A recent post on X (formerly Twitter) has ignited a heated debate among India’s tech community, questioning whether a ₹50 lakh per annum (LPA) salary has become the new norm in Bengaluru’s booming IT industry.
The post by user Sourav Dutta reads, “I hear so many people earning 50LPA in Bangalore IT sector. Either they’re stating inflated CTC or 50LPA is the new 25LPA. Can some techies confirm?” The query quickly went viral, drawing thousands of reactions from professionals across the country.
Some users humorously exaggerated the trend, stating, “50L is the new 10L,” and claiming ₹1 crore+ salaries are the real benchmark now in India’s Silicon Valley. “If you’re not earning 1 Cr++ in Bengaluru, it’s a waste of time,” one user said.
However, the sentiment wasn’t unanimous. Others argued that such figures only represent a small elite in the industry. One user questioned the comparison: “You should have some baseline — are you comparing 50LPA to 10LPA from 2005, 2015, or 2020?”
Some users also pointed out the regional disparities in tech pay. “Just Bengaluru things. In Hyderabad, 25L is still 25L,” remarked another commenter, implying that Bengaluru’s salary bubble doesn’t reflect the nationwide trend.
Breaking down the numbers, a self-identified software engineer added clarity by detailing how packages are structured. “Microsoft offers 50LPA, but only 16L is base salary. The rest are RSUs [Restricted Stock Units] vested over 3–4 years,” they said. After deductions and tax, the actual take-home may fall below ₹1.2 lakh per month.
Amid the discussion, CBRE’s 2025 Global Tech Talent Guidebook added a noteworthy update: Bengaluru’s tech workforce has officially surpassed 1 million, making it the largest technology hub in the Asia-Pacific. The city is now rubbing shoulders with global tech epicenters like San Francisco, London, and New York.
While ₹50LPA may still be aspirational for many, the discussion highlights the growing stratification within India’s tech ecosystem, where compensation, cost of living, and opportunity vary sharply depending on skill level, location, and employer.