still. Even after taxes, the amount should be more than a T1 A0. Yes, at higher levels the T1 associate will easily beat ITC but I will choose ITC 100 times because of the mental peace
As someone who has worked there, I would highly recommend against joining ITC. The pay hike in the subsequent years joining doesn’t even match inflation and the work culture is extremely toxic. Not one person will ever tell you that they have liked working there. But if you’re set on joining then please make sure that you reduce the variable component cause even though it’s 20 lakhs while you join the amount you get after taxes is just 85K. All things considered, for skill development, better mental health and better pay, please do some research on good law firm teams
Hi, I posted the comment. Yes, it is definitely better than law firm toxicity. But please don’t join it to expect it to be incredibly better. Let me give you a very honest pros and cons description of the place:
1. Pros
a. The work is very interesting and unless you’re in the corporate team, you’d hardly be made to do dumb monotonous work.
b. Somewhat better than other in-house jobs.
c. The hours are “slightly” better than that of law firms.
Cons:
a. I know many law firm teams that are way better than ITC. Plus a lot of the skills you learn at ITC are NOT transferable. Do consider while joining: cause if you end up being stuck under a toxic boss and don’t see growth, you have nowhere to go. It’s not as easy to switch from one in-house job to another.
b. When you see your friends become SAs / PAs who have learned how to game the system, you would be making peanuts. The pay, even though lucrative at first, will hardly ever increase. For instance, your in-hand salary after 7 years of work ex is 1 lakh 75 thousand a month. The work load is very very similar to that a managing associate. Your friends would be making partner soon and they’d also be building good connections while you at ITC would be working just like an associate at a law firm.
b. Furthermore, your work at ITC will never decrease with seniority. If anything, you’d be making more frequent visits to courts. Yes, there will not be as frequent 5 AMs but it’s not a walk in the park either.
c. If you don’t like litigation, don’t join because you’d be doing all the behind-the-curtain drafting work, minus the face-time with the judges. ITC legal is primarily a “litigation minus the arguing” job. Any work that isn’t litigation at ITC is NOT considered as “work”.
d. Another disadvantage is that once you join, you’ll most likely be sent to Calcutta and the environment there is toxic (especially if you’re not Bengali). Being cut off from your college friends (most of whom are going to be either in Bombay or Delhi) would be tough, and since you’re so cut-off from the rest of the world, the kind of networking you need to succeed and get another job is hard.
e. ITC is by no stretch of imagination a 9–5: you work pretty much around the clock and even go to work on weekends.
f. There is no provision of working from home and leaves are scoffed at. Hardly anybody ever works from home. Unless you have a proper physical ailment, (like you have a foot injury which impedes you from going to work), you will be made to come to work
g. You’re berated for your clothes, hanging out with other colleagues or fraternising with people from other departments. The work is such that you don’t make connections outside of work and only now am I realising the true value of networking. The work is pretty much desk-facing or court-facing. Growing into another profession or doing any other job is bad.
Overall, I still would say that a law firm job for a different team is a better fit: it can also give you the skills and contacts to start your law firm or if not that then at least earn a good living. ITC can be soul-crushing and putting the “bare minimum” to survive at ITC is not an option. I am yet to hear one person say “I like my job at ITC”, which although perhaps can be said about law firm jobs too, but that should be telling.
You’re assuming that the entire pay package, which is 21.75 lakhs will be split into 12 and given each month. Out of 21.75, 6–7 lakhs is considered to be a “variable” pay, out of which you only get around 4 (which is also subject to tax deduction). 50K per year is for “sampling”, i.e. the reimbursement you get for spending at itc goods and services. You’re forced to buy them and will only be “refunded” for it. Further, there are HRA deductions, PFs and so much more. Also, if you don’t live in Bangalore / Delhi, you won’t get the additional 60K annual “metro allowance”. That’s how the 21.75 lakhs comes down to around 90K per month for A1 level people (80K is for an absolute fresher). Do ask around if you don’t believe me, I am not saying this out of spite. It’s just what it is.
1. Pros
a. The work is very interesting and unless you’re in the corporate team, you’d hardly be made to do dumb monotonous work.
b. Somewhat better than other in-house jobs.
c. The hours are “slightly” better than that of law firms.
Cons:
a. I know many law firm teams that are way better than ITC. Plus a lot of the skills you learn at ITC are NOT transferable. Do consider while joining: cause if you end up being stuck under a toxic boss and don’t see growth, you have nowhere to go. It’s not as easy to switch from one in-house job to another.
b. When you see your friends become SAs / PAs who have learned how to game the system, you would be making peanuts. The pay, even though lucrative at first, will hardly ever increase. For instance, your in-hand salary after 7 years of work ex is 1 lakh 75 thousand a month. The work load is very very similar to that a managing associate. Your friends would be making partner soon and they’d also be building good connections while you at ITC would be working just like an associate at a law firm.
b. Furthermore, your work at ITC will never decrease with seniority. If anything, you’d be making more frequent visits to courts. Yes, there will not be as frequent 5 AMs but it’s not a walk in the park either.
c. If you don’t like litigation, don’t join because you’d be doing all the behind-the-curtain drafting work, minus the face-time with the judges. ITC legal is primarily a “litigation minus the arguing” job. Any work that isn’t litigation at ITC is NOT considered as “work”.
d. Another disadvantage is that once you join, you’ll most likely be sent to Calcutta and the environment there is toxic (especially if you’re not Bengali). Being cut off from your college friends (most of whom are going to be either in Bombay or Delhi) would be tough, and since you’re so cut-off from the rest of the world, the kind of networking you need to succeed and get another job is hard.
e. ITC is by no stretch of imagination a 9–5: you work pretty much around the clock and even go to work on weekends.
f. There is no provision of working from home and leaves are scoffed at. Hardly anybody ever works from home. Unless you have a proper physical ailment, (like you have a foot injury which impedes you from going to work), you will be made to come to work
g. You’re berated for your clothes, hanging out with other colleagues or fraternising with people from other departments. The work is such that you don’t make connections outside of work and only now am I realising the true value of networking. The work is pretty much desk-facing or court-facing. Growing into another profession or doing any other job is bad.
Overall, I still would say that a law firm job for a different team is a better fit: it can also give you the skills and contacts to start your law firm or if not that then at least earn a good living. ITC can be soul-crushing and putting the “bare minimum” to survive at ITC is not an option. I am yet to hear one person say “I like my job at ITC”, which although perhaps can be said about law firm jobs too, but that should be telling.