The parliamentary standing committee on human resources development has expressed “anguish” over shortage of faculty in higher education institutions, including Central universities, IITs and IIMs.
The parliamentary standing committee on human resources development has expressed “anguish” over shortage of faculty in higher education institutions, including Central universities, IITs and IIMs. The panel has termed the shortage as the “biggest handicap” in developing and maintaining the standard of education in the country.
The panel, the panel headed by BJP MP Satyanarayan Jatiya, has suggested beginning the hiring process before a post falls vacant and also suggested that the faculty should be encouraged to undertake consultancy to make the education sector attractive. Observing that the situation continues to be “grim” with no improvement appearing imminent, it voiced concern over “acute” shortage of faculty in higher education institutions across the country.
The report stated that it was informed that the total number of sanctioned teaching posts in Central universities is 16,600, out of which 2,376 are for the position of professors, 4,708 associate professors and 9,521 assistant professors. Of the positions lying vacant, 1,277 are for the post of professor, 2,173 associate professor and 2,478 assistant professor.
In the IITs, the committee said in its report, the minimum qualification for a faculty member is Ph.D and there is a shortage of such candidates. It noted that institutes were engaging faculty on contract basis to tide over the shortage.
“The committee is anguished to find out that right from well established Central universities to those set up recently, state universities as well as private universities, premier institutions like IITs, NITs and IIMs, this problem has emerged as the biggest handicap for the development and growth of higher education vis-à-vis maintaining the quality of education,” the panel said. It also expressed concern that young students were not attracted towards the teaching profession.
The panel also said to make the teaching profession more attractive, “the faculty should be encouraged to undertake consultancy and given start-up financial support.”
