Parliament Question: Filling up of Faculty Vacancies in Higher Education Institutions

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1476 ANSWERED ON 09.02.2026 Filling up of Faculty Vacancies in Higher Education Institutions

1476. Dr. M P Abdussamad Samadani:

Shri Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has taken note of the recent directions issued by the Supreme Court of India under Article 142 regarding filling up of vacant faculty vacancies in public and private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Universities within four months, if so, the details thereof;

(b) the total number of sanctioned and vacant teaching posts and vacancy percentage in Central Universities and State Universities, Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs) and other centrally funded HEIs, as on date, institution-wise and State/UT-wise;

(c) whether any timelines, monitoring mechanisms or penalties have been prescribed by the Government for filling up these vacancies in compliance with UGC norms and the directions of the Supreme Court, if so, the details thereof; and

(d) the steps taken by the Government to address chronic faculty shortages that adversely affect academic quality and well-being of students of HEIs in the country? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)

(a) to (d): Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, vide communication dated 27.01.2026, Registry

Section of Supreme Court has forwarded copy of Order dated 15.01.2026 in the matter of Criminal Appeal No. 1425/2025 in SLP (Criminal) No. 13324/2024 to all Regulatory Bodies of Higher Education for compliance.

Department of Higher Education has, on 05.02.2026, also forwarded copy of Order dated

15.01.2026 of Hon’ble Supreme Court, to all Centrally Funded Higher Education Institutions, Regulatory Bodies of Higher & Technical Education, State & UT Governments, for compliance.

Education being a subject in the Concurrent List of the Constitution, both the Centre and States/ UTs are responsible for the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the country.

The Central Higher Education Institutions (CHEIs) under Ministry of Education including Central Universities are statutory autonomous organizations established under respective Central Acts ofParliament and governed by provisions of the Acts/Statutes/Ordinances/Regulations made thereunder. As autonomous institutions, faculty recruitment (including Associate Professors) is done within the institutions itself, in accordance with their Acts and Regulations. The recruitment powers vests with the respective Board of Governors/Executive Committee/Board of Management and no active role of the Ministry is involved therein.

State Universities are established through respective State Acts and vacances therein are filled by concerned State Governments/Universities themselves. Vacancy details of State Universities are not maintained centrally.

In Centrally financed Higher Education Institutions, 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.

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. From September 2022, all CHEIs including Central Universities (CUs), IITs, IIMs and NITs have undertaken Mission Mode recruitment drive to fill the vacancies. Up to 24.10.2025 (i.e. the date of 17th tranche of Rozgar Mela), a total number of 29979 posts have been filled up by all CHEIs, including 17494 faculty positions, in Mission Mode. Out of these 29979 posts, during the said period, CUs, IITs, IIMs and NITs collectively have filled up 28024 posts including 16594 faculty positions.

*****