‘Degrees hold weight after all?’ ₹3.5 lakh IIM stipend tweet sparks heated debate— is this merit or privilege?

A tweet about an IIM Calcutta student earning ₹3.5 lakh per month for a summer internship has stirred intense debate on X, reigniting questions around the worth of elite degrees, pay disparity, and the lived reality of India’s top-tier educational institutions.

The tweet, posted by Mumbai-based entrepreneur Sakshi Jain, reads:

“Met a friend from IIM Calcutta yesterday. She’s interning in Mumbai.

Getting paid 3.5L per month

And it kinda hit me — 7 lakhs in 2 months?

Maybe degrees do hold some weight after all.”

The post instantly went viral, resonating with aspirants, students, and professionals across the country. It opened the floodgates for both admiration and skepticism, with many chiming in with anecdotes, opinions, and sharp reality checks.

One user claiming to be from IIM Calcutta replied:

“I am from IIM C too and an avg IIM C student is not even getting 3.5 lakhs for 2 months combined btw. She is definitely an outlier as 3.5 LPM puts her in top 5 out of batch of 480 in terms of stipend amount.”

Another, less impressed, commented:

“It’s going to be a hardcore consulting job, not worth it. I will continue running business to any job any day.”

Yet many users stepped up to defend elite institutions and the kind of rigorous talent they produce:

“Degrees do hold some weight and some rightfully should. The IITs are tougher than a ‘Harvard’ to crack. Same with IIMs. These are the institutes where the real India is formed. They absolutely deserve this kind of pay.”

The tweet subtly challenged the growing “degrees don’t matter” narrative that dominates online spaces, especially in an era celebrating self-taught entrepreneurs and creators. Jain’s post offered a counterpoint, illustrating how elite educational backgrounds can still unlock rare, high-paying opportunities.

The conversation also laid bare the stark gap between top 1 per cent earners and the average student, even within elite institutions. For many, the tweet wasn’t just about money—it was about the continuing social capital of an IIM tag and what it represents in the larger Indian dream.

While the tweet didn’t name the company offering the stipend, many speculated it to be a top-tier consulting or finance firm, known to offer such packages to a select few.