Year: 2026 | Month: June | Volume 13 | Issue 1
Mapping the Evolution of Doctoral Research in Information Science: A Data-Driven Perspective from Indian Repositories
Ajay Misra1* and Jayati Lahiri Dey2
DOI:10.30954/2348-7437.1.2026.6
Abstract :
Doctoral research in Information Science (IS) in India has grown substantially over the past four decades, propelled by the rapid digital transformation of libraries, the advancement of information and communication technologies, and the emergence of nationwide open-access scholarly ecosystems such as Shodhganga, the reservoir of Indian theses hosted by INFLIBNET. This paper presents an expanded, data-driven examination of the evolution of IS doctoral research in India, drawing on metadata relating to year of submission, thematic keywords, institutional affiliation, geographical distribution, and supervisory patterns across four historical phases. Employing descriptive bibliometric indicators, keyword clustering, and network-mapping techniques, the study traces the discipline’s transition from classical librarianship toward digital, data-intensive, and interdisciplinary domains. Findings indicate a marked rise in research productivity since the late 1990s, a pronounced shift toward artificial intelligence, big data, and research-data-management themes after 2016, growing co-supervision and inter-institutional collaboration, and persistent regional imbalances favouring southern and northern India. The revised methodology strengthens data validation, triangulates multiple repositories, and clarifies analytical procedures. The study offers evidence-based insights that can inform curriculum redesign, funding policy, supervisory planning, and strategies for balanced regional development, contributing to a richer understanding of how Information Science is maturing in India.
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