A Mint review of more than 300 job descriptions showed that startups such as Javis, Abacus AI, Auxo AI, and others are extending annual packages in the ₹39-60 lakh range—with some US-based positions touching ₹2.6 crore+ for roles spanning voice AI, multimodal engineering, and core machine language (ML) development.

In contrast, established firms—from BlackRock and IndiGo to major FMCG and IT services players—are offering ₹16-35 lakh for AI-linked roles, with IT services firms continuing to hire at scale but at far lower compensation levels compared to the AI startup cohort.

However, according to Kamal Karanth, co-founder of Xpheno, a recruitment firm specializing in tech and startup staffing, startups usually hire in smaller numbers—one or two students for niche roles—while traditional firms recruit at scale.

“Startups, however, value fresh talent because they bring a fresh pair of eyes, especially in implementing AI-led solutions,” Karanth said. “While there isn’t a large pool of ready-made AI talent, young recruits tend to learn faster than experienced professionals.”

He further highlighted that hardcore AI engineering roles remain the forte of Silicon Valley, while AI support roles are more frequently hired in India.

The startup hiring surge

Mint’s review of job descriptions revealed interesting instances of the trends at play.

Mumbai-headquartered AI startup Javis is stepping up hiring as the industry is shifting its focus towards curated AI services rather than using generic AI software, necessitating highly skilled engineers in the workforce.

“This shift is creating a once-in-a-lifetime kind of opportunity for organizations like us,” Amanpreet Singh, founding member of the AI firm, told Mint. “Our hiring drive reflects our commitment to innovate and lead in this rapidly evolving landscape.”

According to Singh, Javis has increased its packages by up to 40% to attract the right minds for roles such as voice AI engineer, agentic AI engineer, and machine learning (ML) engineers—specializing in creating “computer vision and multimodal AI capabilities”.

“Compensation packages ranging from ₹39-52 lakh were offered to attract the best minds into our AI engineering and research teams,” Singh added.

California, US-based AI firm Giga is also scouting for software engineers for its San Francisco office as well as for remote work from India. For the US role, it is expected to offer $210,000 (over ₹2.66 crore), including $120,000 of its stock vested over four years and $30,000 annual bonus. For the India-based roles, Giga is expected to offer ₹25-45 lakh with minimum ₹10 lakh bonus. The hired candidates may also receive Esops.

In an emailed response to Mint queries, the company highlighted that in 2025, it had increased the median salary and bonuses to attract and retain candidates from IITs.

“We’ve made adjustments in response to the exceptional talent we’re seeing from IITs. Our updated packages aim to attract the brightest minds… The offers vary depending on the location and the candidate’s skill level. The maximum range significantly exceeds $150,000 per year,” a company spokesperson wrote in the email.

It also emphasized that Esops have been beneficial in keeping the employees engaged in the past, and expects them to work for their IIT recruits, too.

“We want our new hires to align with us for the long term. When we succeed over time, everyone who holds shares benefits along with us… The most significant rewards come when we establish ourselves as a generational company,” said the spokesperson.

Auxo AI, a San Francisco, US-based AI firm looking for AI engineers for one of its India offices, is expected to pay a little above ₹27 lakh, with a joining bonus of ₹1 lakh, retention bonus of ₹10 lakh after three years, and an annual performance bonus of ₹2.1 lakh.

“Our focus on AI engineering hiring at IITs is not about chasing a trend; it is about building the core engine of our business. By bringing in world-class AI talent, we can transform messy, fragmented enterprise data into intelligent systems that automate workflows, augment decision-making, and create entirely new revenue opportunities,” Deepesh Hiran, AuxoAI’s managing director heading India operations, told Mint.

“An AI‑native team lets us move from pilots to production at startup speed, while still meeting the reliability and governance standards large customers expect,” he added.

Abacus AI, another San Francisco-based AI firm hiring software and ML engineers to work remotely from India, may offer ₹50-60 lakh in annual compensation. “These roles are very core to the tech we are building in an extremely competitive AI/ML space,” said Manish Vora, an alumnus of IIT Bombay, heading the operations in the country for the firm.

Mumbai-based AI and analytics firm Fractal Analytics, which is also exploring an initial public offering, may offer ₹35 lakh for an AI engineering role, accompanied by a retention bonus of ₹3 lakh after 13 months, with a 12-month clawback period, according to the job descriptions reviewed by Mint. The firm declined to comment.

Smaller offers, but larger scale

Meanwhile, legacy firms seem somewhat reluctant to loosen their purse strings. Asset management giant BlackRock is looking for data analyst engineers specializing in AI development for its Aladdin Data team for its Gurugram and Mumbai offices, and is expected to offer ₹22 lakh annual compensation.

Interglobe Aviation, the parent company of India’s largest airline, IndiGo, is hunting for AI engineers to “translate state-of-the-art research around agentic AI, autonomous and adaptable AI and other data science and engineering methods into robust, maintainable, and scalable systems”. It may offer ₹16.5 lakh for the role.

FMCG major Hindustan Unilever Ltd, which is hiring for its leadership programme with an expected salary exceeding ₹35 lakh, is also looking for candidates skilled at “creating AI-led forecasting tools to improve demand planning accuracy in volatile markets”.

Queries emailed to BlackRock, InterGlobe Aviation, and HUL remained unanswered.

On the other hand, IT firms, which typically hire in large numbers, have slowed their intake from engineering colleges. Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, and Wipro are expected to hire 42,000, 20,000, and up to 12,000 freshers, respectively, in 2025-26, according to their management commentaries. In contrast, HCL Technologies plans to hire more than 7,800 freshers, albeit in specialized, skill-based roles, Mint reported earlier.

Meanwhile, beyond engineering, top management consulting firms are eyeing talent from top B-schools such as the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) to hire management talent specializing in AI, Mint reported earlier.

This comes at a time when a global employment squeeze is prompting many graduates to return to India without securing work abroad, leaving them to repay loans that are now costlier than they had budgeted for in rupee terms.

The Indian rupee’s (INR) slide past 90 per US dollar will hit students at various stages of their study-abroad journey, with their overall costs jumping sharply, said Victor Senapaty, founder of Westbridge Capital-backed education financier Propelld.

“The same hundred thousand dollars suddenly becomes much more expensive in rupee terms,” Senapaty said.

After breaching the 90-per-dollar mark on Wednesday, the rupee slipped further to an all-time low of 90.56 on Thursday before pulling back to close at 89.98. The domestic currency settled at 89.94 on Friday.

The average ticket size for a loan from a non-bank lender for studying in the US is ₹40 lakh. An average loan size at a bank is similar, although there is a provision to avail higher loans.

A four-year undergraduate degree could cost as high as $55,000-$100,000 a year for certain Ivy League institutions.

Senapaty said Indian students will now have to work harder for outcomes. “The entire thing hinges on one question: do you get a job or not? If yes, great. If not, it becomes an all-or-nothing game.”

The development also comes at a time when a large batch of students prepare to head abroad in February to join universities this spring.

Typically, fall (August-September) and spring (February-March) are when the largest batch of students depart for higher studies. Most of 2025 was a flip-flop as the US government increased its scrutiny of visa approvals.

Double whammy

Tensions between several US universities and the government have unnerved many parents in India and this led to a 25-50% drop in applications for loans to study in the US in the first half of the year. The result was that many deferred their course by a semester, while others opted for destinations such as the UK, Canada, and Australia.

A weaker rupee will add to their troubles, as well as for those who have graduated and returned to their hometowns while still searching for a job.

“The rupee breaching the 90 mark is not a ‘no-go’ for students who have plans of studying abroad, but those who are repaying loans taken in dollars will face the pressure,” said Ankit Mehra, co-founder and chief executive officer of GyanDhan, an NBFC that focuses on loans for overseas education.

“This is especially for the batch of 2022-2023, many of whom have graduated and are working from India. Their loan payment would have started and now they have to repay a higher than factored amount.”

Sonal Kapoor, global chief business officer of Prodigy Finance, an international student lender, said currently, “students who are taking loans in rupee may need to reconsider their options”.

They may eventually earn in US dollar. “The initial stages of their journey can be confusing and some may end up taking a larger loan than they expected just to manage daily living expenses abroad. The first few months can feel confusing simply because the numbers keep shifting with the exchange rate,” Kapoor said.

Students have the option to take dollar loans when they are confident of earning abroad. “The depreciation of the INR can actually be beneficial for international students, especially those who are working, as it offers significant financial relief since they earn in dollars. Their families will receive more money in INR as a result,” she added.

However, Senapaty of Propelld cautioned that it could be a risky choice without possibility of definite employment in the US. “If they don’t get a job and return to India, they’re in trouble because they’re earning in INR but repaying in USD while the rupee keeps weakening. That’s the worst combo.”

According to data provided by the government in Parliament in March, 750,000 Indians were studying abroad in 2022. That number shot up to 892,000 in 2023, but dipped to 759,000 in 2024 in the wake of geopolitical crises and visa curbs.

CUET 2026 registrations are now LIVE! The National Testing Agency (NTA), on Saturday, rolled out registrations for the Common University Entrance Test (CUET UG) 2026.

CUET 2026: Direct link

Candidates can register for the examination by applying on cuet.nta.nic.in. Click here for the direct link

CUET 2026: How to apply – a step-by-step guide

Candidates can apply for CUET 2026 via the following steps:

1. Visit the official CUET website at cuet.nta.nic.in.

2. On the homepage, click the registration link under the “Candidate Activity” section.

3. Complete the registration process and log in using the credentials generated – such as application form and password.

4. Fill out the application form carefully, ensuring all details are accurate.

5. Upload scanned copies of the required documents as per the given guidelines.

6. Pay the application fee using the available online payment options.

7. Submit the form and download the confirmation page for future reference.

CUET 2026: Important dates to keep in mind

According to the notification released by the examinations board, the CUCET 2026 registration window will remain open until January 30, 2026.

Applicants can submit their forms up to 11:50 pm on January 30, while the last date to pay the application fee—via credit card, debit card, net banking or UPI—is January 31, 2026, until 11:50 pm.

Already registered for CUET 2026? Here’s how to fill up online form

In case you have already finished the registration process for CUET 2026, login using your application number and password generated at the time of registration. Once logged in, complete the application form and submit.

UPSSSC PET Result 2025: The Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC) released the PET Result 2025 on Friday on its official website, upsssc.gov.in.

Through the exam, the board fills vacancies in various Group “B” and “C” posts across the state. Those who clear the exam will receive a UP PET certificate, valid for three years.

UPSSSC PET Result 2025: Login details required

Candidates who appeared for the Preliminary Eligibility Test (PET) held on September 6 and 7, 2025, can now check their results using their login credentials such as registration number, date of birth.

UPSSSC PET Result 2025: How to download – a step-by-step guide

Candidates who had appeared for the exam can download the result PDF via the following steps:

• You will be redirected to the login page.
• Enter your Registration Number, Date of Birth, and any additional details requested (such as Gender or Captcha).
• After submitting the form, your PET result/scorecard will appear on the screen.
• Download and save or print the scorecard — you may need it for future recruitment steps.

Details to check on scorecard

The UPSSSC scorecard includes key information about a candidate’s performance in the exam. After downloading, candidates should carefully verify the personal and exam-related details listed below:

The UPSSSC had conducted the PET exam on 6th and 7th September 2025 across the state.

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal said on Saturday that the colonial mindset in education was an obstacle to India’s progress and that we must take pride in our rich heritage.

“We must shed our colonial mindset, which is an obstacle to India’s progress. We must take pride in our rich heritage and family value system. India is known for “unity in diversity” and we must respect that. Lastly, we must fulfill our duties to our nation,” the minister said, addressing the annual convocation of Amity University in Noida.

Goyal’s remarks came on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking at HT Leadership Summit, referred to 2035 as the target year to overcome the “mindset of slavery” from the colonial era. This reference cites the 200th anniversary ofMacaulay’s education policy.

Goyal said that there can be no greater contribution by a university than encouraging talented minds to return, nurturing their abilities, and providing them a platform that recognises and respects their potential. He also congratulated the graduating batch of nearly 29,000 students, including online and on-campus learners and said that the achievements of the students and awardees were the true focus of the ceremony, according to a government statement.

Range of opportunities offered to students: Goyal

Goyal highlighted the wide range of opportunities offered to students and expressed satisfaction that half the student population comprises young women, praising the university’s strong innovation culture, which boasts over 450 patents held by students. He also took note of the fact that 50 faculty members are Ramalingam Swami Fellows who have returned to serve the nation.

The minister described the graduating cohort as an important part of India’s journey towards a developed nation by 2047, noting that the next 25 years will be the defining era for Viksit Bharat. He urged students to take their chosen fields to the next level, push boundaries, and make meaningful contributions to national progress.

Goyal praised the contribution of teachers and parents, acknowledging their sacrifices and dedication in shaping the graduating cohort. He encouraged the students to remain connected with their alma mater and extend appreciation to their mentors.

As the graduates step into the real world, the minister reminded them that challenges and struggles are part of the journey but expressed confidence that the education and values imparted by Amity University have equipped them to face these with strength, confidence and focus. He urged them to contribute actively to nation-building and play a meaningful role in India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation.

We must shed our colonial mindset, which is an obstacle to India’s progress.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Ashok K Chauhan, Founder President, Amity Education Group, highlighted the group’s commitment to making each student a success story. “The students must have a will and desire to succeed. Amity will ensure that the students achieve their goals and fulfill their dreams, since students’ success is of utmost importance to us. Amity provides not only a high level of education but also imbibes values and “sanskars” in its students, which make them stand out from the rest,” he said.