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10+ years
of research
experience
Dr Khushboo Choudhury is a research scientist at the Department of Emergency Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi and holds a PhD in Immunology and Biotechnology from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU), New Delhi.
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Read Khushboo Choudhury's insightful article in our Thought Leadership Series, featuring valuable perspectives from scholars and industry experts that foster meaningful discussions and inspire positive change.
Gaining or earning a Ph.D., particularly in STEM fields, presents unique challenges, especially for underrepresented groups. While the pursuit of a doctoral degree can often symbolize the zenith of academic achievement, it then serves as a focal point for the systemic issues prevalent in institutional cultures. The mental health crisis among researchers and scientists, particularly in India, has become deeply intertwined with toxic work environments that prioritize validation, deadlines, and consistent output over innovation and comfort.
A STRUGGLE FOR RECOGNITION
Indian academic institutions often exhibit a rigid hierarchical structure that expects research scholars and junior scientists to conform to their supervisors’ directives as well as work flow, leaving little room for intellectual independence. This creates stagnation that, very simply put, throttles any innovation or discovery.
This constant rigidity also leads to limited exploration of novel methodologies and a toxic culture that discourages risk-taking. Researchers often find themselves trapped in environments where completing a
Ph.D. in seven to eight years is considered standard. This toxic work culture often leads to heightened stress, burnout, and even disillusionment among researchers (Levecque et al., 2017; Mackie & Bates, 2019).
A significant contributor to this burgeoning crisis is the lack of adequate support for researchers. From securing funding to navigating bureaucratic red tape, researchers have to navigate through obstacle after obstacle that diverts attention away from meaningful research. Institutional cultures that fail to prioritise the mental well-being of researchers exacerbate these challenges (Nicholls et al., 2022). Reports have highlighted instances where scholars lose rightful authorship in research papers or are subjected to unreasonably high expectations without adequate resources. Such practices not only harm individuals but also stifle innovation at a systemic level.
THE RACE TO PUBLISH OR PERISH
A significant yet often overlooked issue is the proliferation of predatory journals in India, which severely undermines the credibility and integrity of research outputs. On one hand, there is a relentless race toward publishing in academia, driven by a pervasive ‘publish or perish’ culture which takes a significant toll on researchers and academics. On the other hand, predatory journals exploit scholars’ pressure to publish, further exacerbating stress and anxiety among them (Demir, 2018; Panda, 2020).
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