Mapping Research Trends in Central Universities of Uttar Pradesh

The present study examines the research trends in doctoral theses across four disciplines;Sociology, Education, Political Science, and Economics in selected central universities ofUttar Pradesh, including Banaras Hindu University, Aligarh Muslim University, Universityof Allahabad, and Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University. The study is based on theanalysis of 930 doctoral theses submitted between 2019 and 2023. The findings reveal thatresearch output is uneven, with Banaras Hindu University contributing the highest number oftheses. English is the dominant language of academic writing, though Hindi is also used insome disciplines. All universities follow the APA referencing style, showing uniformity infollowing academic practices. Most of the studies are applied in nature while basic andaction research are limited. In terms of methodology, quantitative approaches dominate inEducation and Economics, whereas qualitative and mixed methods are more common inSociology and Political Science. The common methods include descriptive, historical, andcase study approaches, while advanced methods are rarely used. The study also reveals thatsome research areas receive more attention, while others remain under explored. Overall,the study highlights the need for greater methodological diversity and broader research focusto improve the quality of academic research.