Oracle recently announced the layoff of approximately 12,000 employees in India, and the US software giant also revoked dozens of job offers made to students at India's premier engineering colleges, including the Indian Institute of Technology (IITs) and the National Institute of Technology (NITs). Now, Shaadi.com founder and Shark Tank India judge Anupam Mittal has shared his thoughts on Oracle's mass layoffs and the revocation of offer letters in India. In a lengthy LinkedIn post, Mittal stated that this is a sign of the company's transition to automation rather than financial distress.
Reflections on the Dot-Com Crash
Reflecting on his own layoff during the 2001 dot-com crash, Mittal noted that back then, jobs were eliminated to save struggling companies. In contrast, Oracle's revenue and stock are up in 2026. 'The 12,000 were not cut because the ship was sinking. They were cut because the ship is learning to sail itself,' he wrote.
Criticism of Founder Advice
Mittal also criticized the popular advice circulating in tech circles that laid-off employees should start companies or become founders. 'Fortune cookie wisdom. Trash! 12,000 people are not & should not become founders. Founder life is brutal and the survival rate is dismal,' he said.
Practical Advice for Professionals
On the other hand, Mittal urged professionals to examine where they appear in their employer's profit and loss statement. 'If the answer is the cost column, you are in the line of fire. If the answer is the revenue or profit line, AI is your leverage, not your replacement,' he explained.
Full Post by Anupam Mittal
Read Anupam Mittal's complete post here: 'Are you in danger of getting laid off? Oracle just rescinded many of its campus offers & last month 12k Oracle India employees got fired …via email? I've been thinking about that coz I got laid off myself in 2001 during the dot-com crash in D.C. I still remember that walk back, felt like a free fall. But in 2001, jobs were being eliminated to save companies so it didn't hurt as much. In 2026, Oracle is fine. Revenue up. Stock up. The 12,000 were not cut because the ship was sinking. They were cut because the ship is learning to sail itself. The advice going around right now is 'start a company, become a founder, build with AI.' Fortune cookie wisdom. Trash! Let's be real - 12,000 people are not & should not become founders. Founder life is brutal and the survival rate is dismal. The real lesson is uncomfortable but useful. When your employer reads the P&L, where do you show up? If the answer is the cost column, you are in the line of fire & need to start taking action. If the answer is the revenue or profit line, AI is your leverage, not your replacement.'
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