India, Feb. 1 -- A startup founder has sparked discussion online after explaining how many companies inflate cost-to-company (CTC) figures, making job offers appear far more lucrative than they actually are.

Sahil Thakur, founder of BlockseBlock, shared a story on LinkedIn about one of his students who recently received an offer from a Mumbai-based startup, quoting an annual package of Rs.18 lakh. At first glance, the offer seemed impressive. The student celebrated, posted about it online, and informed his parents. However, Thakur explained that a closer look at the salary structure told a different story.

"A student just showed me his offer letter. Rs.18 LPA. Startup. Mumbai. He was celebrating. Posted on LinkedIn. Called his parents,"...