How Big Tech Giants Are Bringing India’s Caste System to Silicon Valley

Graduates from the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are among the most sought-after talent pools for global tech giants. On a bright day in 2017, Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet Inc., visited his alma mater, IIT Kharagpur. He was welcomed like a celebrity and recalled fond memories of college life, such as skipping classes and meeting his future wife. While addressing the 3,500 students, he promoted Google and asked how many wanted to join the company. Hundreds eagerly raised their hands, prompting him to jokingly suggest opening a Google campus in Kharagpur.

The 23 highly competitive, government-funded IITs serve as top-tier feeder schools for companies like Google, Microsoft, and other global tech giants. Each year, hundreds of their graduates are hired by the world’s leading technology firms. When the IIT system marked its 50th anniversary in 2003, Bill Gates recognized the outstanding contributions of IIT graduates at Microsoft and stated that the company had invested more in IITs than in any other institution outside the U.S. or U.K.

While these institutions produce world-class engineers and innovators, some critics argue that problems like outdated teaching methods and social pressures may hold some students back. Nevertheless, IIT graduates remain a valuable asset for global employers.

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