Jobs, harassment push up PhD dropouts

The Telegraph India 15 September 2017

Nearly 40% of researchers in some of the country's top institutions may be dropping out because of personal problems, job opportunities and alleged harassment by guides or supervisors, according to data on admissions versus granting of PhDs, writes Basant Kumar Mohanty for The Telegraph India.

Yearly data on admissions and the award of PhDs obtained by The Telegraph under the Right to Information Act from 11 universities, including six top Indian Institutes of Technology and the Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, showed a possible decline in the dropout rate – from 53% in 2011-12 to about 37% in 2015-16, which is still high.

Academic Andre Beteille said after gaining admission to PhD courses students use their resources to prepare for civil service exams and other jobs. Once they get the job, they leave research. Some quit because of alleged harassment by their guides.
Full report on The Telegraph India site

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