Leaving a secure government job is a decision many people spend years thinking about. For Amit Soni, that moment came the very day he secured admission to the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad, one of India's most prestigious business schools.
Now pursuing the one-year Post Graduate Programme for Executives (PGPX) at IIM Ahmedabad, Soni has shared what that decision actually cost him. In a video posted on Instagram, he claimed walking away from his government job came with a price tag of Rs 74 lakh.
How Amit Soni calculated the Rs 74 lakh cost
"Rs 74 Lakhs. That's what it cost me to quit a government job — the same day I got into IIM Ahmedabad," said Soni, who previously served as an SSB Assistant Commandant on the Indo-Nepal border.
Breaking down the figure, Soni explained that the one-year PGPX programme at IIM Ahmedabad costs Rs 37.10 lakh in tuition fees. He estimated spending another Rs 4.5 lakh on the programme's international immersion component and around Rs 2.5 lakh on living expenses during the course.
He also revealed that resigning from his job meant paying a resignation bond of Rs 9.80 lakh. According to him, these were the direct and unavoidable costs of making the switch.
The remaining Rs 20 lakh, he said, was the "opportunity cost" of giving up a year's salary and the benefits that came with his government job.
Despite the financial commitment, Soni said he had "no second thoughts" about the decision and never kept a backup plan. "Just conviction," he wrote in the post, adding, "Is it worth it? Absolutely yes."
Why he left a government job
Government jobs in India are widely associated with stability, job security and long-term benefits, making them one of the most sought-after career choices in the country.
Even so, Soni decided to leave his position as an Assistant Commandant to study at IIM Ahmedabad.
Explaining why he believed the move was worth it, he wrote, "Because some investments aren't measured in lakhs — they're measured in who you become on the other side. Uniform to boardroom. Service to strategy. This is just chapter two."
In an earlier video, Soni had also spoken about the decision, saying he chose "growth" over "comfort".
