How the Caste System is Quietly Destroying the US Tech Industry

Career Hub
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Let me share a story from a friend that completely shattered my faith in the so-called “meritocracy” in tech.

My friend works in data, solid skills, strong in SQL, Python, experimentation frameworks, you name it. One day, out of nowhere, a new Indian manager was parachuted into his team.

This guy looked polished, fair-skinned, articulate, and had that “must’ve worked at a top company” vibe. At first, everyone thought he was some FAANG-level hire. But after a few weeks, things started to unravel.

He couldn’t code.
He spoke in vague buzzwords during meetings.
He didn’t understand technical decisions.
But somehow, he kept getting promoted and his status was untouchable.

My friend was confused. How did this guy get here?

Then came the real shocker: this wasn’t just one bad hire. It was an entire system…

In many US tech companies, a large portion of Indian engineers come from specific upper-caste backgrounds. These communities have powerful internal networks—alumni groups, caste-based social circles, and informal referral pipelines.

There are even “coworker review” meetings where only Indian employees are present, and decisions are made about who’s “in” and who isn’t.

It’s not just internal referrals. It’s a full-blown internal monopoly.
Get referred by the network, get hired, then refer the next person in.
Eventually, managerial roles circulate only within this inner circle.

Meanwhile, outsiders—like my friend—who try to succeed based on skills and hard work alone, hit an invisible wall.

People who can’t even code end up leading teams of talented engineers. And those doing the real work are stuck in the shadows, never seen, never promoted.

Let’s stop pretending tech is merit-based. It’s relationship-based, and in many corners, it’s caste-reinforced.
You’re staying up late grinding Leetcode.
They’re getting promoted through a family WhatsApp group.

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I think many would agree “who-you-know” definitely matters more in almost any field, but to hear that there are systems like these established is very discouraging :cry:
Do you have any suggestions as to how people can improve their chances or at least cope with this?

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sorry for hearing this… it happens sometimes…

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That’s a heavy but very real story thanks for sharing it.

I’ve seen similar patterns, and it’s honestly painful when you realize hard work alone isn’t enough. Tech loves to sell the idea of meritocracy, but in reality, who you know often matters more than what you can do. And when those networks are closed off by language, region, or caste it creates a system where people outside that circle barely stand a chance.

It’s not about blaming individuals, but calling out how the system quietly rewards familiarity over fairness. We need to have these conversations, even if they’re uncomfortable especially for those of us trying to break in without a built-in safety net.

Your friend’s story isn’t just one-off. It’s a mirror for what’s happening across the industry.

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Thank you for sharing this story! It’s really insightful in how U.S. workplaces are shaped by employees’ connections in their hometowns.

I remember several years ago there was lawsuit in CA regarding workplace discrimination based on the caste system, which evoked debates around whether the caste system constitutes a sort of discrimination in the U.S. context. And the conclusion is yes. We should keep an eye on this phenomenon so that we can maintain a more inclusive work environment here.

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Happening in other industry as well, just with lower pay

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IIRC Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill blocking caste discrimination in CA :upside_down_face:

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