Indian Tech Levels Comparator

Where the levels come from

The L3–L10 taxonomy started at Amazon and Google in the early 2000s and is now the standard reference across BigTech (Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Apple), unicorns (Flipkart, Zomato, Razorpay, PhonePe), and global capability centres (Walmart Labs, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan tech centres). Indian companies use idiosyncratic titles (SE1, SDE-2, Senior Engineer, Principal, Architect) that map cleanly to the L-scale on responsibility, scope, and compensation.

Worked example: L5 in India FY 2025-26

A mid-level senior engineer (3–6 years experience, can independently drive a feature end-to-end). At Amazon Bengaluru that's SDE-2 with CTC ₹40–65 lakh (incl. RSUs). At Flipkart it's “Senior SDE” / SDE-3 at ₹35–55L. At a Series-B startup it might be “Senior Engineer” at ₹25–40L cash + 0.05–0.2% ESOP. At a TCS / Infosys it's “Technical Lead” at ₹15–25L — significantly lower because the role has different scope and accountability. One number, four very different packages.

When to use this

• Comparing two offers across Indian unicorn vs MNC GCC vs IT services
• Calibrating an internal promotion request — what does L6 mean here
• Switching from services to product — same years, different level
• Negotiating a counter — knowing what L7 typically pays in Bengaluru vs Hyderabad

CTC bands are FY 2025-26 ranges and shift with macro hiring conditions — the 2022 peak vs 2024 reset created different bands for the same level. Use the CTC calculator to map offered CTC to in-hand, the job offer comparator for city-adjusted comparisons, and read Indian tech levels L3 to L8 for the full level-by-level rubric.