Transitioning into research In India

Applying for a new job is always challenging, irrespective of the time and place. In my opinion and I am sure that many will agree with me that it is a monumental task if you are applying from abroad for a job in India. The complexity of the application procedure is multiplied if you are looking within academia for research positions.

After obtaining my Ph.D. in Biology from Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in 2005, I moved to National Institutes of Health (NIH) for a post doctoral fellowship (PDF). From the very first day of my PDF, I was determined to return and start my research career in India. Since, I had a Ph.D. from India, I was aware of the procedure and time line that it takes to apply and finally get a job. In short, I was ready to face the challenges and was prepared for frustrations that application procedures bring along.

However, I must admit that my transition to a research career in India was rather smooth. With more and more technology in place, the application procedure has been stream lined in many institutes across India. Most of the applications I submitted were in the format provided online on the websites of different institutes. One basic thing that was lacking from these was responsiveness to the application. If possible, it should be made mandatory for institutes to acknowledge the receipt of any application promptly. It was evident from their lack-luster response that following your application is utmost responsibility of the applicant. Even if one is ready to undertake this responsibility, the correct contacts for follow up is not provided, which only increases and adds to the frustration of the applicant.

As I was approaching the end of my PDF and began a quest to become independent, one of the first things I did was shortlist the institutes in India that I wanted to apply to. I prepared the shortlist based on my interest and inclination to teach. As much as I enjoy doing research, I find it highly gratifying to mentor, educate young students and motivate them towards science. So I targeted places that provide me the best of both worlds – teaching and research. It is critical to understand your need and ambitions before embarking upon the arduous task of application process. This helps identifying the institutes that are suitable for you. This aspect of application is as critical as anything else. So for anyone undertaking the task of finding an academic position, my first and foremost advice would be to take some time to understand your requirement and those of institutes. It is of no avail to apply to as many places as you can without factoring in the match or suitability. A well thought out application process not only avoids a lot of frustration but also saves on time.

Based on my interests, IISERs were an ideal place for me to apply. The basic ground on which IISER’s stand is to motivate young talents towards basic research as early as possible. This was very attractive to me. Apart from IISERs, I also applied to several IITs, Universities and relatively small institutes that have teaching and research opportunities. Basically, I targeted the institutes that have the teaching and research opportunities a plenty.

I was fortunate enough to have Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) constituted by Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) of Govt. of India respond very promptly to my application. IISER’s stood out remarkably in acknowledging the receipt as well as responding to the queries I had regarding my application. IISER Bhopal was exceptional in being quick in their responses.  Another progressive step taken from the IISER towards my application was my online interview over Skype. I was given ample time to prepare for the interview. What was more encouraging for me was the response time to know if I have been selected or not. The turn-around time was 2-3 days and I must say that the Department of Biological Sciences (DBS) did very good in helping authorities make decision promptly. I was given almost 6 months to join the institute. Due to some unforeseen reason I could not join on the stipulated time. I highly appreciate the cooperation shown by the DBS and the Director of IISER Bhopal in letting me have some time I requested before I could finally join the Institute. My move from USA to Bhopal was very smooth and it was well coordinated and cooperated by IISER Bhopal.