IIT-B sets new record for PhDs awarded

IIT-Bombay director Shireesh Kedare said, “IIT Bombay is working to reduce PhD completion time, which is one of the reasons the number of PhD students has risen”

MUMBAI: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay at its convocation ceremony on Saturday awarded 620 PhDs for the 2025-26 academic year, the highest-ever among all IITs across the country.

Main gate of the IIT Bombay (Satish Bate/HT Photo)

IIT-Bombay director Shireesh Kedare said, “IIT Bombay is working to reduce PhD completion time, which is one of the reasons the number of PhD students has risen.” The institute has fixed a six-year limit for the completion of PhDs, a period that may be extended to eight years in exceptional cases.

A senior professor said, “Earlier there was no deadline to complete a PhD programme. Now that we have introduced a time limit, we have warned students who had been pursuing their PhDs for 12 years that their registration could be terminated.”

On Saturday, IIT-Bombay awarded 3,763 degrees to 3,442 students. The institute is observing its 64th convocation and award function across August 22 and 23.

Of the 3,763 degrees awarded, 1,713 were undergraduate degrees, 1,430 post-graduate degrees and 620 PhD degrees comprising 791 women students and 2,651 male students. The institute’s humanities department awarded PhDs to 40 students, also the highest-ever in the institute’s history.

On new initiatives on campus, Kedare said, “The institute is expanding its Frontier Research initiative, with faculty groups working on major national and global challenges. To attract BTech students to PhD programmes, IIT Bombay had started an internship for final-year students from several National Institutes of Technology. Currently 80-90 students have enrolled with opportunities to move to Master’s or PhD programmes.” He also said the institute has approved an additional post for an associate dean for students’ wellness.

On Gen Z, a demographic currently in focus, Kedare said, “Gen Z is very energetic, filled with positive energy, and I respect Gen Z and their new ways of doing things. However, there are also many distractions. From an IIT perspective, I would especially mention coaching classes, excessive expectations from parents and peers, as well as social media, which is highly addictive at times. Students do get distracted with all this.” He added, “Gen Z will shape India’s future as it is a high-potential force in India.”