On November 20, Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal announced a job opening for the role of Chief of Staff, which garnered significant attention. Despite facing widespread criticism, Goyal revealed that over 10,000 applications had been received for the position.

The job post stood out for its unconventional requirements and unique nature. The role, based at Zomato’s Gurugram headquarters, offered no salary for the first year and required candidates to pay a fee of Rs 20 lakh. These terms sparked a wave of protests and criticism on social media.

Sharing insights about the applicants, Goyal announced that the application process would officially close today (Thursday) at 6 PM.

In support of Goyal’s post, Arjun V Paul, a Malayali and co-founder of Zoko, publicly backed the initiative. He wrote a note encouraging candidates who genuinely desired the role but couldn’t afford the fee to apply, promising financial assistance to cover the cost for those selected. His post has also gained significant attention online.