Where have all the PhDs gone?

R&D and innovation lie at the heart of the new global economy, while India aspires to become a knowledge economy. A new IIT-Bombay research paper, however, shows there has been a sharp decline in PhD applications across core engineering streams - mechanical, chemical and electrical engineering, and computer science across IITs since 2021. Unfortunately, this disinterest comes at a time when there is no faculty shortage in these institutes, and there is ample funding for core research areas and a high demand for cutting-edge science and researchers, thanks to opportunities in many new areas such as climate and energy transition.

So, what gives? Reasons for the disinterest include attractive opportunities abroad, better employment prospects, particularly in government and public sector enterprises early on in one's academic career, and an overall decline in master's programmes that feed into PhD programmes. At the same time, the marginal utility of specialisation that a doctoral programme provides is also a cause for concern. In certain sectors, employment opportunities progressively decrease as specialisation increases. This hinders innovation. India Inc has, by and large, shown disinterest in investing in R&D. This has to change. The failure to create mechanisms that can incubate research and turn it into commercial ventures makes doctoral studies and specialisations unattractive for students.

The new National Research Foundation, the focus on technological innovation to facilitate and sustain the transition to a low-carbon/net-zero economy, and the transition-oriented industrial policies should be linked to higher-education institution programmes to address the situation. If India is to develop its economy at the pace it seeks, it is critical to focus on R&D and innovation and stem this rot. For India to focus on enhancing its R&D prowess, PhD programmes must be qualitatively and quantitatively competitive globally.