More than one-third of employees at leading technology firms in India are graduates of tier-3 colleges, a new survey by Blind, the anonymous community app for verified professionals, has revealed, reported TOI.
The survey, conducted between September 17 and 24, gathered responses from 1,602 Indian professionals. Colleges were grouped into four tiers based on the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025. According to Blind’s classification, tier-1 includes premier institutions such as the IITs, IISc, top IIMs, and BITS Pilani. Tier-2 covers reputable universities like NITs, DTU, and Jadavpur University, while tier-3 encompasses other state or private universities across the country.
While traditional financial firms continue to place a premium on college pedigree, the survey found that leading tech companies are increasingly prioritising skills over alma maters.
At companies such as Zoho, Apple, Nvidia, SAP, and PayPal, where many respondents said their college “had little impact” on their careers, tier-3 graduates made up an average of 34% of the workforce. In contrast, the survey found that firms such as Goldman Sachs, Visa, Atlassian, Oracle, and Google still lean heavily on campus recruitment.
The survey also revealed a stark divide in how graduates viewed the role of their college in shaping their careers. Most tier-1 and tier-2 alumni credited campus hiring for their career breakthroughs, while 59% of tier-3 graduates and 45% of overseas graduates saw their college as little more than a résumé detail.
On salary impact, only 15% of tier-3 alumni said their education had a strong positive influence on their earnings.
The findings highlight a shifting trend in India’s tech industry, where skill and adaptability are increasingly outweighing pedigree in shaping professional success.
With inputs from TOI
The survey, conducted between September 17 and 24, gathered responses from 1,602 Indian professionals. Colleges were grouped into four tiers based on the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025. According to Blind’s classification, tier-1 includes premier institutions such as the IITs, IISc, top IIMs, and BITS Pilani. Tier-2 covers reputable universities like NITs, DTU, and Jadavpur University, while tier-3 encompasses other state or private universities across the country.
While traditional financial firms continue to place a premium on college pedigree, the survey found that leading tech companies are increasingly prioritising skills over alma maters.
At companies such as Zoho, Apple, Nvidia, SAP, and PayPal, where many respondents said their college “had little impact” on their careers, tier-3 graduates made up an average of 34% of the workforce. In contrast, the survey found that firms such as Goldman Sachs, Visa, Atlassian, Oracle, and Google still lean heavily on campus recruitment.
The survey also revealed a stark divide in how graduates viewed the role of their college in shaping their careers. Most tier-1 and tier-2 alumni credited campus hiring for their career breakthroughs, while 59% of tier-3 graduates and 45% of overseas graduates saw their college as little more than a résumé detail.
On salary impact, only 15% of tier-3 alumni said their education had a strong positive influence on their earnings.
The findings highlight a shifting trend in India’s tech industry, where skill and adaptability are increasingly outweighing pedigree in shaping professional success.
With inputs from TOI
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