'IITians are...': Woman's take on 'elitism' triggers online debate

A heated online debate has erupted over the perceived elitism of IIT graduates, sparked by a woman's candid remark labelling them ‘insufferable to the core’. The comment has drawn both support and fierce backlash, dividing opinions on the reputation and attitude of alumni from India's prestigious engineering institutions.

In her post, the woman expressed her frustration and stated that there is air of elitism in IITians. "Every IITian I've ever met is so insufferable to the core. Hate to generalise but I've not seen one (1) normal IITian (especially from tier 1 IITs and top branches). There’s an extreme air of elitism and placing themselves on a pedestal all the time. Arrogant a******s, highly dismissive of others,” she wrote. 

Her criticism resonated with many others on social media, who shared their own experiences with IITians. One commenter alleged, "I worked with an IITian who held an All-India Rank of 92. He surprisingly filed a formal complaint with HR because a graduate from a regular engineering college was assigned a workstation just three cubicles away from him. His reasoning? That someone of his calibre shouldn't be seated near a 'lesser' engineering graduate."

Another user chimed in, "I agree. The IITians I've met have a surprisingly outdated perspective on startups and life in general. Despite being in their 20s, their mindset seems more in line with someone in their 60s."

However, not everyone agreed with her assessment. Many people pushed back against her generalization, sharing their own positive experiences with IITians to provide a more nuanced perspective. One user, who works with multiple IITians daily, countered, "I collaborate with over 15 IITians every day, and I'm not an IITian myself. I can confidently say that they're humble, hardworking, talented, and completely devoid of attitude issues."

Another user, who earned their PhD from IIT and is married to an IITian with an All-India Rank of 600, chimed in, "My husband and I are both IITians, but we've long forgotten about our alma mater. Not all IITians fit the stereotype you've described. It seems you've unfortunately encountered the wrong ones."

These responses highlighted that not all IITians exhibit elitist behaviour and that individual experiences can vary greatly. They encouraged a more balanced discussion, acknowledging that people from all backgrounds can possess both positive and negative traits.