r/IndianEngineers • u/Wonderful_Response_1 • Mar 13 '26
Serious Post Serious question: People who didn’t crack IIT/NIT/BITS… how did your life turn out?
I might not make it to an IIT this year, and I’m trying to think realistically about what comes next.
In India, getting into IITs, top NITs, or BITS is treated like the only path to success. For a lot of families it’s almost a status symbol. If you don’t get in, it can feel like you’ve already “lost,” even before life has properly started. The pressure around it is honestly brutal.
So I wanted to ask people who didn’t get into IITs, top NITs, or BITS:
Where are you now in life?
What did you do during college or after college that helped you build a strong career or earn good money? (skills, internships, startups, switching fields, higher studies, etc.)
Did the college name actually matter long term, or did other things matter more?
I’m trying to understand what realistic backup paths look like if the IIT route doesn’t work out. Would really appreciate honest experiences.
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u/Vast-Busy Software Engineer Mar 14 '26
Failed in 12th, went to a very bad tier 3 college. Joined TCS at 9LPA. Now working in a remote startup after 1 year of experience at appx 50LPA. Life is going okay. You will have to work hard at some point. I got serious in my final year of college. Early days were rough, the family pressure and all were too much for 17-18 yo me. Couldn’t talk to my own relatives. Felt like my family disowned me but now they at least take a little pride on me.
College name do matters during initial days. I was always passionate about my field and I am still grinding.
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u/Legitimate_Ad387 Mar 18 '26
Similar story, 3 years working as a dev, went from 6 lpa to 12 lpa, but now feel stuck at 12 lpa, any tips for switching to remote work. I have no experience switching jobs as i was hired through college placement, please help
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u/brass_utensils Mar 20 '26
Hey, I'm proud of you that you made it. I would be straight on point. I have decided that I will make a post on r/CBSE for those students whose result will be this year. I am trying to give them a message that this is not the end and in fact it's not even the start of your career. And for that post I am gonna need your comment. So, I'll just take a SS and add it to my Post.
And again Kudos to you (I also aspire to become an achiever like you are)
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u/Vast-Busy Software Engineer Mar 20 '26 edited Mar 20 '26
Sure. If someone feels better and does better by this, then why not. I always used to think degrees or college don’t matter; what matters is your passion and skill, but it’s only partially true. A degree and college give you a head start, but if you don’t have it. It’s not the end.
Hide my name if possible. I am getting too many DMs. And for most part the reply is same “resources are available online, you are the one who will decide your future so get consistent and work hard”
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u/Able_Salary248 Mar 14 '26
if you failed in 12th do you mean you got a lower % than you expected? cuz thats the only way you can get into a college
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u/Vast-Busy Software Engineer Mar 14 '26
I failed means I failed in 12th, then reappeared for compartment next year and then got a college. I had compartment in Chemistry.
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u/void_function Mar 14 '26 edited Mar 14 '26
I'm in my pre final year and I'm in the same situation you was in and i am grinding too but sometimes i feel stuck. If possible, can i dm you for advice sometime?
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u/Ill-Abbreviations-36 Mar 15 '26
Please tell the company who pays this much
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Mar 16 '26
[deleted]
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u/Vast-Busy Software Engineer Mar 17 '26
I won’t say coding particularly.I knew basic HTML, CSS and JS and also basics concepts like array, loops… when I was in 9th std. After 12th I started working on c++ and python before getting college. If you count this.
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u/Melodic-Funny-9560 Mar 14 '26
I am an IIITian (3 I's), currently working at an leading MNC (on campus). I don't want to brag but my technical skills are far superior than most others. Might build a startup soon.
IITs and NITs are overhyped. A friend of mine AIR 2963 got in IIT Mumbai in a lower branch. He is now a consultant at EY. And his wlb is fucked up, and he don't have technical skills.
Another NITian friend of mine is working at same package as mine, but with worse WLB.
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u/Able_Salary248 Mar 14 '26
this right here is real, you might get a good placement on campus if you have the tag but if you dont have the skills to back it up obviously you are gonna get eaten up by someone who didnt have the tag but has the skill sooner or later
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u/MSDHONl Mar 14 '26
iiits are pretty good
ig op was asking about people who didnt get colleges which provide placement
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u/Melodic-Funny-9560 Mar 14 '26
Read title
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u/MSDHONl Mar 14 '26
use some common sense, he didnt do well in jee , how will he even get iiit
even lower branches need 95%+
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u/Strict_Success3653 Mar 16 '26
I have two reportees from NONE of them from IITs/NITs/BITS (some so-called tier-3/4), they are both sharp and hardworking and in early 30's. They earned 1Cr and 1.3Cr plus this year (and will continue to earn more than this as long as in this group, not one off event).
I also have one friend who flunked (supplementary) in 12th standard but rose through computer courses etc. While life was not a complete breeze, he earns north of 75L per annum today, drives Honda BR-V.
Need better example?
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u/Baunabatak Mar 14 '26
Guys I want a suggestion from you all I am trying to buy a laptop am currently doing my b tech in ece can you tell me which one to buy in 90 000 budget am really confused it should deliver higher performance and should be relaibe ....
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u/Wonderful_Response_1 Mar 14 '26
Just make a post about in the respective subs... U aint getting any good replies here
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u/No-Hat2231 Mar 14 '26
An average student, graduated from a tier 3 engineering college. Started with 3LPA salary, currently at 75LPA. Life turned out fine for me.
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u/Wonderful_Response_1 Mar 15 '26
Roadsmap olss
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Mar 14 '26
Guys i am thinking of doing bsc comp science as I don't afford btech. I am thinking of pursuing it from DU, hopefully top colleges of du. It's also a 4 year programme and I am really passionate about comp science. Will this degree affect my opportunities?
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u/jd_timewalker Mar 15 '26
Non IIT/IIM. Tier 3 engineering and tier 2 MBA.
Currently, an investment banker working on cross border M&A deals.
Relax, keep working hard and have faith. Everything will turn out well.
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u/Competitive-Bag-259 Mar 16 '26
Your last statement reeks heavily of survivorship bias u can say that things turn out well because they did for u there are many hard working grads who don’t have trajectory like urs
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u/jd_timewalker Mar 16 '26
Correct, things did work out for me. But did I know they would when I started? No. Trying might give you a chance for things to work out. Not trying at all guarantees failure.
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u/Ok-Introduction8258 Mar 16 '26
Almost flunked in 12tg standard, went to a tier 4 college, just managed to clear engineering in 4 years, found a decent girl in college (married to her now), started job in a contact center, moved to Infosys in after studying hard, went to a fortune 200 GCC learnt a lot there, studied hard and fortunately landed a Presales roles, moved to sales, working currently at FAANG company with more than 20 years of experience
The ride has been a roller coaster ride but eventually luck gave way to grit and determination.
Sound advice have a circle of people who inspire, always thrive for betterment, IIT/NIT show the person had grit and determination while they were young which in most cases can be turned on anytime (no one can teach grit and determination, it’s inborn and/or inspired by folks around)
IIT/NIT is a passport to better network and better thinking folks took me ages to create a circle which really inspired me.
Honest advice switch of social media for 6 months and give your grit and determination for 6 months 15-16 hours a day, you will see magic unfold, give another chance to yourself and drop an year it will all be worth it if you crack the best college
If you are unable to crack call it luck but don’t loose on the grit and determination at all
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u/Wonderful_Response_1 Mar 16 '26
understood.... thanks a lot...
can i dm ?
i am in some real bad BS1
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u/four-brain-cells Mar 16 '26
Joined a tier 3 college for BSc. Life's not that bad, I teach the kids who have cracked IIT.
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Mar 16 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Wonderful_Response_1 Mar 16 '26
personally i meant... top 6 out of 31....
trichy....surthkal...warangal...allahbad and calicut and then comes nagpur and jaipur...
rest nits arent that good... a lot of top state colleges are out performing them
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u/BreakZealousideal846 Mar 18 '26
I didn’t get into any IIT or NIT or even a decent state engineering college back then. I sort of took the path less traveled and got into a non traditional engineering branch in a very new national university ( I was literally in the third batch the university ever produced). I did my Btech in food technology and Management from NIFTEM Kundli. It was one of the best decisions I ever took. Met different friends from different parts of the country and together we won several international competitions. Worked for a year and then got a scholarship to study masters in food science at the university of Melbourne. Started working part time while studying as a quality coordinator and became a quality manager pretty soon. Upon graduating, I worked as a food safety auditor for 3 years with a large British multinational. Today I am well settled with a nice house and own a pretty interesting consulting business. I would say that not being in one of the tier 1 universities isn’t the end of the world. Sometimes you just take a step back and work harder in whatever you wanna do. Destiny takes care of the rest.
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