‘You are chasing an IITian’: Viral car sticker triggers mixed reactions online

For many Indian students, securing admission to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) is a cherished and prestigious milestone. Naturally, graduating from an IIT is seen as a matter of pride. However, one IIT graduate’s attempt to flaunt this achievement didn’t sit well with social media users, who called it out as arrogant and “super cringy.”

The controversy began when a photo of a car sticker proclaiming, “You are chasing an IITian” started circulating online. The image, shared on the Reddit group r/JEENEETards, captured a car stuck in traffic with the sticker prominently displayed on the right side. A message aimed at those behind the car read, “You are chasing an IITian but that is ok. We are used to it.”

The post quickly gained traction on social media, sparking a range of reactions. While many found the sticker “cringy,” others defended the car owner, arguing that cracking one of the toughest exams in the world gives them every right to boast.

One user commented, “I cringed reading this, which made me think that there was someone who didn’t cringe and had this plastered on his car without any hesitation.” Another added, “Super Cringe. Only low keys flex like that. Even when a Harvard graduate introduces himself without saying Harvard, he says, ‘I went to a school in Boston.’”

An IIT graduate also weighed in on the post, stating, “I genuinely have stopped telling people where I study just because of these nitwits.”

On the other hand, a user defended the car owner, saying, “No shit they cracked one of the hardest exams in the world while you sit in your parents house unemployed living off of your dad’s money at the age of 30.”

Another user remarked, “These ppl struggle so much to clear IIT that they get nothing else to flex.”

The Reddit post, shared a few days ago, has since garnered over 3,500 upvotes and more than 200 comments.