Google techie earning ₹80 LPA rejected by startup over college CGPA

An Indian software engineer currently working at Google and earning more than ₹80 lakh annually has triggered widespread debate online after revealing that a startup rejected his application because his college CGPA was below 7.

The tech professional, who chose to remain anonymous, said he has around eight years of industry experience and had applied to the startup while exploring new job opportunities. However, instead of evaluating his professional track record, the company reportedly rejected him over academic scores from his college years.

According to the engineer, the rejection message was sent through WhatsApp and specifically mentioned that his college CGPA did not meet the company’s criteria.

What intensified the controversy was the fact that the candidate had not even mentioned his CGPA on his resume. Despite his experience at one of the world’s leading technology companies and a high-paying role, the startup allegedly focused on academic performance from nearly a decade earlier.

Speaking about the incident, the techie said the company gave no other explanation for rejecting his application. The experience prompted him to share the incident online, where it quickly gained traction across social media platforms.

Many users criticised the startup’s hiring process, calling it outdated and disconnected from real-world industry expectations. Several argued that judging experienced professionals on college grades rather than skills, achievements and work history reflected an “archaic” mindset in recruitment.

One user speculated that the company may have used the CGPA requirement as a convenient excuse because it did not have the budget to hire a highly paid engineer from a major multinational firm. Others suggested the candidate had “dodged a bullet” by avoiding a workplace with rigid and potentially toxic hiring standards.

The incident has once again reignited discussions around recruitment culture in India’s startup ecosystem, where some firms continue to prioritise academic scores, elite college backgrounds and rigid eligibility criteria even for mid-career professionals.

Industry experts have often argued that while academic performance may help assess fresh graduates, years of hands-on experience, project execution, leadership and problem-solving abilities become far more relevant for senior roles.

The engineer also confirmed that the startup did not contact him again after the social media backlash surrounding the incident.