Why everyone wants to be a PhD from BU

Responses are pouring in for the PhD programme offered by Bangalore University (BU). The number of applications for the 2019-20 academic year is almost five times the number of seats.

The university has 482 PhD seats but the number of applications has already crossed the 2,400-mark. The numbers are expected to go further up as the last date to apply with a penal fee is July 18.

The response has caught BU authorities by surprise. While BU is taking PhD admissions after a gap of three years, the fact that the university was split into three just two years ago doesn’t seem to have concerned the applicants.

“The PhD programme was last offered in 2016. This delay has increased the number of aspirants,” said a senior professor who also guides PhD students. Three years ago, the university had received about 1,800 applications for PhD admissions.

A senior official in the university said: “Even after the trifurcation, the university is getting such a good response for the PhD programme. It’s really surprised us.”

The faculty of science accounts for as much as 40% of the applications, followed by the faculty of engineering.

PhD primer

482: No of PhD seats available

2,400: No of applications received

189: Seats in the faculty of science.

218: Seats in the faculty of engineering.

20: Seats in the faculty of commerce.

55: Seats in the faculty of arts.

Dates to remember

July 18: Last date to submit applications with a penal fee.

July 23: Last date to submit a hard copy of the application.

August 18: Entrance test.

August 23: Publication of key answers.

September 9: Last date to file the objections, if any.

October 16: Counseling.