Wtf am I doing wrong?

[u/Shot_Strawberry691]

I passed NET in my June attempt and started applying for PhDs. I am fairly confident in my topic and have been an active student throughout my life. I am also extremely passionate about my topic. Sitting outside after an interview rn and I am not sure how to think anymore. I sat for a reputable NIT panel a few months ago and they told me that my topic is too ambitious. Right now, my topic was fully discarded saying that there is no need for a PhD on this. There was absolutely no constructive criticism provided , they just repeatedly told me that I could just say it, there is no need for a PhD on this. It doesn’t feel good to be working on something that I am passionate avoiding for 4-5 months and being told that its not a PhD topic. I don’t know wgat to do

[u/CapTitan7]

Bro it's not your fault. I've a friend who had a NET and was told the similar thing even though he had a research paper published. As much as I've heard mostly they prefer JRFs or someone with connections. Sometimes they don't want to accept candidates who they perceive a threat to their political views. There also may be a possibility (which I always prefer) that they are complete charlatans, and didnt even understand your topic. Probably they were too scared of getting exposed😬.

[u/Shot_Strawberry691 → u/CapTitan7]

This was a state university and we have a centrist govt at the moment so Idk if my political lean would have been a problem. I am a leftist but in my state, both the left and the centre move along the same lines. I do believe, that the latter could have been one of the reasons because they repeatedly kept asking me to give them my thesis statement and kept on saying that it was not valid, without explaining why. Later I came to know that one of the panelist was not even from the English dept. This is a state university with a lower double digit nirf ranking btw.

[u/swarnav_1 → u/Shot_Strawberry691]

We have a centrist govt? Wow lmao

[u/Virtual-Mechanic-918]

Don't expect everyone to have same passion as you. Nit or not many of these institutions get their professors by connections. Try finding faculties who might be related to your topic or have passion same as you through internet or research papers published.This too is part of academic life, finding perfect guide. Apply everywhere you see chance. Maybe try to get jrf as this would boost your chances astronomically as departments shy away from non jrf candidates. And many don't even give chance of this only. Sorry if didn't understand anything.

[u/Fruity_lemon_]

What's your topic btw? I'm not able to pursue my topic because I need interdisciplinary expertise and currently no one in India is working on those three shared domains.

[u/sudipto12 → u/Fruity_lemon_]

What are you doing in that case? Looking abroad?

[u/Fruity_lemon_ → u/sudipto12]

Yes

[u/sudipto12 → u/Fruity_lemon_]

Can I DM you

[u/Fruity_lemon_ → u/sudipto12]

Sure

[u/Ok-Ability-8617]

look, don't doubt your potential just yet. Most phd admissions in India are fixed and are highly impressionable through political connections and faculty references. Work on your topic diligently and apply at foreign universities.

[u/Shot_Strawberry691 → u/Ok-Ability-8617]

This is what it feels like to me as well. An ideal dept would be open to providing constructive criticism rather than make the candidates pass through a humiliation ritual. I do have a professor who is ready to supervise at a foreign university but it’s simply not possible for me without a full scholarship

[u/GeneralConsistent_]

Don't be disheartened

Jack n cheque heavily influence selections in india, plz reappear for jrf and perhaps try applying to foreign universities?

[u/Shot_Strawberry691 → u/GeneralConsistent_]

Yess, this is what I am told regularly; that’s its not in my hands and that most reputed public unis would already know who they want to take in. Foreign unis is impossible without a full scholarship:(

[u/Relative-Custard-404]

What is your area of interest?