A parliamentary committee has revealed a severe faculty shortage in India’s premier higher education institutions, including IITs and central universities, with 56.18% of professor-level posts lying vacant. The committee’s report, presented in Parliament last week, calls for urgent recruitment efforts to maintain academic standards and prevent the decline of higher education quality.
Alarming Vacancy Rates in Higher Education
According to the report, as of January 31, 2025:
- 28.56% of total sanctioned teaching posts (18,940) remain unfilled in IITs, NITs, IIMs, IISERs, and central universities.
- 17.97% of assistant professor, 38.28% of associate professor, and 56.18% of professor-level positions are vacant.
- The vacancy rate is even higher for reserved category faculty posts, with 1,521 OBC, 788 SC, and 472 ST positions unfilled.
Concerns Over Contractual Hiring & Marginalized Representation
The committee criticized the rising trend of contractual and temporary appointments, warning that such measures jeopardize Constitutional safeguards for marginalized communities. Additionally, non-teaching staff vacancies remain a concern, with over 1,983 OBC, 1,011 SC, and 1,491 ST positions unfilled.
Call for Transparent and Merit-Based Hiring
To address the crisis, the panel recommended:
- Accelerating faculty recruitment through transparent and merit-based selection.
- Ensuring equal opportunity while prioritizing diversity and inclusivity.
- Shifting from temporary appointments to permanent faculty positions to strengthen research and teaching quality.
With faculty shortages threatening education quality and research output, the committee urged the government to take immediate action to provide a stable and well-trained teaching workforce for India’s higher education institutions.
