In a striking reflection of how the younger generation values mental peace and job satisfaction over conventional employment security, a 25-year-old engineer has resigned from a highly sought-after public sector job. Saurabh Mittal, an alumnus of the prestigious NIT Kurukshetra, made headlines after sharing his ordeal on social media about why he walked away from Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), despite drawing an annual package of ₹19 lakhs. His viral post has ignited a fierce national debate regarding toxic work environments and sub-standard infrastructure within public sector undertakings (PSUs).
Saurabh, who joined the premier oil company at the young age of 22, revealed that the actual work environment was a far cry from the prestigious reputation of the firm. He described the office space allocated to him as nothing short of a dilapidated godown, completely devoid of basic human amenities. The workspace lacked clean drinking water and, shockingly, did not even have a proper toilet facility. Saurabh recounted that when the office air conditioning broke down, he had to repair it out of his own pocket because management ignored his pleas. Fortunately, his home was just a 10-minute walk away, forcing him to rush back and forth multiple times a day to use the restroom until the day he finally resigned.
Beyond the abysmal infrastructure, Saurabh slammed the regressive management practices and extreme work pressure that took a heavy toll on his mental health. He noted that whenever sales dipped, senior officials resorted to hostile micromanagement, frequently berating employees during video conferences and phone calls. The professional boundaries were completely non-existent, with work calls invading his personal life late into the night and across weekends, while his official leave requests were routinely rejected. While his father initially opposed the decision to leave a secure government job, his mother stood by him after witnessing his deteriorating well-being—a sentiment echoed by thousands of netizens who have lauded his courage to prioritize self-respect over a hefty paycheck.
