India, Feb. 28 -- In recent years, India has witnessed a disturbing trend-a decline in PhD enrolments in national institutions. According to the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2021-22, the total number of PhD enrolments in India stood at approximately 2.02 lakh, accounting for only 0.5 per cent of the total student enrolment. While this figure has shown a gradual increase over the years, recent data from premier institutions such as IITs, IISc, and central universities indicate a worrying decline in PhD admissions.

For instance, IIT Bombay saw a nearly 30 per cent drop in PhD applications in 2022 compared to previous years, and similar trends have been observed in other IITs and NITs. Many national institutions find it diff...