Parliament Question: Faculty Positions in HEIs

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2387 ANSWERED ON 03.08.2026 Faculty Positions in HEIs 2387. Shri Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer: Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state: (a) the total number of sanctioned faculty positions, current functional strength and vacancies across Central Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) including Central Universities, Indian Institute of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institute of Management (IIMs), social category-wise (SC, ST, OBC, EWS and General); (b) the details of the compliance status and action taken reports following the directive issued by the Supreme Court on January 15, 2026, regarding the filling of vacant faculty posts; and (c) whether the Government has established administrative or legislative mechanisms to ensure that teaching positions do not face backlogs or remain vacant in the future, if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR) (a) to (c) The Central Higher Education Institutions (CHEIs) under Ministry of Education including Central Universities (CUs), Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) are statutory autonomous organizations established under respective Central Acts of Parliament and governed by provisions of the Acts/Statutes/Ordinances/Regulations etc. made thereunder. As autonomous institutions, faculty recruitment is done within the institutions itself, in accordance with their Acts and Regulations. The authority for recruitment to these posts vests with the respective Board of Governors/Executive Committee/Board of Management. Occurring of vacancies and filling thereof is a continuous process. The vacancies arise due to promotion, retirement, resignation, death, opening of new institutions, schemes or projects, and additional requirements on account of enhanced students’ strength and expansion of capacity in existing institutions.Hon'ble Supreme Court of India, in its Order dated 15.01.2026 in the matter of Amit Kumar & Others vs. Union of India & Others (Criminal Appeal No. 1425 of 2025), has, inter alia, issued directions regarding the filling up of vacancies in the posts of Vice-Chancellors, Registrars, other key institutional/administrative positions, and faculty positions. In compliance with the aforesaid Order, the Ministry has forwarded the Order to the Higher and Technical Education Departments of all States/UTs, Centrally Funded Higher Educational Institutions under the Ministry of Education, regulatory bodies such as University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for necessary compliance. In August, 2021, all CHEIs under Ministry of Education were requested to undertake special drive to fill backlog vacancies in their institutions in Mission Mode. The CHEIs undertook special recruitment drives to fill the vacancies including of Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). In September 2022, Ministry of Education had also exhorted all the CHEIs to fill up the vacancies in Mission Mode. In October 2025, all the CHEIs have again been requested to fill up all the backlog vacancies in Mission Mode. From September 2022, all CHEIs including Central Universities, IITs and IIMs have undertaken Mission Mode recruitment drive to fill the vacancies. Up to 23.05.2026 (i.e. the date of last Rozgar Mela), a total number of 32114 posts (3851 SC, 1643 ST, 6785 OBC, 1191 EWS) have been filled up by all CHEIs, including 18757 faculty positions (2315 SC, 910 ST, 3986 OBC, 568 EWS), in Mission Mode. In Centrally funded Higher Education Institutions, several measures have been taken to attract quality faculties which includes year-round open advertisements, recruitment through search-cum- selection procedures, special recruitment drive, mission mode recruitment and invitation to alumni/scientists/faculty, etc. The faculty recruitment processes are carried out by the CHEIs by inviting applications in a transparent manner, as part of a multi-step and robust screening process. The Acts and Statutes of various institutions specify the composition of selection committees, authorities responsible for recruitment of various levels of faculty, provision of independent subject experts and Visitor’s nominees etc. so as to ensure transparency and academic rigour in recruitments. UGC has launched a common portal ‘CU-CHAYAN’ for faculty recruitment, making provision for listing of vacancies/ advertisements/ jobs across all Central Universities, thus making the entire recruitment process more transparent and accessible. *****