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Which is better, PhD chemistry in India or PhD chemistry abroad?

In my opinion, the answer is "it depends".

Many would prefer that Ph.D. in foreign countries would be much better than one in India. It might be true in some sense as you step out of your comfort zone and your known places and your friends and family, you grow more as an independent person. When you go to countries like Germany, France, the USA, Japan, Israel, and Britain - (these countries are best for Ph.D. in Chemistry at present), you will get a lot of exposure to the new culture and your thoughts, as well as your viewpoint, will get widen.

If you ask me a one-word answer - I would tell you to do a Ph.D. abroad. For an Indian student with Master's degree in Chemistry, always prefer for US and European countries. At most, Japan and Israel, but avoid Asian countries like, China, Singapore, South Korea - it is about the mindsets of the Asian guides who consider their Ph.D. students as slaves. These guides gauge you by the amount of time you spend in the lab, not the effective outcome of your work. Indian and Chinese guides are notorious for their torturous activities and tales. I would even suggest you avoid Asian guides in US and European Universities. These words may be hurting and too generalized and in some cases racist too, but I am talking from their mindset only.

Before joining Ph.D. abroad under a guide, do thorough research about the publications from the lab per year and how many publications Ph.D. students are getting during their tenure. Plus, are the students getting good fellowships? Are they getting good post-doc opportunities after graduation? Are they getting good permanent positions as Assistant Professors after post-docs? - these also depict the power of the recommendation letter of a guide along with the holistic training received. If possible, do reach out to some seniors from that lab to get a better idea about the guide and future opportunities from the lab. If the guide comes out to be a psycho, your life will be ruined even if you go abroad for a Ph.D. So take an informed decision.

If you can't go for abroad, go for the best research institutes in India - and try to go for the famous guides, because in India, anyhow you have to find your own way in research, no guide will help you much in your research problem, so better to choose a guide who is considered a big shot in the field and can help you to reach heights if you have a good easy relationship. Don't go for just joined new faculty and also don't join a faculty who is about to retire within 5 years. In India, for Ph.D. in Chemistry, prefer institutes like, TIFR, IISc Bangalore, IIT Bombay, IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras, IIT Guwahati, IISER Bhopal, IISER Mohali, IISER Kolkata, Raman Research Institute, Bose Research Institute, Cultivation of Science, JNCASR, IISER TVM, BHU, CSIR labs etc.

My only last piece of advice is to make an informed decision; sometimes a Ph.D. in India would be much better than one abroad. Choose a guide wisely because that is the single most important thing, even before your research field and university. 

All the best! Do reach out here in the comments.







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