Around 56.18% of professor positions unfilled in leading Indian universities: report

A parliamentary committee has revealed that leading universities in India, including IITs and central universities, are severely lacking in faculty, with 56.18% of professor positions unfilled.

In its most recent report, the committee emphasized the urgent need to accelerate hiring in order to maintain academic standards.

The report, titled 2025-26 Demands for Grants of the Department of Higher Education, was presented to Parliament last week by the parliamentary standing committee on education, women, children, youth, and sports.

It stressed the importance of transparency, merit-based hiring, and adherence to the principle of equal opportunity in all recruitment practices.

According to the research, as of Jan 31, 2025, 28.56% of the 18,940 authorized teaching positions in IITs, NITs, IIMs, IISERs, and other central institutions remain unfilled.

This includes 56.18% of professor positions, 17.97% of assistant professor positions, and 38.28% of associate professor positions.

One of the main concerns highlighted was the significant number of vacant reserved faculty positions in core institutions.

Specifically, 472 out of 1,154 positions for Scheduled Tribes (STs), 788 out of 2,315 for Scheduled Castes (SCs), and 1,521 out of 3,652 for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) remain unfilled.

The panel also pointed out the 1,983 OBC, 1,011 SC, and 1,491 ST vacancies among non-teaching staff positions.

The committee expressed disapproval of the growing trend of temporary or contractual appointments to fill these positions, warning that this could undermine the constitutional protections for disadvantaged groups.

It urged the government to replace temporary positions with long-term solutions.

The committee emphasized the need for immediate action to provide stable and qualified teaching staff for India’s higher education institutions, as faculty shortages negatively impact the quality of research and instruction.