Zomato co-founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal has sparked a heated debate after receiving over 10,000 applications within 24 hours for the position of chief of staff, which requires candidates to pay Rs 20 lakh as a donation to Feeding India, Zomato’s charitable initiative. Goyal announced the overwhelming response on Thursday, setting a 6 PM deadline for applications.
“We have over 10,000 applications, a lot of them well thought through,” Goyal noted, categorizing applicants into four groups based on their financial capabilities. However, the unconventional approach has drawn sharp criticism, with many calling it exploitative and exclusionary.
Industrialist Harsh Goenka, among others, criticized the move, tweeting: “Rs 20 lakh fee excludes talented but underprivileged candidates. Asking to pay for a job feels exploitative, even if positioned as ‘learning’.” Critics argued that the fee requirement disqualifies skilled individuals who lack the financial resources, despite Goyal’s assurance that the funds would directly support a noble cause.
Goyal first shared the job posting on Wednesday evening, describing the role as “unattractive” with no salary for the first year and no conventional perks. Social media users have labeled the announcement a marketing gimmick, praising its publicity value but questioning its ethics.
The Zomato boss has promised further updates about the selection process, but the controversy continues to fuel conversations about privilege, access, and fairness in hiring practices.