Indian Railways row: Who deserves the lower berth? Viral post divides internet
An Indian Railways passenger’s story has gone viral after he described how a group of women passengers humiliated him for not giving up his reserved lower berth during a 12-hour journey. Sharing his experience on Reddit’s ‘IndianRailways’ subreddit, the 21-year-old student, travelling in a third AC coach, explained that he had booked the seat in advance to work comfortably while en route to his college.
He said that after a brief conversation, the women asked him to exchange his seat for an upper berth — a request he declined, citing safety and convenience concerns. “It would be very tough to work along with two fully packed bags which I planned to keep beside me while sleeping. Each bag has a laptop and a tablet, so it would be hard to relax on the upper berth,” he wrote.
According to his post, the women reacted angrily, accusing him of being inconsiderate and claiming that “boys his age” should always offer their seats to older passengers. “They spoke like it was my mistake that I didn’t go up like other men do. But why should I sacrifice my comfort and work for strangers?” he said. The women also criticised IRCTC, blaming the booking system for assigning women upper berths and men lower ones.
The passenger said the confrontation left him feeling conflicted and embarrassed. “They constantly pushed me to a stage where I felt disgusted to be in my allotted seat. I started wondering — is it my fault, theirs, or IRCTC’s?”
The post drew thousands of comments online, with most Reddit users supporting the student’s stance. Many argued that seat exchanges should remain voluntary and not a moral obligation. One user wrote, “If they wanted a lower berth, they should have booked it earlier. It’s not your responsibility to fix IRCTC’s allocation system.” Another added, “Giving up your seat is a kind gesture, but entitlement ruins it. Kindness shouldn’t be forced.”
The incident has reignited discussions about how Indian Railways allocates berths. Currently, lower berths are prioritised for senior citizens, pregnant women, and passengers with disabilities. However, this system does not guarantee that these passengers will always receive lower berths, particularly on high-demand routes.
Regular travellers also note that cultural expectations often pressure younger people especially men to give up their seats, even when they have valid reasons to refuse. “It’s courtesy when someone offers voluntarily,” said one commenter. “But expecting it as a right is wrong.”
The debate reflects a wider social tension about respect, entitlement, and personal boundaries during travel — an issue familiar to millions of Indian Railways passengers. For now, the viral post has served as a reminder that kindness cannot be demanded and comfort should not come at someone else’s expense.