Gurgaon techie left Rs 18 LPA job fearing AI layoffs, for a Rs 10 LPA bank job. Now, he wants his IT job back. Why?

A Rs 8 lakh salary cut seemed like a fair price for job security. But one year after leaving an Rs 18 LPA IT job in Gurgaon for a Rs 10 LPA public-sector bank role in Chandigarh, one professional is reportedly having second thoughts. Gurgaon-based financial content creator Amit Arora shared his friend’s career dilemma on X, highlighting a question many professionals may be asking amid AI-driven layoffs: Is a more secure job always worth sacrificing salary, growth and work satisfaction?

Why did he leave his Rs 18 LPA IT job?

According to Amit Arora, his friend was working in an IT job in Gurgaon when concerns around AI layoffs began growing. Worried about the uncertainty in the technology sector, he decided to move towards what he believed would be a more stable career. He left his Rs 18 LPA job and joined a public-sector bank in Chandigarh. The move came with a significant financial trade-off, with his salary falling to around Rs 10 LPA.

Despite the Rs 8 lakh reduction in annual salary, he was initially comfortable with the decision. As Arora shared, his friend believed that earning less would be acceptable if it meant gaining greater stability.

One year later, he started regretting the decision

The reality of the new job, however, turned out to be different from what he had expected. According to Arora, his friend now finds the lower salary difficult to accept. He is also unhappy with the work culture and feels that the bureaucracy in the public-sector bank is not what he had anticipated. After spending a year in the new role, he is reportedly reconsidering whether leaving the IT sector was the right decision.

The dilemma is complicated because returning to IT would mean giving up some of the security he originally sought.

IT job vs public-sector bank job: What is he weighing?

Arora’s post highlights the contrasting trade-offs facing his friend. Returning to an IT job could potentially mean a higher salary and better earning opportunities. However, it could also bring back the concerns that prompted him to leave in the first place. These include performance pressure, longer working hours and the fear of layoffs.

On the other hand, his current public-sector bank role offers what he originally wanted: better perceived job security, more predictable work and less pressure to constantly upskill. That makes the decision far more complicated than simply comparing Rs 18 LPA with Rs 10 LPA.

The bigger question: Is job security worth a lower salary?

The situation shared by Amit Arora highlights a difficult career choice for professionals navigating an uncertain job market. A higher-paying private-sector role can offer stronger earning potential and faster career growth, but it may also come with greater competition and concerns about job stability. A public-sector role can provide greater perceived security and predictability, but employees may have to accept lower salaries, bureaucratic processes or a different workplace culture.

For Arora’s friend, the decision now comes down to whether the security he gained is worth the financial and professional compromises he made.