TCS Salary Story Goes Viral as Employee Reveals Pay After 5.5 Years

Many people responded to the post with strategic career advise as it swiftly gained popularity.

“Start with small gradual jumps into startups that will take you because of smaller salary asks,” one user offered as a sensible course of action. Startups are a crazy place to learn three years’ worth of skills in one year. For rapid moves, concentrate on early-stage startups and switch ship every year or two.

A different approach was suggested by another user: “MBA seems like a damn good option for your situation.” 22k after five years of experience is just sick and nasty. I don’t think anyone could have that level of tech competence in such a short amount of time. I therefore recommended an MBA.

“Because you were all over the place, both your existing career and your government job ambitions didn’t materialize,” said a third criticism that addressed mentality and storytelling. You’ll need to demonstrate to HR that you’re excellent once you start applying yourself. You then have a tale to share with the world. Even being honest about it won’t hurt you once you start demonstrating your abilities.

This viral article has sparked discussions regarding career advancement, performance management, and pay advancement in the IT sector, despite the fact that individual experiences differ. The employee’s circumstances demonstrate the difficulties professionals may have when their career focus changes and the long-term effects of performance evaluations.

The Reddit community is mostly advocating for targeted job searches, smart upskilling, and a firm commitment to the selected professional path. The conversation is still focused on solutions.

FAQs: 

1. What is the viral TCS salary story about?
It is about a TCS employee who revealed that his monthly in-hand salary dropped from ₹25,000 in 2020 to ₹22,800 in 2026 after 5.5 years with the company.

2. Where was the story shared?
The employee shared his experience on Reddit, specifically on the r/developersIndia forum.

3. When did the employee join TCS?
He joined Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in the year 2020.

4. What was his role at TCS?
He worked as a Java developer and later upskilled as a Java Backend Developer.

5. Why did his salary not increase over the years?
He admitted that he focused on preparing for government exams instead of improving his IT skills, which affected his performance ratings.

6. What performance ratings did he receive?
Over the years, he received low performance bands ranging from C to D.

7. Was he placed under a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP)?
Yes, he was placed on a PIP in July 2025 due to poor performance.

8. Did he lose his job due to the PIP?
No, although his appraisal was stopped, the PIP period ended without termination.

9. How did he survive the PIP phase?
He prepared extensively and secured a new internal project without disclosing his PIP status.

10. What is his current challenge in 2026?
Despite clearing job interviews, HR teams reportedly hesitate to proceed after reviewing his low salary slips.

11. Why do HR teams hesitate after checking his payslips?
A low current salary after 5.5 years of experience raises concerns about skill level, performance history, or credibility.

12. Did the employee graduate from a reputed institution?
Yes, he mentioned graduating from a top three university in India.

13. What advice did Reddit users give him?
Users suggested joining early-stage startups, making gradual salary jumps, and focusing on rapid skill-building.

14. Was pursuing an MBA suggested as an option?
Yes, some users felt an MBA could be a good reset for his career given his situation.

15. What criticism did the community raise?
Some users pointed out that splitting focus between IT and government exams hurt both career paths.

16. Is this situation common in the IT industry?
While not common, such cases do happen, especially when performance ratings remain low for extended periods.

17. Does this story reflect TCS’s overall salary structure?
No, this is an individual experience and may not represent the salary growth of all TCS employees.

18. What lesson does this story highlight?
It highlights the long-term impact of performance ratings, skill stagnation, and lack of career focus.

19. What strategy is the Reddit community mostly recommending?
Targeted job applications, smart upskilling, honest storytelling, and consistent commitment to one career path.

20. Why has this story gone viral?
It sparked debate on salary growth, performance management, and career planning in India’s IT sector.

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