New Delhi, June 8 -- An IIT degree, once seen as a sure-shot ticket to a high-paying tech career, is facing a stark reality check. A fresh graduate's viral plea for career advice has sparked a massive online debate about a tightening software job market, growing AI anxiety, and the collapse of traditional placement expectations.

Caught between the "bhed chaal" of software engineering roles and the looming threat of AI (artificial intelligence), the fresh BTech holder said he's facing a tight deadline to choose between a low-paying startup internship or pivoting to a PhD in Quantum Computing.

In a viral post, the fresh graduate said, "I have just graduated from Btech IIT and as a usual 'Bhed Chaal,' I had also started preparing for SDE (...