Research at IISc, rake in the moolah

Updated on: Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Research in computer science has never been as glamorous and lucrative as it is now. With companies like Google, IBM and Microsoft now preferring to have a research lab in Bangalore, there is a spurt in the number of students doing PhD in computer science at the city’s flagship Indian Institute of Science.

IISc now generates the highest number of PhDs in computer science in the country. In 2011, 91 people enrolled for a PhD in computer science at the Computer Science and Automation (CSA) department in IISc, up from 35 five years back. The number of students doing masters in computer science leading to PhD, too, is increasing at IISc: from 35 five years ago to an average class of 60 in 2011.

Y Narahari, chairman of CSA, points out, ‘‘IISc is No. 1 in the country in computer science PhD enrolment. IIT-Madras has 55 PhD students, while IIT-Mumbai has 25.’’

He says IISc is particularly attractive for PhD as Bangalore is the tech hub of the country. “Name any big IT research lab and you have it in Bangalore. Most of these labs want hardcore researchers who can understand and develop algorithms for next generation computing and are willing to pay them well,” the chairman said.

WHERE THEY HAVE GONE:

Of IISc’s first 35 PhDs, 21 joined industrial research labs, 13 went into academia and one scholar set up own business

In 2010, of 11 PhDs, eight joined labs and three went into academia

WHAT’S THE PAY?

A fresh PhD graduate earns between 12 lakh and 20 lakh annually in an IT research lab. If he/ she prefers to join the academy as an assistant professor, the annual payment is 8 to 10 lakh

WHY RESEARCH?

Bangalore is among the top 10 cities in the world for its cluster of IT companies and the access an academic institution has to such a cluster. So students prefer to do research here

SUPPLY AND DEMAND

No. of computer science PhDs produced annually in India | 150 to 200
No. of PhDs required annually | At least 1,000

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