Mumbai, Jan 17: On Saturday, at the Sir Cowasji Jehangir Convocation Hall of Mumbai University’s Fort campus, students flaunted their sashes, wearing dignified hats and beaming with pride, as PhD candidates could finally add ‘Doctor’ to their names and master’s students looked ahead to a better future after years of perseverance.
Over 1.7 lakh students awarded degrees
This year, the prestigious Mumbai University conferred degrees on 1,72,522 undergraduate and postgraduate students, along with 602 PhD scholars. A total of 1,49,982 undergraduate (UG) and 22,540 postgraduate (PG) students received their degrees during the ceremony.
Sharp rise in PhD output
In the academic year 2025–26, Mumbai University reported a 50 per cent rise in PhD output compared to the previous year, the highest recorded in the last nine years. The university attributed the increase to a sustained push for research excellence and alignment with global standards.
Recovery after pandemic dip
“The number of PhD degrees had fallen sharply during the Covid-19 pandemic, reaching a low of 153 in 2021. However, it has steadily increased since then, with 367 doctorates in 2023, 428 in 2024, and 401 in 2025, before touching 577 in 2026,” the official statement said.
Faculty-wise PhD distribution
The largest number of scholars were from the Faculty of Science and Technology (269), followed by Commerce and Management (145), Humanities (109), and Interdisciplinary Studies (79).
Gender parity achieved
Remarkably, this year the male-female ratio of students was also at par. Of the total graduates, 84,318 were male, 88,202 female, and two students identified as others.
Chief guest highlights skills-first economy
The chief guest for the prestigious event was Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India.
In his address to the students, he said, “According to the ‘India Skills Report – 2026’, India is moving towards a skills-first economy. Increasing employability, greater participation of women, and India’s leadership in artificial intelligence are promising signs for the country.”
Call for changes in education
He emphasised the need for three changes in the education system: curiosity-driven teaching, conceptual understanding, and hands-on, experiment-based learning.
Dr Sood stated that quality education, employability, and advancements in artificial intelligence are enabling India to achieve global leadership. The Government of India’s ‘One Nation One Subscription’ (ONOS) initiative is democratising research, enabling millions of students across the country to access world-class research.
Dignitaries attend convocation
The annual convocation ceremony, held at the Sir Cowasji Jehangir Convocation Hall at the Fort campus, was graced by the presence of the state’s Higher and Technical Education Minister, Chandrakant Dada Patil, as the guest of honour.
The event, presided over by the Vice-Chancellor of Mumbai University, Prof Ravindra Kulkarni, was attended by Pro-Vice-Chancellor Principal Dr Ajay Bhamre and Registrar Dr Prasad Karande.
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Faculty-wise distribution of PhD graduates includes:
. 256 from the Faculty of Science and Technology
. 144 from Commerce and Management
. 106 from Humanities
. 71 from Interdisciplinary Studies
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