Coimbatore: Bharathiar University (BU), Coimbatore faces a shortage of research supervisors, causing delays for PhD students in finding qualified mentors.

Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, is grappling with a supervisor shortage, creating obstacles for research students.

As per University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines, Assistant Professors can mentor four students, Associate Professors six, and Professors eight. However, many registered supervisors have retired in recent years, with 40% of faculty in university departments stepping down. This has led to a bottleneck in finding mentors for PhD candidates.

Numerous faculty members have applied to become new supervisors, but their applications have been pending for years. This delay has left students waiting indefinitely for qualified guides.

The situation is particularly dire for those in colleges affiliated with Bharathiar University, where finding mentors has become increasingly difficult.

Rupa, Registrar ( In-charge) Bharathiar University, stated that the university's A and B categories are in place to allocate supervisors. Category A includes university faculty, while Category B encompasses faculty from recognized colleges.

Despite the supervisor shortage, Rupa assured that existing faculty will support students. She also confirmed that pending applications for new supervisors would soon be processed, ensuring eligible faculty members can assist students in their research endeavors.

This issue hampers many researchers' progress and delays their academic timelines.