TCS Employee's Salary Shock: 25k to 22.8k in 5 Years, HR Scared by Slip

• A TCS Java Developer's Reddit post went viral, detailing his salary drop from ₹25,000 to ₹22,800 in 5.5 years.
• The employee admitted to focusing on government job exams over IT skills, leading to low-performance bands (C to D).
• He was placed on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) in July 2025, which he passed by secretly switching projects, but his annual appraisal was withheld.
• After upskilling in January 2026, he faces difficulty securing new jobs as HR departments are suspicious of his low salary slips.
• Reddit users offered diverse advice, including joining startups for rapid skill growth or pursuing an MBA for a career change.

Why It Matters: A TCS employee's viral post highlights the critical impact of skill focus and performance on IT career growth.