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I have completed my PhD in chemistry in an area which doesn’t have scope to get job or a postdoc position.

Now I’m at the age of 29–30, I’m not eligible to write CSIR, a public eligibility test for lectureship and PhD admissions in India, but I’m eligible to write GATE-2016, (Graduate Aptitude Test for Engineering) another public test whose score (valid for 2 years) is also considered for PhD admissions in India and some other countries like Singapore. Shall do another PhD with a valued GATE score again, in my selected field of chemistry? The only stipend available for me is from GATE score.

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    @CapeCode I disagree, the context is completely different.
    – Sathyam
    Commented Dec 7, 2015 at 12:57
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    Some overlap with this too: academia.stackexchange.com/q/38196/10643
    – Cape Code
    Commented Dec 7, 2015 at 13:01
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    Please add some context for those of us not from India. What is CSIR? What is a Gate score? Why does your age matter? Why would you expect a graduate program in Chemistry to accept anyone with an existing PhD in chemistry?
    – JeffE
    Commented Dec 7, 2015 at 13:18
  • Both GATE and CSIR are public graduate tests. CSIR test score grants you eligibility for both lectureship and PhD admission in India. GATE score is considered for PhD admissions in India as well as in some other countries like Singapore.
    – Sathyam
    Commented Dec 7, 2015 at 13:35
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    @scaaahu To appear for the test in the year 2016. Synonymous to appear for GRE 2016.
    – Sathyam
    Commented Dec 7, 2015 at 13:54

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It is not possible to give a concrete answer without knowing which area in Chemistry you did for your PhD. I assume you are from India. There are other options for you to consider irrespective of your field of research.

  • Try to get an INSPIRE Faculty position, which is not really a faculty position in usual sense.

  • Apply abroad which will increase your chance of finding a similar field at least statistically.

I don't think appearing GATE once again is a good idea. Also why don't you try industry, there are plenty of jobs for chemists, once again its hard to say for sure without knowing your area of research.

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  • I added in my answer an alternate possibility for the OP to apply abroad, which may increase his chances of doing research in his field of study.
    – Sathyam
    Commented Dec 7, 2015 at 13:40
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    And that's good general advice. (S)he will just have to put a lot more effort into the application process than was invested in writing the question.
    – Moriarty
    Commented Dec 7, 2015 at 13:59
  • It seriously depends on the end goals of the OP, industry or academia. If it IS academia, there are seriously a lot of constraints to consider right now. Commented Dec 7, 2015 at 14:20
  • @vkv What do you mean by end goals?
    – Sathyam
    Commented Dec 7, 2015 at 14:24
  • @Sathyam I mean whether you (OP) want to become a professor, research scientist, stay in academia, move to industry, or pursuing research because you like it. Each requires a different trajectory as far as I have understood. I might be wrong here. Commented Dec 7, 2015 at 14:35

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