An Instagram user named Asha has gone viral after sharing her disbelief over a low salary offer for a pharmacist vacancy. In her video, she detailed how a hospital offered her a monthly salary of up to ₹14,000.
The situation took a surprising turn when Asha discovered that a cleaner employed at the same hospital earned ₹16,000 per month, highlighting a startling disparity where a specialized healthcare role was valued less than an entry-level cleaning position.
Cleaner earning ₹16,000 per month
“Yesterday I went to one hospital regarding a pharmacist vacancy. So I went there. Before going there, I met one lady, she was cleaning the mop and cleaning the floor,” Asha said in her Instagram video, which was posted on July 19.
When Asha asked how much she earns every month, the cleaner replied “ ₹16,000”.
“So I expected that if the cleaner earns ₹16,000, the pharmacist would at least be paid ₹18,000 to 20,000,” she confessed in her video.
‘Completely shocked’
However, the content creator was in for a shock.
{{/usCountry}}However, the content creator was in for a shock.
{{/usCountry}}“I went upside and HR asked me: Do you have any experience?” she revealed. “I said, ‘No ma'am, I'm completely fresher in pharmacy, but I do have experience in the healthcare department where I worked for four years. But in pharmacy, I'm a complete fresher.’"
“Then she said... what she said that completely shocked me, and I laughed and laughed. I came from there,” said Asha.
According to the Instagram user, the HR offered her a base pay of ₹12,000 to ₹14,000 for 10 hours of work every day.
“Based on your work, we will decide. Either it will be 12, 13, or 14,000,” the HR told Asha, adding: “Actually, we don't take freshers. But yes, if we take freshers, our basic salary will be 12 to 14,000.”
Asha said she laughed and exited the interview as she was in disbelief over the low pay.
Viral video sparks debate
The video has gone viral with nearly 9 lakh views and sparked a debate about salaries in India.
Some said it was unfair to compare salaries with a cleaner who may have worked at the hospital to reach that pay grade.
“She may be mopping for 10, 20 years. Don't compare yourself with her. She may have started somewhere between 4 to 6 thousand,” a user pointed out.
“You’re right, and I have full respect for her hard work. My intention wasn’t to compare professions—it was to highlight the low starting salary for qualified healthcare professionals,” Asha replied.
Other healthcare professionals agreed with Asha on the issue of low pay.
“My first salary was 7.5k. I’m a doctor,” read one comment under the video.
“Dentist whose starting salary is 10 k laughing in the corner,” another said.
“Many places and big hospitals expect you to work for 10-12 hours straight and offer 12-15k. After deductions you dont get more than 10k a month,” a viewer said in the comments section.