Noida IT Engineer Quits Job Expecting Better Opportunity, Ends Up Driving Rapido to Pay EMIs; Viral Video Sparks AI Job Loss Fears

Noida: A viral Instagram video has ignited a nationwide debate on India’s tightening tech job market after a Noida-based IT engineer, unable to find work for two months, turned to Rapido gig rides to stay afloat and pay his mounting home loan EMIs.

Posted by Instagram user Nomadic Teju, the video—shot in Greater Noida’s Gaur City—has struck a chord online, highlighting the financial vulnerability of mid-career tech workers caught between stagnant hiring and rising living costs.

From IT Desk to Bike Seat: How the Decline Began

In the video, Teju narrates how his friend, a full-time IT engineer, resigned from his job expecting a better offer—only to encounter a severe hiring slowdown.

What followed was a cascading financial crisis:

• Flats in Gaur City cost ₹1 crore to ₹2 crore
• Rent ranges from ₹30,000 to ₹35,000 per month
• Home loan EMIs remained unchanged
• Job prospects dried up

With no stable income, the engineer was forced to rent out his own apartment and move into a cheaper flat. To keep his EMIs from defaulting, he now works part-time with Rapido while doing occasional freelance tech gigs.

Teju describes the situation as a “harsh reality check for India’s middle-class tech workers.”

Social Media Reacts: ‘This Is Just the Beginning’

The comments under the video reveal the depth of anxiety gripping India’s young workforce—especially those in IT.

“This is just the beginning… A large number of people are already losing their jobs, and even more will lose them in the future.” — Instagram user

Another user warned:

“It’s going to be more challenging in India. If you can move abroad, don’t think twice.”

Many commenters blamed AI for intensifying job uncertainty:

“Just gonna get worse with more AI adoption.”

Others advised caution in financial planning:

“Avoid big purchases. Those with housing loans should consider selling now, pay off EMIs and stay stress-free.”

A Larger Trend: AI, Hiring Freezes and a Middle-Class Crunch

The engineer’s story echoes the broader tremors in India’s IT sector:

• Companies are cutting back on hiring
• AI tools are replacing routine engineering roles
• Mid-level workers face “experience paradox”—too senior for junior roles, too junior for leadership
• Salaries haven’t kept pace with inflation
• Home loan debt is at an all-time high in NCR

Industry analysts say the next few years could bring a reshaping of India’s white-collar job landscape, with many workers forced into gig jobs and part-time roles.

A Warning—and a Wake-Up Call

While some viewers expressed shock, others saw this as a wake-up call for India’s booming urban middle class.

The viral video has renewed calls for upskilling, financial discipline, and diversification of income streams as uncertainty grows around the future of tech jobs in a rapidly evolving AI-driven world.

For now, one Noida engineer is navigating that uncertainty—on his motorcycle, one Rapido ride at a time.