Mumbai University, recognized as one of India’s largest public universities, awarded a total of 172,522 degrees at its recent annual convocation. This major event also highlighted a significant academic achievement: a 50% rise in PhD output for the academic year 2025-26, marking the highest number of doctorates awarded in the past nine years.
The vast majority of degrees went to undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) students. Specifically, 149,982 UG and 22,540 PG students received their qualifications. The graduating class showed a near-even gender split, with 84,318 male students, 88,202 female students, and two students identifying as ‘others’.
Record PhD Output Signals Research Focus
A total of 602 PhD degrees were conferred, a substantial increase from the 401 PhDs awarded in the previous year, 2024. This 50% growth underscores Mumbai University’s intensified focus on research excellence and its commitment to contributing to advanced knowledge.
The Faculty of Science and Technology led this academic surge, producing 269 PhD scholars. Following were Commerce and Management with 145 doctorates, Humanities with 109, and Interdisciplinary Studies with 79. This distribution highlights broad research activity across multiple key fields.
| Faculty | PhD Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Science and Technology | 269 |
| Commerce and Management | 145 |
| Humanities | 109 |
| Interdisciplinary Studies | 79 |
| Total | 602 |
New Academic Collaborations and Recognition
Beyond degree conferrals, the convocation recognized individual academic brilliance. Twenty-three medals were presented to 21 students for their outstanding performance and academic excellence across various disciplines.
Looking ahead, Mumbai University’s Centre for Distance and Online Education (CDOE) has initiated new partnerships. Collaborating with COEP Technological University, Pune, and Dr Homi Bhabha State University, the CDOE plans to offer innovative dual-degree programs. These programs aim to provide students with expanded opportunities and a broader skill set.
Digital Integration for Student Mobility and Records
The university also highlighted advancements in its digital academic infrastructure. This includes the implementation of the Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) framework, linked via APAAR ID. This initiative aligns with the national ‘One Nation, One Student ID’ vision. It ensures the secure storage, accumulation, and seamless transfer of academic credits for students moving between higher educational institutions.
Furthermore, Mumbai University has significantly expanded its digital record-keeping. The institution has published a total of 2,978,099 academic records on the NAD-DigiLocker platform. This extensive database comprises 2,562,312 degree certificates, dating from 1972 to 2024, and 415,787 marksheet records from the 2023–2025 academic period.
A crucial component of this digital system involves credit information. Out of the uploaded marksheet records, 364,431 contain specific credit details. These have been successfully mapped to 233,737 students’ Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) accounts for the 2023–2025 period, streamlining academic progress tracking.