Lok Sabha Question No. 33 (STARRED), answered on 2018-02-05
Subject: Higher Educational Institutions
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: JYOTIRADITYA MADHAVRAO SCINDIA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. 33 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.02.2018

## Higher Educational Institutions

## *33.    SHRI JYOTIRADITYA M. SCINDIA: KUMARI SUSHMITA DEV:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  there  is  a  steep  shortage  of  teaching  staff  in Government run higher educational institutions across the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the delay in the recruitment process of teachers/facilitators and for the post of ViceChancellor in academic institutions is leading to fall in academic standards in such institutions; and

(d)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  corrective measures  taken  or  proposed  to  be  taken  by  the Government to mitigate the crises of faculty shortage in such institutions?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

((SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

- (a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. * 33 FOR 05.02.2018 BY SHRI JYOTIRADITYA M. SCINDIA AND KUMARI SUSHMITA DEV REGARDING HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.

(a) to (d) : Occurring and filling up the vacancies is an ongoing and continuous process. Vacancies at various levels occur in different manner due to retirements, resignations, deaths, deputations, expansion and opening of new institutions.

In 40 Central Universities (CUs), out of the total sanctioned teaching posts of 17106,   5997 teaching posts are vacant as on 1.4.2017.

In Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), out of the total number of sanctioned teaching posts of 454, 181 posts are lying vacant as on 01.04.2017.

In 20 Indian Institute of Management (IIMs), out of total sanctioned teaching posts of 1007, 273 posts are lying vacant. In 7 IISERs and IISc, Bangalore, the total number of sanctioned teaching posts is 1117 and 153 are lying vacant.  In 4 IIITs, out of 308 sanctioned teaching positions,  117 posts are lying vacant. In 23 IITs, out of 5394 sanctioned teaching positions, 2612 posts are lying vacant.  In 32 NITs and IIEST, Shibpur, out of 7436 sanctioned teaching positions, 3552 posts are lying vacant.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development and UGC have taken various steps in this regard:

- (i) In  order  to  meet  the  situation  arising  out  of  shortage  of  teachers  in  universities  and  other  teaching institutions  and  the  consequent  vacant  positions  therein,  the  age  of  superannuation  for  teachers  in Central Educational Institutions has already been enhanced to 65 years w.e.f.  23.3.2007.
- (ii) Besides, subject to availability of vacant positions and fitness, teachers can also be re-employed on contract appointment beyond the age of 65 years and upto the age of 70 years.
- (iii) 5 Visitor's nominees have been provided to all CUs for Selection Committees of teachers in order to expedite the recruitment process
- (iv) UGC also framed the guidelines for empanelment of Adjunct-Faculty in Universities and Colleges. These guidelines enable higher educational institutions to access the eminent teachers and researchers who have completed their formal association with University / College, to participate in teaching, to collaborate and to stimulate research activities for qualify research at M.Phil  and Ph. D. levels, and to play mentoring and inspirational role.
- (v) Further, UGC initiated a scheme called Operation Faculty Recharge for augmenting the research and teaching resources of universities to tackle the shortage of faculty in university system.
- (vi) In  UGC (Minimum  Qualifications  for  Appointment  of  Teachers  and  other  Academic  Staff  in Universities and Colleges and Measures for the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education) Regulations, 2010, it  is  clearly  mentioned  that  all  the  sanctioned  /  approved  posts  in  the university system shall be filled up on an urgent basis.

However,  the  onus  to  fill  up  the  vacant  teaching  posts  lies  with  the  Universities  which  are  statutory autonomous  bodies.  In  order  to  ensure  that  studies  of  students  are  not  affected,  Central  universities    are adopting  different  methods/process  to  address  faculty  shortages  which  inter-alia,  include  hiring  ad-hoc faculty, Guest Faculty, Contract Faculty and Re-employed.

For filling up of vacant teaching posts, the IITs have been taking measures to attract quality faculty, which include year-round open advertisements, invitation through search-cum-selection procedures to alumni/scientists/faculty,  advertisements  in  international  journals,  and  appointment  of  NRIs  and  PIOs  to faculty  positions  on  the  same  terms  as  applicable  to  regular  faculty.  In  addition,  Institutes  are  engaging contract, adjunct and visiting faculty. The Government has also launched the Global Initiative for Academic Networks (GIAN) to enable foreign faculty to teach some courses in the higher educational institutions. Steps such  as  outstanding  young  faculty  awards,  mobility  of  faculty  from  one  Central  Educational  Institute  to another, and pay parity to faculty have also been taken to attract best faculty in these Institutions.

Under  Technical  Education  Quality  Improvement  Programme  (TEQIP)  Phase-III,  recruitment  for 1885  vacant  positions  of  faculty  was  carried  out  for  Institutes  located  in  educationally  backward states and 1225 highly qualified Engineering Graduates, mostly from IITs and NITs have joined as Assistant Professor-on contract basis  in 53 colleges.

Out of 41 Central Universities, only 8 posts of Vice Chancellors are vacant at present. However, the Acting Vice Chancellors are performing the duties of the office of Vice Chancellor.

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