Depressed over fake Google job offer, Indian teenager diagnosed with ‘confusional psychosis’

CHANDIGARH -  A teenage boy from India's Chandigarh has been diagnosed with confusional psychosis’ by doctors after getting a fake call as a job offer from Google.

Parents of 16-year-old Harshit Sharma who made headlines after he received a fake offer letter from Google at a package of Rs. 1.44 crore, told media that they fear for his life as he became depressed due to the embarrassment he had to deal with each passing day.

The government school released a press note about Harshit’s purported achievement. The release claimed that the internet giant Google would pay him Rs 12 lakh per month as salary after a year’s training. During training, it was claimed he will get a stipend of Rs 4 lakh per month. The school had first released a press note, and the administration had followed. However, three days later, Google denied having offered paid training and job to Harshit.

The press note issued by the department had said, "A student of GMSSS-33D, Chandigarh, Class 12 (IT) stream, Harshit, has been selected for graphic designing by Google. He will be trained for graphic designing for an initial period of one year and will receive a stipend of Rs. 4 lakh per month."

"After completion of his training he will get a remuneration of Rs. 12 lakh per month. He went for an online interview through video conferencing and was selected on the basis of posters designed by him while studying in class 12 under the supervision of his teachers," it had said.

According to Hindustan Times, the boy was discharged from hospital on August 7. Doctors diagnosed him with confusional psychosis, a state in which the patient has delusions. “The boy was brought here in a confused state. He did not recognise anyone. He kept refusing food, and did not cooperate. Now the boy has recovered a little,” said Dr Patnaik.