Why five years of research for Ph.D. should be considered work experience

Imagine spending five years conducting research, publishing in peer-reviewed journals, presenting at national and international conferences, and contributing to the intellectual life of a university. Then, upon entering the labour market, you are told: “Sorry, you are not eligible. You have zero work experience.” This is not a hypothetical scenario. It is the lived reality of thousands of doctoral graduates in India every year. The degree celebrated as the pinnacle of academic achievement is treated as if it never happened.