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Annals of Library and Information Studies 49,1; 2002; 23-27


INSTITUTIONAL DISTRIBUTION IN COMPUTER SCIENCE RESEARCH IN INDIA: A STUDY

ANUP KUMAR DAS ARUNA KARANJAI

Email: anupdas2072@[Link] Email: aruna@[Link]

ABSTRACT
The study is based on 1408 research papers published in the international journals on
computer sciences contributed by the Indian scientists from 1991 to 2000. The
institutional distribution of research has been studied. The scatter of literature is a two-
way process controlled by number of institutions contributing literature and the number
of journals publishing these contributions. However, major portion of these
contributions, as per the analysis, comes from a few institutions, like IITs (located at
Kharagpur, Kanpur, Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai), Indian Statistical Institute at Kolkata
and Indian Institute of Science (IISc) at Bangalore. The study shows that India has
potential of carrying out computer science research of international standard.

KEYWORDS - Institutional distribution; Computer science research; Research trend;

Scientometrics.


INTRODUCTION
The performance of an institution can generally be measured through the number of
research papers in the peer-reviewed journals emanating from that institution. The
institution, which is generating a good number of research papers in a particular field,
may be considered as a frontier institution in that field.

Four tiers of institutions conduct computer science research in India: (i) Institutions of
national importance, e.g. IITs, IISc and ISI; (ii) Academic institutions, like, universities,
colleges, deemed universities (iii) Government-sponsored R&D institutions and (iv)
Industry-sponsored R&D laboratories.

The institutions belonging to first two tiers are contributing most research papers in the
peer-reviewed journals in the concerned field. These two tiers of institutions are engaged
in academic research as well as result-oriented applied research.

OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the study are to find out:
• Most productive research institutions
• Rank of the institutions in this field

SCOPE
This study covers 1408 research articles published in Science Citation Index (SCI)-
covered international journals in computer science from 1991 to 2000. Only research
papers have been considered for the study. SCI covers about 150 to 200 journals in the
field of computer science, which varies year to year. SCI covers most significant research

Institutional distribution in computer science research in India: a study/ Anup Kumar Das and Aruna Karanjai, 2002. 23
Annals of Library and Information Studies 49,1; 2002; 23-27

journals in this field. SCI does not cover any Indian computer science journals. Those
journals not covered by SCI could not be included in this study.

METHODOLOGY
Data pertaining to 1991 to 2000 was downloaded from the annual CD versions of the
Science Citations Index (SCI). The search from SCI was executed through Boolean
searching procedure, which is described below:
♦ At first, address search was carried out by the term India. (Set 1)
♦ Then the searches by the journal names were carried out. For example, Fuzzy Sets and
Systems.
♦ Then all the journal names were combined by the operator OR. Limited journal names
could be taken for a single set. For example, Fuzzy Sets and Systems OR Computers
& Mathematics OR ……. (Set 2)
♦ Then address and journal names have been combined into a new set through the
operator AND, like, Set 1 AND Set 2.

In this way all the research papers contributed by Indian scientists in the last ten years
were downloaded and saved in custom format with the following fields: authors, title,
source, doc-type, cited reference and address, in comma delimited form and saved in
report files.

Then data was converted into database files in MS-FoxPro. For extracting data, a number
of FoxPro programmes were written and executed to get the summarised and cumulative
data. The data were next rearranged from MS-FoxPro database files into MS-Excel
worksheets to analyse, to compare and to collate the results.

RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

In the present study it is found that a number of institutions were involved in computer
science research in India during 1990s. Table 1 shows the top fifteen institutions from
1991 to 1995. Table 2 shows the top fifteen institutions from 1996 to 2000. In the first
half of 1990s Indian Institute of Science secured first rank and contributed 11.96% of
total research output. Indian Statistical Institute and Indian Institute of Technology,
Kharagpur secured second rank and each one contributed 11.64% of total research output.
University of Delhi secured third rank contributing 7.81% of total research output. Other
institutions in accordance with their descending order of rank are IIT Madras, IIT Delhi,
IIT Kanpur, University of Calcutta, IIT Bombay, Visva Bharati, Jadavpur University,
Harcourt Butler Technological Institute (HBTI) Kanpur, TIFR, Tripura University and
Banaras Hindu University. These fifteen institutions contributed 75.1% of total research
output. 

Institutional distribution in computer science research in India: a study/ Anup Kumar Das and Aruna Karanjai, 2002. 24
Annals of Library and Information Studies 49,1; 2002; 23-27

Table 1: Top Fifteen Institutions in 1991 to 1995

Sl. No. Rank Univ./ Institute 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 Total %
1 1 IISc 7 14 12 20 22 75 11.96
2 2 ISI 3 22 8 21 19 73 11.64
3 2 IIT Kharagpur 6 25 14 13 15 73 11.64
4 3 Univ. of Delhi 7 19 11 7 5 49 7.81
5 4 IIT Madras 6 5 3 10 17 41 6.54
6 5 IIT Delhi 3 7 6 6 5 27 4.31
7 6 IIT Kanpur 4 4 5 5 4 22 3.51
8 6 Univ. of Calcutta 7 5 4 3 3 22 3.51
9 7 IIT Bombay 3 4 4 4 4 19 3.03
10 8 Visva Bharati 1 6 5 4 2 18 2.87
11 9 Jadavpur Univ. 3 3 2 2 3 13 2.07
12 10 HBTI Kanpur 4 3 1 3 0 11 1.75
13 11 TIFR 1 0 2 1 6 10 1.59
14 11 Tripura Univ. 1 4 5 0 0 10 1.59
15 12 BHU 1 1 0 3 3 8 1.28

Table 2: Top Fifteen Institutions in 1996 to 2000

Sl. No. Rank Univ./ Institute 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 Total %
1 1 ISI 16 17 30 15 18 96 12.29
2 2 IISc 13 13 13 19 25 83 10.63
3 3 IIT Kharagpur 10 15 17 14 16 72 9.22
4 4 IIT Madras 13 13 8 8 17 59 7.55
5 5 IIT Delhi 8 12 10 10 9 49 6.27
6 6 IIT Bombay 6 6 14 11 8 45 5.76
7 7 IIT Kanpur 9 5 10 4 13 41 5.25
8 8 IMSc 3 7 1 2 4 17 2.18
9 9 TIFR 2 5 3 1 5 16 2.05
10 10 Univ. of Delhi 3 1 4 3 4 15 1.92
11 11 Jadavpur Univ. 3 2 5 1 3 14 1.79
12 12 Univ. of Calcutta 2 2 2 3 1 10 1.28
13 13 Visva Bharati 3 1 0 3 1 8 1.02
14 13 JNU 2 2 2 2 0 8 1.02
15 14 BHU 0 0 4 0 3 7 0.90

Table 2 shows the top fifteen institutions from 1995 to 2000. In the second half of 1990s
Indian Statistical Institute secured first rank and contributed 12.29% of total research
output. Indian Institute of Science secured second rank and contributed 10.63% of total
research output. Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur secured third rank and
contributed 9.22% of total research output. Other institutions in accordance with their
descending order of rank are IIT Madras, IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT Kanpur, Institute of
Mathematical Sciences (IMSc), TIFR, University of Delhi, Jadavpur University,

Institutional distribution in computer science research in India: a study/ Anup Kumar Das and Aruna Karanjai, 2002. 25
Annals of Library and Information Studies 49,1; 2002; 23-27

University of Calcutta, Visva Bharati, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Banaras
Hindu University. These fifteen institutions contributed 69.13% of total research output.

Table 3: Top Twenty Institutions in 1991 to 2000

Sl. No. Rank Univ./ Institute Total %
1 1 ISI 169 12.00
2 2 IISc 158 11.22
3 3 IIT Kharagpur 145 10.30
4 4 IIT Madras 100 7.10
5 5 IIT Delhi 76 5.40
6 6 Univ. of Delhi 64 4.55
7 6 IIT Bombay 64 4.55
8 7 IIT Kanpur 63 4.47
9 8 Univ. of Calcutta 32 2.27
10 9 Jadavpur Univ. 27 1.92
11 10 Visva Bharati 26 1.85
12 10 TIFR 26 1.85
13 11 IMSc 24 1.70
14 12 BHU 15 1.07
15 13 IICT 12 0.85
16 13 JNU 12 0.85
17 14 HBTI 11 0.78
18 14 Tripura Univ. 11 0.78
19 15 Madras Univ. 9 0.64
20 15 BE College 9 0.64


Table 1 and Table 2 collectively show the progress of research and the changing rank of
institutions. Institutions like Indian Statistical Institute, IIT Bombay, Institute of
Mathematical Sciences (IMSc), JNU, TIFR, etc. improved their rank, whereas institutions
like, Indian Institute of Science, IIT Kharagpur, University of Delhi, University of
Calcutta, etc. declined in their rank over the second half of last decade as compared to the
first half. The top fifteen institutions have less percentage of research output in the
second half of last decade as compared to the first half.

Table 3 shows the top twenty institutions during the last decade. It shows the cumulative
total and its percentage over the total research output. Table 3 depicts that Indian
Statistical Institute secured first rank and contributed 12% of total research output. Indian
Institute of Science secured second rank and contributed 11.22% of total research output.
Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur secured third rank and contributed 10.3% of
total research output. Other institutions in the list of top twenty in accordance with their
descending order of rank are IIT Madras, IIT Delhi, University of Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT
Kanpur, University of Calcutta, Jadavpur University, Visva Bharati, Tata Institute of
Fundamental Research, Institute of Mathematical Sciences Chennai, Banaras Hindu
University, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, Jawaharlal Nehru

Institutional distribution in computer science research in India: a study/ Anup Kumar Das and Aruna Karanjai, 2002. 26
Annals of Library and Information Studies 49,1; 2002; 23-27

University, HBTI Kanpur, Tripura University, Madras University and BE College,

Howrah. These twenty institutions contributed 74.79% of the total research output. Two
institutions, IICT and BE College, which did not find place in the top fifteen institutions
(Table 1 and Table 2), but found their ranks in the top twenty institutions (Table 3).

Table 1 to Table 3 show the top ranked institutions based on their research works
published in various international journals. Mostly either first-tier institutions or second-
tier institutions have secured ranks in these Tables. Third-tier and fourth-tier institutions,
except IMSc, TIFR and IICT, do not figure here. However, this does not mean that they
carry out less research works. Mostly, they are engaged in result-oriented research which
are applied in nature and their research output is not in the form of publication of research
articles in the international journals, rather in the forms of patent, software-copyright,
standard, etc.

CONCLUSION
India is developing its technological capabilities in CS and is participating in CS research
programmes for providing indigenous solutions to various thrust areas besides other
areas. Since independence India has set up a vast S&T infrastructure in the country for
human resource development as well as for R&D activities towards achieving
technological self-support. This includes setting up of a chain of national laboratories
under various central government bodies, like, MIT (earlier known as DOE), CSIR,
DRDO, ISRO, DoS, DAE, DST, etc. Indian universities, numbering nearly 400 along
with the R&D organisations continuously cater to the scientific and technological need of
the nation.

To conclude, it can be said that Indian CS research has potential to produce trail-blazing
innovations of international standards. The enhancement of national capabilities through
domestic and international collaboration by the top ranked institutions has been observed
in this study. The institutions, like IIITs, which are established very recently to provide
state-of-the-art research facilities as well as academic excellence, are expected to enhance
India’s R&D capabilities in CS and information technology. So far, Indian CS research is
keeping pace with international standard and it holds a good and established position in
comparison with other developing countries.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The author is highly grateful to Mr. O. N. Chaddha, Director, INSDOC and Mrs. T.A.
Pandalai, Documentation Officer E-II, INSDOC for their kind cooperation and giving
permission for using official facilities in carrying out this study. The suggestion from Mr.
Bidyarthi Dutta is gratefully acknowledged.
REFERENCES
1. DAS (A K). Trends in Research in Computer Science in India during 1990s: A
Bibliometric Analysis. AIS Dissertation. New Delhi: INSDOC, 2001.
2. DEVARAJAN (G), ed. Bibliometric studies. New Delhi: Ess Ess Publications, 1997.
3. Institute for Scientific Information. SCI guide and lists of source publications.
Philadelphia: Institute for Scientific Information, 1991 – 2000.

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Annals of Library and Information Studies 49,1; 2002; 23-27

4. Institute for Scientific Information. Science Citation Index. Philadelphia: Institute for
Scientific Information, 1991 – 2000. [Annual CD-ROM versions].
5. MAHAPATRA (G). Bibliometric studies on Indian library and information science
literature. New Delhi: Crest Publishing House, 2000.
6. NAGPAUL (P S) [et al], ed. Emerging trends in scientometrics: Essays in honour of
Dr. Ashok Jain. New Delhi: Allied Publishers Ltd., 1999.
7. NAGPAUL (P S). Scientometrics for decision making. In Short-term training course
on bibliometrics: Course material. New Delhi: INSDOC, 1997.
8. RAMAMRITHAM (K). A detailed report on R&D at Indian computer science
establishments. Massachusetts: University of Massachusetts, 1995.


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