from job seekers, recruiters, and working professionals, many of whom defended the 35% benchmark as a realistic ask in India’s competitive job environment. One user wrote, “35% to kam bola… It is more than 50% these days. Nowadays, candidates are asking salary based on skill.” To this, Mittal agreed, saying that increments should indeed be “commensurate with skill.” Another netizen quipped, “Sir pichle round ke valuation se 35% premium to deserve karte hain, that’s VC standard,” drawing parallels between startup valuations and employee expectations. Several users argued that employers frequently demand performance beyond standard expectations but resist when employees expect better compensation. “Why can’t people ask for higher increments when you can ask for higher equity all the time?” one asked. Mittal replied, “They can ask for sure, but market will determine what they get, no?” Debate over fairness in salary negotiations The discussion soon expanded beyond Mittal’s post, turning into a larger conversation on fairness in hiring and pay structures. Some HR professionals commented that while market realities determine final offers, candidates have every right to negotiate based on their skills, cost of living, and company value-add. One user suggested, “Surely, giving that hike depends on the market, value-add, budget, and importance of the role. However, I believe asking for more is totally okay if you can back it. Maybe ‘standard hai’ is not the way to go about it.” Another commenter asked Mittal what he considered an appropriate way to request a salary increase. He responded, “It should be a function of being paid in line with the role. Whether that’s 10%, 35%, or 100%, the market decides your value, not you. The idea should be to maximise capability.” Broader implications for hiring culture Mittal’s post has reignited debate about hiring practices in India, where standardised salary hikes — often pegged at 25–35% for job changes — have become an unspoken norm. Many HR experts argue that while such benchmarks help manage expectations, they may also discourage nuanced discussions about merit and performance-based pay. Industry analysts noted that in sectors like technology and finance, candidates often demand higher increments to compensate for increased workloads and inflation. Employers, however, have become more selective post-pandemic, prioritising long-term fit and measurable contribution over arbitrary salary expectations. Whether one agrees with Mittal or not, his comments have struck a chord with professionals across sectors, exposing the deep divide between employer expectations and employee perceptions of fair compensation in today’s dynamic job market.
