IIM student’s Rs 3.5 lakh/month internship stipend sparks debate on ‘degrees holding weight’: Internet shares even bigger paycheques

An IIM Calcutta student recently bagged an internship that pays Rs 3.5 lakh per month, sparking fresh conversations online about the value of degrees and formal education. The story was shared by Sakshi Jain, founder of the branding agency Viralyze Media, on LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter). She revealed that her friend, currently pursuing an MBA at IIM Calcutta, has secured a two-month summer internship in Mumbai with a total stipend of Rs 7 lakh.

Sakshi wrote, “Met a friend from IIM yesterday. She’s in Mumbai for her summer internship. And she’s getting paid Rs 3.5 lakh per month. Yeah, my jaw dropped too.”



The high stipend made her reflect on how degrees, especially from top institutes like IIMs, can still hold a lot of value. While social media often says that degrees don’t matter, Sakshi admitted this moment made her pause.

“We love saying ‘degrees don’t matter’ online. And I’ve believed that too. But sometimes, you come across moments that make you think twice,” she wrote. “Maybe degrees don’t matter everywhere. But sometimes, they open doors you never knew existed.”

In her LinkedIn post, Sakshi acknowledged that success doesn’t depend only on education. People can build successful careers in many different ways. However, she said degrees from institutes like IIMs and IITs often give students a strong head start.

She concluded by saying, “There are many ways to reach success. Each path is valid.”

Social media responds

Her post has since gone viral on X, crossing 1.5 million views and receiving hundreds of reactions. Many users shared similar stories of their friends or batchmates receiving high-paying internships from top colleges.

One user wrote, “Met some IIT students recently. One of them got a 2-month internship worth Rs 25 lakh. That’s Rs 12.5 lakh per month.”

Another person commented, “People can say ‘MBA doesn’t matter’, but IIM A, B, and C are in a league of their own. That tag stays with you forever.”

A third added, “It’s something to be proud of, India’s IITs and IIMs are counted among the world’s best.”

IIM Calcutta is one of India’s most prestigious business schools. Its alumni include well-known names like Indra Nooyi and Ramachandra Guha.