- IIT degrees are debated as personal success or a foundation for future generations' growth
- An IIT alumnus claimed if your child also needs IIT, the family's social escape has failed
- IITs are seen as engines of social mobility, unlike legacy-based elite institutions abroad
Securing admission to an IIT is seen as a major milestone for many students, but a recent discussion on X has raised a broader question about the impact of such an achievement. A user questioned whether an IIT degree should be viewed merely as a path to personal success or as a foundation for creating long-term opportunities for future generations. The conversation began after X user Akash Sampurnanand Panday shared a remark he said he heard at an IIT alumni gathering.
"If you went to IIT, and then your son also had to go to IIT, you have failed" - heard this at an alumni meet IIT launches a guy once, and his entire next generation reaches escape velocity. The 1985 IIT graduate's kids go to Stanford or Harvard, not Kanpur or Kharagpur," he wrote.
He contrasted this with institutions such as Harvard, which he described as places where family legacy often compounds across generations through alumni networks, philanthropy and inherited prestige. By comparison, he argued that IITs have historically functioned as engines of social mobility, helping talented students from middle-class backgrounds improve their family's economic prospects through merit rather than inherited privilege.
"Vicious, but the logic holds. IIT is a cut-throat escape ladder for families to jump their social class. If your kid still needs the ladder, your escape didn't stick. It might be the only elite institution where legacy is a quiet embarrassment," he added.
See the post here:
"If you went to IIT, and then your son also had to go to IIT, you have failed" - heard this at an alumni meet
— Akash Sampurnanand Pandey (@late_bloomer_7) August 2, 2026
IIT launches a guy once, and his entire next generation reaches escape velocity. The 1985 IIT graduate's kids go to Stanford or Harvard, not Kanpur or Kharagpur.…
The post quickly gained traction, drawing sharply divided reactions. Some users rejected the premise, arguing that India should aspire to build world-class universities and cities that families would proudly choose across generations rather than viewing elite Indian institutions as stepping stones to opportunities abroad.
Others defended the IIT system, saying its admissions process is built on merit through the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), unlike elite universities in some countries, where wealth, family influence or legacy admissions are often seen as playing a larger role. They argued that the absence of legacy admissions is one of IITs' greatest strengths.
One user wrote, "We need to create elite cities and elite universities which are cherished for generations. The elite in India must learn how to build them in India as their home and destiny."
Another said, "There are other good engineering colleges in the country too, I don't understand this obsession. India will progress only when everyone is given a chance to opportunities." A third commented, "The uncomfortable truth about elite institutions that serve as escape ladders. Legacy feels like failure because the whole point was to make the next jump unnecessary."
