A Reddit publish by an Indian scholar pursuing a PhD on the College of Texas at Austin has triggered a wave of dialogue amongst Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) concerning the trade-offs between chasing the American dream and returning house to a secure life in India.
The consumer, who joined UT Austin’s absolutely funded PhD program in chemical engineering this fall, shared his dilemma, “Settling down within the USA was my long-term dream. However seeing the present political panorama, I’m undecided if it’s a smart choice to remain,” he wrote, including that whereas he might save between $1,000 and $1,300 month-to-month, he was reconsidering his future amid rising uncertainty.
He defined that he additionally had the choice to return to his earlier job in Bengaluru as a software program improvement engineer with a set annual pay of ₹17 lakh. Having accomplished his grasp’s diploma from an previous IIT and with two years of labor expertise, the consumer mentioned he was torn between persevering with his PhD journey or coming again to India to safe his profession path early.
“I’m largely fearful if I keep within the USA away from household for five years and I’m unable to work, then I’ll be beginning as a brisker in India, the place PhDs don’t receives a commission so much,” he wrote. “In the meantime, I might be in an excellent place as an SDE in India with 5+2 years of expertise.”
The publish rapidly gained traction, resonating with many NRIs, who confronted comparable crossroads between profession aspirations overseas and household duties again house.
One Redditor suggested the consumer to not abandon his PhD goals, “You need to keep again within the US in my view. If you need, you may return to India as a professor and skip the rat race. UT Austin PhD is a uncommon alternative — don’t skip it for Indian IT jobs.”
One other consumer identified the potential immigration benefits of pursuing a doctorate within the US, “If you’re doing a PhD, you shouldn’t face lots of immigration points. EB1 — and you will get a inexperienced card quick.”
The thread highlighted a recurring debate inside the Indian diaspora — whether or not long-term stability, household proximity, and emotional consolation outweigh the educational status and alternatives that include constructing a profession overseas.
For a lot of, the publish grew to become greater than a private query — it mirrored the broader nervousness amongst younger professionals navigating international mobility, identification, and ambition in a shifting political and financial panorama.
