A student who took an education loan of Rs 40 lakhs to study abroad found himself debt-ridden, struggling to make ends meet, and support an ailing parent. Taking to Reddit, a user named The Tech Phiopsopher shared his struggles in a long emotional post. He revealed that he took a loan of Rs 40 lakh in 2022 to pursue his Master's degree in the US. His father operated a small manufacturing business, and along with his family, they put in everything they had - emotionally and financially - to help him chase the "dream of a better future".
However, the user said that despite completing his degree, he faced significant challenges in securing employment in the US due to the economic recession, visa restrictions, and limited internship opportunities for Indian students. "I applied relentlessly for a year, but couldn't even earn enough to cover my own living expenses. My family sent me money every month so I could eat - draining their last savings," he shared.
I took an education loan of ₹40L to study in the US — now I'm back in India, drowning in debt, and don't know what to do
byu/theTechPhilosopher inindia
Eventually, his father's business collapsed, and his father fell ill. "They couldn't support me anymore, and I had to come back to India, heartbroken, jobless, and with a huge loan on my head," the Redditor wrote.
Then, after months of job searching, he secured a position in India with a monthly salary of Rs 75,000. However, "my EMI is Rs 66,000/month. That leaves me with just Rs 9,000 as personal savings, now the business is running and it can support the family, and handle everything else," he shared. "I'm trying to pick up extra freelance or part-time work, but between my day job and my father's declining health, I'm emotionally and physically drained," the user wrote.
The OP expressed feeling that his life is consumed by merely surviving this crisis. "We were a modest middle-class family... and now we're on the edge," he said. "I don't know who to turn to anymore. I'm trying to contact the bank for restructuring, applied for side gigs - but nothing has worked so far. That's why I'm here: asking Reddit for advice, guidance, or if anyone knows of individuals, or organizations that help people in situations like this," the user added.
"If you've been through something similar or know someone who can help - even just to talk - I'd be immensely grateful," he concluded his post.
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Since being shared, the post has gone viral. "Try to find freelance work in the weekends and get experience from ur current job and after 1 or 1.5 years switch ur job. Switching job increases ur package so if you are earning 75000 today you will end with higher packages later on. Just don't be disheartened n believe in urslf. Good luck to you," advised one user.
"Try to find freelance work on the weekends and get experience from your current job and after 1 or 1.5 years, switch your job. Switching jobs increases ur package so if you are earning 75000 today, you will end with higher packages later on. Just don't be disheartened and believe in yourself. Good luck to you," commented another.
