A viral Reddit post has drawn attention to pay stagnation at TCS after a software developer claimed his monthly salary fell over 5.5 years. The post surfaced in January 2026 on an online developer forum in India and matters as pay growth remains subdued across large IT services firms.
What changed in TCS salary progression
The developer said he joined TCS in 2020 with a monthly in-hand salary of ₹25,000. By early 2026, his take-home pay stood at ₹22,800. He shared these details on the r/developersIndia subreddit, where the post gained rapid traction.
Soon after, the claim spread across LinkedIn and other professional forums. Many users focused on the numbers. Others questioned how compensation could move backward over multiple appraisal cycles at TCS.
How the TCS appraisal system works
In later comments, the employee described receiving low performance ratings over several years. He said he focused on preparing for government exams after graduating from a tier-three engineering college. As a result, he did not prioritise technical upskilling during his early years at TCS.
He stated that the ratings placed him in lower appraisal bands across cycles. In July 2025, he was placed on a Performance Improvement Plan. He later moved to a different project and remained employed, but his appraisal process stopped, according to his account.
Impact on workers and hiring Outcomes
By January 2026, the developer said he had trained as a Java backend professional and started applying for new roles. He claimed interviews progressed until recruiters reviewed his salary slips. At that stage, discussions ended.
The post prompted hundreds of responses. Some users advised switching to early-stage startups. Others suggested management education as an exit route from technical roles. Several comments focused on how to present skills without highlighting past compensation at TCS.
Why the issue resonates now
The experience reflects wider concerns in India’s IT workforce. Salary hikes at large services firms have remained limited in recent years. Promotion cycles have slowed. Early-career ratings now carry long-term financial effects.
Industry observers note that prolonged low ratings at firms like TCS can lock employees into narrow pay bands. Without early job switches, earnings growth often remains constrained.
TCS has not commented on the individual claim. The post remains unverified. Still, it has turned an anonymous account into a broader discussion on whether long-term loyalty delivers sustainable pay growth in India’s IT sector.
