"What do you do?"
"I am a software developer", I replied.
"Cool, so you write these code and algorithms and create these magical apps."
"Yeeyss.. Kind of", I murmured.

In India, our focus isn't on software development but rather on software maintenance. Our primary aim seems to be keeping our US executives satisfied, often through ego-stroking activities. Much of our time is spent crafting PowerPoint presentations and attending unnecessary all-hands meetings, where mediocrity is often rewarded. It's no wonder that India is primarily seen as a cost-effective destination for development by US-based multinational corporations.

Don't misunderstand me; I'm not criticizing my employer. These MNCs pay us significantly more than other industries in our country. We can earn upwards of ₹50 lakhs per year for tasks that often involve little actual development work but plenty of mundane tasks. It's ironic that the higher you climb in these companies, the less innovation is required to succeed. I've witnessed brilliant individuals getting trapped in stock schemes(RSUs/ESPP) and spending the rest of their careers doing menial tasks in the name of work-life balance. What's the point of attending prestigious institutions like the IITs and acquiring software development skills when all we end up doing is fixing comments and improving indentation in legacy code?

I recently came across the term "imposter syndrome," which many software engineers experience. But then I realized, how can one have imposter syndrome when they truly are imposters? The reality is that the vast majority of software developers here contribute little to the developer ecosystem and struggle to maintain outdated software dumped on us by these MNCs. Calling these centers "development centers" is misleading; they should be termed "scrap yards" where end-of-life products are laid to rest.

Thanks to advancements in AI, such as ChatGPT, Copilot, and other tools, it's becoming increasingly evident that many jobs in these "development centers" are at risk of redundancy. Even today, these roles fail to add significant value, but they do allow a few savvy MBAs in management to earn substantial sums by hiring more laborers (developers) in India and dubbing themselves leaders on LinkedIn. Managing 500 people might seem impressive, but not when the primary task is overseeing 5 obsolete products.

continued...