u/Stealth_Specter

I’m 26 and have been in a government job for the past 3 years. The pay is decent, I have excellent job security, all the usual govt benefits, and soon the 8th CPC revision is going to give my salary a solid bump. On paper, it looks safe and comfortable.

But the reality is killing me slowly:

The work is not challenging at all.

Almost all my colleagues are 20–30 years older than me and have completely given up on learning or growth.

The only conversations are politics and gossip.

I feel like I’m becoming average just by being around them.

I keep thinking about switching to the private IT sector for much higher pay and actual growth. But I’m also terrified because of everything I keep hearing:

Massive layoffs are happening right now (even Oracle did huge rounds recently)

Constant work pressure, burnout, toxic environments, and corporate politics

People in private literally telling me “don’t come here, try to get a govt job instead”

I’m not planning to resign blindly — I’ll only switch once I have an offer. But I need to decide right now whether I should start preparing seriously for private jobs (LeetCode, system design, etc.) or just accept the govt life and focus on internal growth/promotions.

I don’t need to figure out my entire life today, but I have to pick one path and commit so I don’t waste the next few years oscillating and then regret it when I’m 30+ with more responsibilities.

Real question for people who have actually worked in private IT (especially those who switched from govt or have been in product/service companies):

Is the private sector really as bad as people describe right now (layoffs + toxicity + burnout)?

If you were in my position at 26, what would you do?

Did you ever regret leaving a stable govt job? Or did you regret not leaving earlier?

Any long-term perspective on work-life balance, money vs peace, and future job security in private vs govt?

I just don’t want to make a decision I’ll regret for the rest of my life. Would really appreciate honest, experienced takes — especially from people currently in the industry or who have lived both worlds.

from u/kakashioftheleaf29

Even though banking offers so many perks and allowances for literally everything and also concessions on loans, more in-hand salary, still, whyyyy?

We bought a flat in South Delhi about a year ago. Water comes in through the DJB pipes, and there's no supply issue, but we don't have a formal registered connection in our name. I recently found out that most residents in our building are in the same situation: the water just runs, nobody has an official connection, and no DJB official has ever come by to ask questions.

Our builder told us there's no point getting it formalised since "the water is already coming anyway and nothing will happen."

So, should I get a water connection and pay bills, or continue without a connection even when we get a normal water supply?

We bought a flat in MCD's Central Zone about a year ago. I recently found out that most residents in our area don't pay property tax at all, and MCD officials rarely show up to follow up or enforce anything. Our builder flat-out told us there's no point paying since "nothing will happen."

But I'm not convinced. Even if enforcement is weak right now, I worry that unpaid dues could pile up with penalties over the years and become a nightmare later, especially if we ever try to sell the property. The builder's advice feels self-serving rather than genuinely helpful.

Has anyone been in a similar situation under MCD? Is there any real risk to skipping property tax when almost the entire neighbourhood is doing the same, or should I just pay up and stay clean?