Chennai Founder Says He’s ‘Out Of Touch’ After Candidate Demands Rs 16 LPA, Internet Fires Back

A Chennai-based entrepreneur claimed he was feeling “out of touch with today's generation” after a job interview and following a salary discussion with a prospective employee.

Sumanth Raman, founder of Algorithm Health, shared the experience on X, revealing that a candidate with four years of experience and a current compensation package of Rs 7.2 lakh per annum had asked for a salary of Rs 16 lakh during an interview for a technology role.

Raman wrote, “Interviewed a candidate for a tech opening yesterday. CTC for the candidate with four years' experience in the current company is Rs 7.2 LPA. Asked what the expectation was. Candidate says Rs 16 lakh. I said that's more than double current CTC. Candidate says yes, that's what I want. Conversation ended soon after. Increasingly feeling out of touch with today's generation.”

Interviewed a candidate for a techie opening yesterday. CTC for the candidate with 4 years experience in current company is 7.2 LPA. Asked what the expectation was. 
Candidate says 16 lakh. I said that's more than double current CTC. Candidate says yes that's what I want.…

— Sumanth Raman (@sumanthraman) June 2, 2026

The post quickly exploded across social media, igniting a heated discussion about salary negotiations, market rates, workplace expectations, and whether an employee's current pay should play any role in determining future compensation.

Many users argued that Raman's reaction reflected an outdated approach to hiring. They contended that salary expectations should be tied to skills, experience, and prevailing market rates rather than a candidate's existing paycheck.

One user wrote, “Candidate dodged a bullet. You people will suck the soul out of people and pay them as little as possible. And you're out of touch because you haven't lived the life of a youngster in this situation. Four years for Rs 16 LPA is below the baseline today for big MNCs. I guess you need to update your figures.”

Candidate dodged a bullet, you boomers will suck the soul out of people and pay them as less as possible. And youre out of touch coz you havent lived the life of being a youngster in this situation, 4yr for 16LPA is below baseline today for big MNCs, ig you need to update your…

— avrl ☘ (@avrldotdev) June 2, 2026

Another commented, “You're right to feel increasingly out of touch with a generation that knows what they are worth and what the market price is. In your generation, you didn't have the tools that people have now to know when they are being shortchanged. Obviously, you'll feel out of touch. The current generation has higher self-respect per capita.”

You're right to increasingly feeling out of touch with a generation that knows what they are worth, and what the market price is. In your generation you didn't have the tools that the market has at disposal now to know when they are being shortchanged.

Obviously you'll feel out…

— Shravan Venkataraman (@theBuoyantMan) June 2, 2026

Several users went even further, insisting that the candidate's demand was neither excessive nor unrealistic.

“It's not a big demand. He is underpaid,” one user wrote, while another commented, “Good for the candidate! If the previous CTC is the baseline and not a skill, then they had better stay at the current company. What an age-old, intrusive practice!”