Introduction
Back in the 1970s, the Indian middle-class dream was simple. You studied, got a job, married early, bought a house, had 3 kids, and boom — life was done.
Fast forward to 2025, and the same journey feels like you’re playing Dark Souls on “Nightmare” mode… with no saves.
Let’s break down the hilarious (and mildly depressing) transformation of the Indian middle class — with examples you’ll either laugh at or cry over.
📚 Education:
1970:
“Beta, go to college. Any college.”
You applied to a college 5 km from home. If you had 60%, you were a genius. You picked one subject, learned one skill, and that was enough.
Example: Your uncle studied geography, became a banker, and retired in peace with a pension and a paunch.
2025:
“Beta, get 95% just to fill the form.”
You compete with 2.5 million others, only to enter a college that charges your kidney as fees. You need 4 internships, 2 coding languages, 1 podcast, and a startup idea — before your third semester.
Example: You studied computer science, took a loan, learned UI/UX, data analytics, marketing, and finally became… a meme page admin.
💼 Job Market:
1970:
“Got a job at LIC, lifetime security beta!”
One interview, white shirt, black pants, and the job was yours. You started working at 24 and retired from the same company at 60.
Example: Your dad still has the same office desk for 30 years and it’s now a historic monument.
2025:
“Let’s do 7 rounds of interviews, a case study, and then ghost you.”
Now, you apply to 400 companies, get 3 callbacks, attend 9 rounds of interviews, and the final rejection says, “We’ve decided to not proceed.”
Example: You just cleared 6 rounds at a tech startup — they folded before round 7.
🏠 Housing:
1970:
“Booked a 3BHK in ₹90,000.”
You could buy a house before 30, in the city, with a small garden and mango tree. Bonus: No EMIs. Just savings and blessings.
2025:
“You want a house? LOL.”
You can’t even rent a 1BHK without selling your soul and signing a 36-page agreement. Want to buy a flat? That’ll be 30 years of EMIs and your left kidney.
Example: You live with roommates, a cat, and an existential crisis.
💒 Marriage & Kids:
1970:
“Arranged marriage at 25, 3 kids by 30.”
No dating, no confusion. Your parents matched horoscopes, gave a handshake, and poof! you were married. Kids followed like a checklist.
2025:
“We match on Bumble but ghost on WhatsApp.”
You’re either commitment-phobic or saving for your wedding photographer who charges ₹3.5 lakh for “candid crying” shots. Children? Just one — if you’re rich.
Example: You’re both working from home, working on the kid’s tuition, and working on your relationship — simultaneously.
😵💫 Mental Health:
1970:
“What’s that?”
Mental health wasn’t even a topic. You got stressed? You drank chai and moved on.
2025:
“Therapy is ₹1,500/hr but a vent tweet is free.”
Now, everyone’s burned out, anxious, and emotionally exhausted. But hey, there’s a meme about it so we laugh and scroll.
Example: Your last meltdown was at 3AM because your app didn’t have dark mode.
🤖 Upskilling:
1970:
“Learn typing once. Done.”
That’s it. Learn one skill, and you were golden. Promotions came automatically with age.
2025:
“Today: Python. Tomorrow: AI. Next week: VR Yoga for Slack bots.”
Your LinkedIn bio changes every 6 months. If you stop learning, you’re “obsolete.”
Example: You just paid for a ₹30K course… and it’s already outdated by the time you finished downloading the Zoom app.
💸 Economy:
1970:
“Slow but steady.”
You saved money, bought gold, and lived peacefully. Inflation was a thing, but not a monster.
2025:
“Booming economy, bro!”
Everyday items cost double, petrol is a luxury, and paneer is for rich people. But hey, the Sensex is up — and that’s all that matters, right?
Example: You can’t afford Maggi, but Mukesh Ambani just launched a rocket.
Final Thoughts:
Life in 2025 isn’t all bad. We have faster internet, better memes, and food delivery at midnight.
But sometimes, when you see your parents chilling in their 3BHK, sipping chai, watching Doordarshan reruns — you wonder:
“Who really had it better?”
Let’s laugh so we don’t cry:
💬 Share your version of the “middle-class struggle” in the comments.
📢 Tag your friends who are living paycheck to paycheck — but still order Starbucks.
😂 Repost if you’ve ever cried into a resume.