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Bengaluru CEO offering ₹50 LPA laments talent crisis as 1000 applicants fail basic coding task: ‘Big f***ing problem'
A Bengaluru CEO criticised declining coding standards, revealing over 1,000 backend applicants submitted mostly unusable or AI-generated code.
A Bengaluru-based CEO and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee alumnus recently sparked an online conversation about the quality of tech talent in India. Umesh Kumar, the CEO in question, took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his frustration after reviewing a flood of job applications for a backend engineering position.
(Also read: ‘Porn dekh rahi ho?’ Bengaluru CEO’s shocking remark to intern sparks outrage)
“India seriously has a big talent problem,” Kumar wrote in his post. “We got around 1,000 applications for a backend engineering role in just the last 2-3 days, and guess how many were actually decent? We asked for a basic, simple coding task. The submissions? Mostly absolute trash. AI-generated crap everywhere. But that’s ok. Code that doesn't even run. Running code, libraries needed for the code to work are even missing. Honestly, forget high standards; is it too much to ask for code that actually compiles?”
Fast-track hiring process and ₹50 lakh salary
Kumar explained that his company’s hiring process is simple and efficient, contrasting it with the often prolonged procedures of larger tech firms. “Here’s our process straightforward:
Simple coding task
CEO call (15 mins)
CTO call (45 mins)
Paid one-day trial with the team
Offer. Done.”
He added, “We aren't Big Tech, dragging you through months of interview hell just to reject you. Our hiring is quick, simple, and respects your time. And let's get real, we pay a damn good ₹50 Lakh base salary plus relocation, food, and the chance to work with some of the best talent out there. So yes, at this pay scale, expecting code that actually runs is justified.”
Check out the post here:
Mixed reactions from tech community
The post, which has garnered over 280k views, drew a wide range of responses from users.
One user remarked, “It’s gonna get a lot harder to find great talent with students using AI in college.” Another echoed the sentiment, saying, “Same god damn AI-gen sloppy codes. Can’t even make an Insta basic feed frontend without AI.”
Another user commented, “I noticed this trend while working as an interviewer at Google,” while someone else added, “This has been happening since as far back as 2002. I remember interviewing candidates who had memorised every axiom and design pattern by heart, yet couldn’t write a single working line of code.”
(Also read: ‘Complete breakdown during video call’: Bengaluru man hospitalised after CEO’s brutal outburst)
Some criticised the pre-interview screening itself. “By requiring a coding task before speaking to the person, you filter out ALL good talent, and end up with whoever is desperate,” one said. Others suggested, “You should mention the range of CTC or LPA for the job position—it can lead to some serious submissions.”
One quirky take advised, “Hire people with anime PFP or indie hackers from X. You're not gonna get disappointed.”
