PhD Applications Plummet in India’s Premier Institutes: What’s Behind the Decline?

PhD Applications Plummet in India’s Premier Institutes: What’s Behind the Decline?

A startling revelation by IIT-B professor D. Manjunath points to fewer applications due to factors like students going abroad, preference for PSU jobs, and perceived dip in Master’s program quality.

Is the Prestige of an IIT PhD Fading Away? Startling New Insights Reveal Shocking Decline in Applications

A recent working paper by Professor D. Manjunath from IIT Bombay has shed light on a surprising trend – a sharp decrease in the number of students applying for doctoral programs in some of India’s most esteemed Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). The paper titled “Engineering PhDs in Premier Institutions: What’s the Slope?” has yet to undergo peer review, but it raises a concerning issue that has caught the attention of academia.

This phenomenon of dwindling applications isn’t limited to

one specific field; it spans across core streams like mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, and more. Professor Manjunath’s investigation has uncovered this decline in esteemed institutions like IIT Hyderabad, IIT Bombay, IIT Gandhinagar, IIT Madras, and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru.

The paper is based on insights garnered from these institutions and points not only to the decreasing number of applications but also hints at a potential decline in the quality of applicants for PhD programs. In his paper, Professor Manjunath states, “We aim to identify general trends rather than conducting extensive analyses. More precisely, our focus is on investigating the idea that enthusiasm among undergraduates to undertake a PhD in Science and Engineering at top-tier Indian institutions is gradually diminishing.”

Examples from IIT Bombay substantiate this trend. In the field of electrical engineering, PhD applications surged to 2,150 in 2014 before plummeting to 900 in 2022. Likewise, applications for mechanical engineering peaked at 1,450 in 2016 but then decreased to 950 in 2022.

Several factors contribute to understanding this decline. Students are increasingly attracted to foreign universities, enticed by opportunities overseas. The allure of government jobs, specifically in Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), is another pivotal reason. Additionally, some attribute the decline to the perceived deterioration in the quality of Master’s programs.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the subsequent expansion of the tech industry, has also influenced PhD applications. The tech industry’s upswing has drawn a significant number of undergraduate students to direct employment, leading to fewer opting for further education.

While some experts disagree with Professor Manjunath’s findings, others concur and attribute the decrease in PhD applications to the limited postdoctoral opportunities in the Indian tech landscape.

Professor Subhasis Chaudhuri, the Director of IIT Bombay, recognizes the decrease in applicants as a result of the increasing prospects within the tech industry for IIT graduates. He explains that specialized mastery often restricts PhD graduates to specific fields, unlike undergraduates who have broader prospects.

However, Professor Chaudhuri asserts that a thorough and comprehensive examination of multiple variables is needed to fully understand the reasons behind this decline.

As discussions around this critical matter continue, the call for revitalizing the appeal of domestic STEM courses and PhD programs becomes even more pertinent. Professor Manjunath’s paper not only opens up dialogue among institutions but also beckons further research on this challenging issue.

In this landscape, the Twitter account of a distressed student highlights another dimension of the challenges associated with higher education funding. Amidst all these complexities, India’s academic community is faced with the task of nurturing a conducive environment for research and learning, aiming to sustain the nation’s quest for knowledge and innovation.