‘No toilet, no leave, constant pressure’: 25-year-old quits Rs 19 lakh PSU job, says, ‘Ghar mein aisa mahaul tha jaise maine koi crime kar diya’

For many young Indians, getting a PSU job is seen as a major achievement. A good salary, job security, and the social respect attached to such roles make them highly desirable. But in recent years, conversations around workplace stress and job satisfaction have become more common, especially among younger professionals.

Amid these discussions, the story of Sourabh Mittal, a 25-year-old engineer from NIT Kurukshetra, has gained attention online. Despite landing a BPCL job with a salary package of around Rs 19 lakh a year, Mittal decided to leave the role, saying he faced difficult working conditions and constant pressure at work.

A job many dream of

Mittal joined BPCL at the age of 22. Like many engineering graduates in India, he saw the PSU role as a major career milestone. However, according to him, the experience after joining was very different from what he had imagined.

He claimed he worked in a warehouse where basic facilities were reportedly missing. According to Mittal, there was no proper toilet, no drinking water, and several facilities at the workplace were damaged.

He further alleged that complaints regarding these issues were ignored. Mittal also shared that the conditions became so difficult that he had to use his own home for basic needs during office hours.

Pressure beyond the workplace

Apart from the infrastructure issues, Mittal also spoke about the work environment and the pressure he faced regularly.

He described the workplace culture as outdated and stressful. According to him, seniors would often shout at employees. He also claimed that he was asked to handle personal work for senior officials, including airport pickups and hotel bookings.

Mittal further said that work pressure did not stop after office hours. Calls reportedly continued late into the night and even on weekends. Leave approvals were difficult, while promotions and salary hikes were slow.

Explaining his decision, Mittal said, “I couldn’t imagine spending my whole life like this.”

He also mentioned that most employees around him were much older, which made him feel there was limited scope for growth and learning.

Family had mixed feelings

Leaving a PSU job was not an easy decision for Mittal, especially because such jobs are highly valued in many Indian households.

He shared that his father was upset with his decision because of the respect and security attached to government sector jobs. However, his mother supported him after seeing the stress he was dealing with.

Social media users supported his choice

As his story gained attention online, several people shared supportive reactions and related to his experience.

One person wrote, “Indeed, a good and thoughtful choice which many of us have done and proven our ways for the better. Best wishes to you too.”

Another user commented, “Could relate to this, having went through this transition 16 years before. Good luck with your endeavours!”

One supportive message simply read, “Good job, brother.”

Another user added, “All the best to you.”

Disclaimer: This article is based on statements reportedly shared by Sourabh Mittal and publicly available social media reactions. The Times of India has not independently verified the claims regarding workplace conditions, experiences, or events described in the account. Thumb image: Instagram