IIT Delhi dropout reveals why he chose Microsoft over a prestigious degree

An IIT Delhi dropout has highlighted the freedom to experiment as another reason for joining Microsoft, saying the ecosystem allowed him to build unconventional ideas and take risks.

In Short

• Techie dropped out of IIT Delhi to join Microsoft at 19
• He believes IIT suits those exploring interests, not those with clear career goals
• He claimed he was youngest Google Developer Expert at 18

A techie has shared why he dropped out of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and chose to join Microsoft at the age of 19, opting for industry experience over a prestigious degree.

Ashish Kumar Verma shared details of his unconventional career journey in a post on LinkedIn.

“I got into one of the world’s largest tech companies at the age of 19, before I could even legally drink, after dropping out of IIT Delhi (joined Microsoft),” Verma said in his post.

He began by explaining why he chose to leave IIT Delhi, saying students can broadly be divided into two categories: those who join institutions like IIT to explore their interests, and those who already know what they want to pursue.

In Verma’s opinion, IITs are best suited for the first category, as they offer an environment to discover and experiment. However, he said students with a clear sense of direction may not always need to follow a conventional academic path.

Before joining IIT Delhi, Verma had already established himself in the tech space. He said he became the world’s youngest Google Developer Expert at the age of 18, collaborated on projects after participating in the Sakura Science Program in Japan, and developed an app that he later showcased to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Explaining why he chose Microsoft, Verma said learning opportunities were a major factor behind his decision.

He wanted to work in an environment where he could directly learn from some of the industry’s leading engineers and creators, including people behind technologies such as C# and TypeScript.

“I didn’t join for the badge,” he said, adding that while AI can help with execution, ideas, creativity and taste often come from experienced builders shaping the industry.

Verma also highlighted the freedom to experiment as another reason for joining Microsoft, saying the ecosystem allowed him to build unconventional ideas and take risks.

Using his own journey as an example, he encouraged aspiring developers to focus on building rather than waiting for degrees, titles or external validation.

He argued that technology has made learning more accessible than ever, with AI tools, the internet and direct access to professionals creating support systems that did not exist earlier.

“The system isn’t built for people who want to take an unconventional path is such a big lie on the internet,” Verma said, adding: “All support systems are there. It’s all about you. Stop blaming the system, get out and experiment.”

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