Mapping of Engineering Research Trend in Karnataka: A Special Reference to Visvesvaraya Technological University.

This paper reports the analysis of doctoral dissertations awarded by Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU). The primary objective of this study is to understand the growth and development of research activities of VTU in the past 13 years. The data for the present study has been collected from two authenticated sources: (a) the data published in the University News: a weekly journal from the Association of Indian Universities and (b) the VTU website (http://www.vtu.ac.in/). There are 250 doctoral degrees awarded from 2007 to 2011, in 14 engineering and allied domains. The data relating to research growth and development were analysed and presented under 9 heads viz., chronological, department-wise, frequency-wise, rank-wise distributed doctoral dissertations, productivity of supervisors, ranking of research supervisors, and rank wise distribution of research centers. The authors analysed the bibliographic details of doctoral degrees awarded by VTU. The present situation is that, on an average 50 doctoral degrees are being awarded in a year. In 2010 and 2011 the research output traced significant growth with the awarding of 156 (62.40 %) doctoral degrees. Substantial research was carried out in mechanical (40.40 %) engineering department. It was also observed that 169 research supervisors are presently engaged in guiding doctoral students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]