I've been through the same feeling back in 2006-07. I'd come up with great ideas and discovered that the Indian IT industry didn't give me a chance to explore any of them. My work, for a leading IT company, was only to execute instructions set by someone. While lot of my colleagues found their comfort in doing almost brainless job - I knew my head would explode. Like everyone else, I found defense in using some complicated buzzwords while explaining "What do you really do in this big company?". As you said, I was a simple robot executing instructions and following deadlines. Worst - I had to defend myself in appraisals saying how important my work was.

Frankly speaking Indian IT companies don't require engineers. Any average guy who can operate computer can do 99% of the IT jobs usually taken up by the 'End To End' solutions company. I remember I was asked to go on a recruitment drive by a company to another city. I was going through the question paper and model interview questions we'd ask to the candidates (fresh graduate engineers) and I had an issue. I said, the questions we are asking to potential candidates are very difficult and once he/she gets recruited, we don't have the job to offer that would match their talent. Ultimately, there's no place in Indian IT for the talented engineers. I bet almost all IT engineers with 3-4 years of experience will agree with me.

Has Indian IT given jobs to middle class candidates? Well, yes. Otherwise, what would our engineers do otherwise? They'd die of hunger. IT has enabled average engineers to earn money. But at what cost? There's an ongoing scandal going on to keep the Indian engineers work for cheap. Let me give you an example: In the west, an average fresh graduate engineer commands a salary of $5000 (my rough guess). While in India, A fresh grad is recruited for < $800 to do the similar job! What kind of slavery is this? Where is the pride?

I won't blame anyone but the Industry. People see huge buildings built by leading IT companies and think they are really doing 'awesome' job. Mechanical engineers today dream of getting into IT company! What a shame! And I believe I've authority to say this because I too worked in Software Company while my education is of an Electrical engineer.

Shit! My head is full of thoughts now. I wish I could shake every Indian engineer's head and feel it with some patriotism and self - respect.

Some stats to add to this -

One XYZ conpmay earns mroe than ABC company as they recruit Bsc grad for non engineering rols where as ABC employess all Btech grads. Btech gradsa charge more.

Too much going on in my head too.
i cant say it out to anyone. They feel : this girl has gone nuts, she doesnot wnat money, she is talking in air"

@Biggie: Going for a job is really a shame in IT industry just because it is coding based mostly, isn't it? True. But it would be great once you get some experience, you switch over to some product based job. After all, I think most people go after making money, so it would be a great way that we can have more Narayan Murthy's if we can have product based jobs that service based jobs. In any industry, we have stagnation, speaking of India. It would be great if can see some innovation in University level teaching too. I agree, it is really difficult to invent a whole new thing, but making changes in current technology can be counted as product based projects.

@Durga: This type of thinking will perhaps make you happy. 😀