HYDERABAD: For the first time in over seven years, enrolment of research scholars in Telangana’s university’s has recorded a significant rise. With an enrolment of as many as 4,884 candidates in research courses, an increase of 684, the spiralling trend of PhD enrolments has finally been reversed. These numbers were published in a report titled ‘All India Survey of Higher Education 2017-18 Report’. This is the first time enrolment has beaten its best record of 4,743 enrolments of 2012-13. In the four consecutive years preceding 2017-18, the State’s universities saw tumultuous rise or fall in enrolments with no perceptible trend. However, fortunately, there has been a rise this year.
The concerns
Enrolment in research courses might be a good sign, but according to the AISHE report, it's too early to celebrate. The report says that only 2.3% of the 1,94,799 students pursuing postgraduate courses in the State take the plunge into research courses. Whatever the number may be, the report says, in a somewhat positive tone, that enrolments in universities and their constituent units at “PhD.has increased quite substantially in comparison to enrolment at Under Graduate and Post Graduate levels.”
That being said, Telangana’s academicians find little solace in this reassurance. As per the AISHE report, these 2 per cent students ate pursuing research in regular mode from 22 of its 24 Universities and its constituent colleges.
Osmania University VC S Ramachandram said that most students were wary of pursuing research due the fact that it can difficult for them to sustain themselves in the absence of financial support. “The only way to improve enrolment in Phd is by increasing the number of fellowships. Students have to pursue research courses for at least five years, most of which happen to be in the prime of their youth. They think this is a risk,” he said. Prof N Yadaiah, registrar, JNTU, said that since most students get jobs soon, right after under graduation, a majority of students never even consider taking up research.