Doctoral candidates are not a homogeneous group while some are drawn to market related problems the others prefer open ended curiosity driven enquiry
Debasmita Dasgupta
timesofindia com
Image generated by AI
Even as the Ministry of Education pushes universities to prioritise industry linked PhD programmes institutions are still working on how to redesign the doctoral ecosystem This renewed focus is being driven by building a system that demands research led industrial competitiveness and concerns employability and real world impact of doctoral research Industry linked PhD does not aim at diluting academic rigour rather enhancing its relevance and impact By aligning research with industry R and D needs students complete their PhDs with deep technical expertise and understanding of industrial workflows collaboration and large scale problem solving
V Ramgopal Rao vice chancellor BITS Pilani group and former director IIT Delhi says India is at a transition point Industry linked PhD programmes reflect a clear need to strengthen the relevance impact and career outcomes of doctoral research in India Many PhD candidates are deep rigorous but they are often disconnected from real world constraints and industrial problem solving environments This disconnect has limited the ability of doctoral research to translate into scalable technologies products and systems Problems in areas such as advanced manufacturing semiconductors energy systems AI healthcare and sustainability cannot be solved through isolated academic inquiry They require deep science combined with practical understanding something industry exposure brings in
Rangan Banerjee director IIT Delhi places Indias position in a global context In countries where research pipelines drive national competitiveness industry and academia jointly conceptualise PhD level research India has strong academic capability but industry participation in doctoral research has historically been limited he says
Institutions are addressing gaps through different models BITS Pilani has launched a dedicated doctoral track the PhD IMPACT programme where scholars are jointly mentored by faculty and industry experts and funding comes entirely from industry Meanwhile IIT Delhi has chosen not to create a separate industry linked PhD stream Instead industry engagement is embedded within the regular doctoral programme
One of the key gaps the government is seeking to address is employability beyond academia While India produces a growing number of PhDs each year absorption into industrial R and D remains uneven IIT Delhi alone has nearly 3700 PhD students with over 500 doctoral degrees awarded recently Prof Banerjee says adding The critical question is not how many PhDs we produce but where they eventually contribute For Indias innovation ecosystem to mature a significant proportion must transition into industry and exposes scholars to industrial research cultures early reducing the mismatch between training and expectations
He says that doctoral candidates are not a homogeneous group Some are drawn to industry linked problems with defined timelines and application pathways while others prefer open ended curiosity driven enquiry Institutions must cater to this diversity he says adding The goal is not to push students into industry linked research but to expand their horizons
A recurring concern is whether industry linked PhDs undermine fundamental research Prof Raosay that such programmes do not replace foundational research but complement it Prof Banerjee says Fundamental research in Physics Chemistry Biology healthcare and climate science remains essential for advancing knowledge Many discoveries take years sometimes decades to translate into applications The emphasis on industry linked research is therefore not about exclusion but rebalancing expanding applied and industry relevant research alongside blue sky science
PGDM in Hospital and Health Management Equivalent to MBA
Applications Open 2026 to 2028
Specializations in
Hospital Management
Health Management
Health Information Technology
Pharmaceutical Management
Attractive Scholarship Opportunities
41 Years of Academic Legacy
Strong Placement Support India and Abroad
Global Academic and Industry Collaborations
6000 Plus Alumni Network Worldwide
Experienced Industry Driven Faculty
Direct Entry into 2nd year under the Credit Transfer Scheme NEP 2020
Conditions apply
