Rules for PhD at IIT Bombay changed; the program must now be completed within 8 years..
IIT Bombay has introduced a significant change for PhD students. The institute has set a maximum duration of eight years for new PhD registrations. This means new students must complete their research and thesis within this stipulated timeframe. The decision follows a review of cases where many students had failed to complete their PhDs over extended periods. The institute states that the move aims to ensure students obtain their degrees on time and to reduce the number of long-pending PhD cases. Recently, the institute also awarded a record 620 PhD degrees.
**PhD Must Be Completed Within 8 Years**
IIT Bombay has fixed an eight-year maximum limit for new PhD students to complete their degrees. According to Institute Director Shireesh Kedare, a review of pending PhD cases was conducted to understand why students were taking so long to finish their degrees. Following the review, the focus shifted to addressing the causes of delays and ensuring students complete their PhDs on schedule.
The institute encountered cases where PhD registrations remained pending for over a decade. The new time limit will help curb such instances. Additionally, the review process has helped reduce the backlog of older, pending cases.
**Record 620 PhD Degrees in a Single Year**
In the 2025-26 academic year, IIT Bombay awarded a total of 620 PhD degrees. This marks the highest number of PhD degrees awarded by the institute in a single year in its history. Previously, the number of PhD degrees awarded in any single year had never crossed the 500 mark.
These 620 degrees include 77 in Chemical Engineering, 62 in Electrical Engineering, 49 in Mechanical Engineering, and 40 in Humanities-related disciplines.
Reasons for PhD Delays
A review revealed several reasons behind the delays in completing PhDs. These include guides or supervisors being occupied with other projects, students taking up jobs, external candidates dropping out of the program, and research being disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
A total of 3,763 degrees were awarded to 3,442 students at IIT Bombay's 64th convocation ceremony. These comprised 1,713 undergraduate, 1,430 postgraduate, and 620 PhD degrees. Twenty-eight students also received a three-year BS degree at the ceremony. This serves as an exit option prior to the four-year BTech program, which can be beneficial for students who are unable to complete the BTech—whether to launch a startup or for other reasons.
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