BITS alumnus justifies Cognizant's Rs 2.5 LPA salary to freshers: 'Quality is so bad'
Amidst the heated debate, Vatsal Sanghvi, founder of 1811 Labs, a Bengaluru-based startup focusing on GenAI SaaS products, stepped forward to defend Cognizant's position. He stated that the salary should be considered a «training stipend» rather than a full-fledged salary, citing concerns over the quality of fresh graduates entering the workforce.
“The quality of freshers is often so bad that even Rs 20k per month is overspending. Most don’t know how to communicate professionally, can’t code properly, and don’t know how to behave in a professional environment,” Sanghvi shared on X (formerly Twitter). He emphasized that the market is open, and those who believe the compensation is inadequate are free to seek opportunities elsewhere. “It is an open market—don’t apply if you don’t think it’s fair. Unlike other gigs, there’s plenty of opportunity to grow if these individuals focus on building skill,” he added.
Social Media Backlash
This defense, however, did not sit well with many online users, who were quick to challenge Sanghvi’s perspective. Critics argued that the responsibility for skill development should not solely rest on freshers, suggesting that companies should take proactive steps to provide training during the college years. «Instead of complaining about the quality of freshers, why don't the companies plan on training them in college itself? Some weekend refresher courses, exclusive tie-ups with a few colleges, and running your plan there for free could be a win-win for everyone,» one user proposed.
