Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme Statistics: Scholars and Seats by State
· 1 min read · 2 official sources
Phase I of the Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme supported 1,423 PhD candidates, 1,090 of them full-time, across 29 states and UTs, according to MeitY's December 2022 reply to Parliament. Phase II allocated 200 full-time seats to 70 institutions for 2022-23. State-wise figures for both phases are below.
Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme for Electronics and IT: Full Time PhD Candidates: key numbers
Infographic
Top 15 states by Phase I scholars (cumulative to 2022)
Full-time and part-time PhD candidates supported under Phase I of the Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme since 2014, for the 15 states and UTs with the most scholars. The national total is 1,423.
| State/UT | Total scholars | Full-time | Part-time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi | 207 | 139 | 68 |
| Tamil Nadu | 149 | 106 | 43 |
| Maharashtra | 128 | 90 | 38 |
| West Bengal | 114 | 96 | 18 |
| Telangana | 112 | 80 | 32 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 99 | 83 | 16 |
| Karnataka | 97 | 97 | 0 |
| Assam | 68 | 49 | 19 |
| Bihar | 60 | 54 | 6 |
| Rajasthan | 58 | 37 | 21 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 44 | 43 | 1 |
| Punjab | 42 | 34 | 8 |
| Gujarat | 39 | 25 | 14 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 30 | 10 | 20 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 28 | 27 | 1 |
Source: pib.gov.in, as on 14 December 2022
Phase II full-time seats by state (2022-23)
Full-time PhD seats allocated to institutions in each state for the first year of Phase II, for the 12 states with the most seats. The national total is 200 seats in 70 institutions.
| State/UT | Full-time seats |
|---|---|
| Karnataka | 19 |
| Maharashtra | 17 |
| Tamil Nadu | 16 |
| Delhi | 11 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 11 |
| Assam | 10 |
| Kerala | 9 |
| Punjab | 9 |
| West Bengal | 9 |
| Haryana | 8 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 8 |
| Gujarat | 7 |
Source: pib.gov.in, as on 14 December 2022
How a Visvesvaraya PhD seat reaches a scholar
What the numbers show
The Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology funds PhD scholars in electronics system design and manufacturing and in IT and IT-enabled services. According to MeitY's reply to Parliament, released by PIB on 14 December 2022, Phase I supported 1,423 PhD candidates: 1,090 full-time and 333 part-time. Phase II, which runs from 2021 to 2030, allocated 200 full-time seats to 70 institutions for its first year, 2022-23.
An earlier PIB release from the Phase II launch in September 2021 said 422 full-time scholars had submitted their thesis or completed the PhD, and 492 were still pursuing it.
State differences
Phase I scholars are concentrated where the large technical institutions are. Delhi had 207 scholars, Tamil Nadu 149 and Maharashtra 128, followed by West Bengal and Telangana. Karnataka had 97 scholars, all full-time. At the other end, Mizoram had a single part-time scholar and several states had fewer than ten.
Phase II spreads seats more widely. Karnataka has the most seats for 2022-23, 19, followed by Maharashtra with 17 and Tamil Nadu with 16, but 26 states and UTs got at least two seats. Chhattisgarh, which had no Phase I scholars in the table, received six Phase II seats.
What the figures do not tell you
The state is where the host institution is, not where the scholar comes from. A student from Bihar at IIT Delhi is counted under Delhi. The Phase I figures are cumulative since 2014 and do not show how many scholars dropped out or are still enrolled today. The latest state-wise figures we could find on an official site are from December 2022.
Where to check for updates
MeitY lists participating institutions and calls for proposals on the Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme portal. Updated numbers usually appear in MeitY replies to Parliament questions, released through PIB.
Frequently asked questions
How many students got the Visvesvaraya PhD fellowship?
Phase I supported 1,423 PhD candidates, 1,090 full-time and 333 part-time, according to a MeitY reply released by PIB on 14 December 2022.
Which state has the most Visvesvaraya PhD scholars?
Delhi, with 207 Phase I scholars, followed by Tamil Nadu with 149 and Maharashtra with 128.
How many seats are there in Phase II?
Phase II aims at 1,000 full-time PhD seats. For the first year, academic year 2022-23, 200 full-time seats were allocated to 70 institutions, with Karnataka getting the most (19).
How many Visvesvaraya scholars have finished their PhD?
MeitY said in September 2021 that 422 full-time and 43 part-time candidates had submitted their thesis or completed the PhD, while 492 full-time and 268 part-time scholars were still pursuing it.
How many institutions took part in Phase I?
PhD seats in Phase I went to 97 institutions, including IITs, NITs and central and state universities, in 25 states and 4 union territories.
Eligibility, documents and how to apply: Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme for Electronics and IT: Full Time PhD Candidates full guide
Charts, data files and the infographic are free to download, share and embed with a link back to this page.
Sources
This guide was checked against these official pages:
- pib.gov.in (www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1883486)
- pib.gov.in (www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1755855)