Anupam Mittal, founder of Shaadi.com and a judge on Shark Tank India, stirred a debate on X after questioning the “35 per cent salary increment” norm during job negotiations. In a post on X, Mittal parodied a typical hiring exchange.

“When can you join? In one month. Salary? 35 per cent increment? Why 35 per cent? It’s standard, Sir. WTF? Ye standard kisne banaya (Who set these standards)?” he wrote.

The post quickly went viral, with many users split in their opinions. Some agreed with Mittal’s take, arguing that salary expectations should depend on merit and market value, while others defended the 35 per cent benchmark as a reasonable expectation in today’s job market.

As the debate escalated, Mittal clarified that his objection was not to salary negotiations themselves but to the

See Full Page