Thinking of pursuing PhD? Here are some suggestions for you

-Basudev Biswal

Once I met a hotel manager who after knowing that I teach at IIT Bombay asked me with curiosity if IITians always study. I told him IITians can also dance, sing, play cricket, and do a lot other cool stuffs. Of course, on an average IITians do study more than non IITians, but to say IITians always study is a myth. It is actually a human tendency to invent myths when we come across something we do not understand. It is not a surprise that outside the world of PhD there exist many myths about PhD and research scholars (those who pursue a PhD degree). This article may help you if you are at a crossroad of your life where you see PhD as one of the options ahead.

Stop there and ask yourself questions

In my first class this semester I handed over a set of questions to the (undergraduate) students; one of the questions was about their future plans. Close to one-third of the students were found to have no future plan! If you are not surprised yet, let me elaborate. It takes a huge amount of effort to enter IIT Bombay. Now if you are not sure why you are in IIT Bombay, you are wasting a lot of precious time of your life. It is like after winning a war the emperor has no idea why the war began in the first place.

PhD is an even bigger commitment. By virtue of being a specialist, you will have a limited number of career options after getting a PhD degree. So before entering into a PhD program, you should have a solid future plan. The future plan may change in future, but without a plan you will find hardly any motivation to continue pursuing PhD. Why do you want to do PhD? What do you want to do after PhD? These are the kind of questions you must confront before entering pursuing a PhD degree.

Know your strengths as well as weaknesses

A while back one cartoon was making the rounds on the internet. The message basically was if you define talent as the ability to climb a tree, the monkey will of course emerge as the winner. That does not, however, mean a fish does not have any talent. Everyone comes with certain strengths as well as weaknesses. You need to recognize your strengths and utilize them properly. Also, the skill that helps you to climb a tree may not help you to cross a river. In the context here, having an excellent CGPA score on the certificate will not automatically make you a great research scholar. That also means you should not feel discouraged if you do not have a great academic track record. Srinivasa Ramanujan, one of the greatest mathematical minds of 20th century, in fact failed to secure an undergraduate degree. To get a PhD degree you need to expand the boundary of human knowledge. If you think you have certain skill that can help you to acquire some new knowledge, PhD is a great option for you. Creativity and curiosity are the two basic qualities of a research scholar. If you lack them, better find another option for yourself.

A degree does not have a lot of intrinsic value

Not all black-belt holders are equally good fighters. Not all PhD degree holders are equally talented. Having a PhD degree does not automatically qualify you for some position. All that matters is how much knowledge you have gained. For the same reason, which institute is awarding you PhD is a secondary question. However, you have to keep in mind that good institutions provide good research environment and are generally resourceful. In any case, you should have a very clear idea about your needs before joining an institution.

Choose your adviser carefully

Like there is no ideal student, there is no ideal advisor in this world. Every student is unique. Every adviser is also unique. Every adviser has a unique style of guiding students. Every advisor follows a unique research methodology. Every adviser has a unique set of research interests. Every advisor has unique evaluation criteria. Choosing an adviser is more important than choosing an institute. Keep in mind that it is not your adviser’s job to tell you what you should do and why. You should find a research question yourself and work to find an answer for it. In many ways, research scholars are like entrepreneurs who see dreams and try finding ways to realize them. Your adviser’s job is merely to share his past experience and guide you. It is advisable that you talk to the prospective adviser and discuss with him/her all your concerns before applying for the PhD program.

It is better to take the path less travelled

Humans have a tendency to follow the crowd, which is not necessarily bad. Following crowd ensures you face less risk. I have come across many students who want to work on a particular topic just because they heard about it from someone. But remember that PhD means discovering new things. You will be more likely do something new if you follow a new path. That does not mean you will succeed if you take any unknown path. You should carefully evaluate the risks involved with a particular path and develop the ability to foresee the possible outcomes. My suggestion is you read a lot before finalizing your PhD topic.

Do not take internet memes too seriously

If you are trying to know what PhD means, chances are that you will come across a bunch of memes on the internet. An overwhelming majority of them portray a negative image of PhD. Although not all of them are false, you need to keep in mind that the problems many research scholars face are largely because they ignore the factors above. Personally speaking, PhD was one of the best phases of my life. Remember that you are being paid (most of the time research scholars are financially supported by the state) to chase ‘your own’ dream. It is very hard to find this opportunity outside the world of PhD. Furthermore, you do not need to work extra hours if you are working smart. My suggestion is to spend a healthy amount of time on your personal life. Spend some time on travelling. Participate in sports. Get involved in some community activity. Or do whatever else you are interested in. That may even help you to become a better research scholar.

It is a good time to do PhD now

If you are reading about the after-PhD job crisis in the US, don’t be demotivated if you are in India or planning to come back to India after PhD. The knowledge market in India is expanding at a very rapid rate. The existing IITs are expanding their capacity. New IITs are being set up. Other central universities are being upgraded. Private universities are rapidly growing. Many corporates are setting up R&D labs. If you are having a PhD degree, it is quite easy to find a decent job in India.

Basudev Biswal is working as an associate professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay. His primary research interest is conceptualization of complex systems.