**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to Unstarred Question No. 415, answered on February 2, 2026, regarding the percentage of SC/ST/OBC employees in Central Universities. It outlines the existing reservation policies, recruitment processes, and efforts to fill vacancies, particularly backlog vacancies, in Central Higher Education Institutions (CHEIs). A key action item is the ongoing mission mode recruitment drive to fill backlog vacancies, with a request in October 2025 for CHEIs to complete this within one year.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Institutional Autonomy and Recruitment:**
* CHEIs, including Central Universities, IITs, IIMs, IIITs, and NITs, are autonomous organizations governed by their respective Acts/Statutes/Ordinances/Regulations.
* Faculty and non-faculty recruitment is conducted internally by each institution, with recruitment powers vested in the Board of Governors/Executive Committee/Board of Management.
* The Ministry of Education does not have an active role in the recruitment process.
* **Vacancy Management:**
* The occurrence and filling of vacancies is a continuous process, arising from various factors such as promotion, retirement, resignation, and expansion.
* **Reservation Policy:**
* The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers Cadre) Act, 2019, provides for the reservation of posts for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), socially and educationally backward classes, and economically weaker sections in teachers' cadres.
* Reservation percentages are 15% for SCs, 7.5% for STs, 27% for socially and educationally backward classes, and 10% for Economically weaker sections.
* **Recruitment Practices:**
* Measures to attract quality faculty include open advertisements, search-cum-selection procedures, special recruitment drives, and invitations to alumni/scientists/faculty.
* UGC has launched a common portal ‘CU-CHAYAN' for faculty recruitment to increase transparency and accessibility.
* **Mission Mode Recruitment Drives:**
* CHEIs were requested to undertake special drives to fill backlog vacancies in Mission Mode, starting in August 2021.
* In October 2025, CHEIs were again requested to fill up all backlog vacancies in Mission Mode within one year.
* From September 2022 to October 24, 2025, CHEIs filled 29,979 posts, including 17,494 faculty positions, in Mission Mode.
* During the same period, CUs, IITs, IIMs, IIITs, and NITs filled 28,639 posts, including 3,485 SC, 1,471 ST, and 6,013 OBC.
* **AIIMS Delhi:**
* AIIMS are established by Act of Parliament and are under the administrative control of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
* AIIMS Delhi has 781 faculty, including 118 SCs, 40 STs, and 168 OBCs.
**Impact Analysis**
**CHEIs (Central Universities, IITs, IIMs, IIITs, NITs):**
* **Impact:** Responsible for implementing reservation policies, managing vacancies, and conducting recruitment drives, especially the Mission Mode recruitment for filling backlog vacancies.
* **Action Required:** Continue the Mission Mode recruitment drive to fill backlog vacancies, aiming to complete this within one year from October 2025.
**Ministry of Education:**
* **Impact:** Oversees and encourages CHEIs to fulfill reservation quotas and fill vacancies but does not actively participate in recruitment.
* **Action Required:** Continue to monitor and encourage CHEIs to expedite the filling of backlog vacancies.
**SC/ST/OBC/EWS Candidates:**
* **Impact:** Beneficiaries of the reservation policies and Mission Mode recruitment drives, leading to increased opportunities in teaching and non-teaching positions within CHEIs.
* **Action Required:** Actively apply for positions in CHEIs, taking advantage of the special recruitment drives and reservation policies.
Key Entities Referenced
Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers Cadre) Act, 2019: Act providing for reservation of posts in appointments of persons belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, socially and educationally backward classes, and economically weaker sections in teachers' cadre in Central Higher Education Institutions.
Central Higher Education Institutions (CHEIs): Autonomous institutions, including Central Universities, IITs, IIMs, IIITs, and NITs, under the Ministry of Education.
Ministry of Education: The ministry responsible for overseeing Central Higher Education Institutions and their recruitment processes.
Mission Mode Recruitment Drive: Special recruitment drive undertaken by CHEIs to fill backlog vacancies including those for SC, ST, and OBC categories.
CU-CHAYAN: A common portal launched by UGC for faculty recruitment in Central Universities, aiming to enhance transparency and accessibility.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 415
ANSWERED ON 02.02.2026
Percentage of SC/ST/OBC Employees in Central Universities
415. Shri Manoj Kumar:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) the details of the existing numbers and percentage of employees belonging to SC/ST/OBC categories'
along with the total numbers and percentage of vacancies and backlog vacancies of Teaching and Non-
Teaching positions reserved for (SCs/STs/OBCs) in Central Universities, AIIMS, IITs, IIMs, IIITs, NITs etc.
across the country, State/UTs-wise, universities/institution-wise, Grade/classes of service-wise;
(b) whether the Government has any plan to run the special drives/advertisement to fill up the vacancies
and backlog vacancies of Teaching and Non-Teaching positions reserved for SC, ST, OBC categories in
Central Universities, AIIMS, IITs, IIMs, IIITs, NITs etc.; and
(c) if so, the details thereof along with the time-frame by which such special drive is likely to be conducted
and if not, the reasons therefor?
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, IITs, IIMs, IIITs, NITs are statutory autonomous organizations established under respective
Central Acts of Parliament and governed by provisions of the Acts/Statutes/Ordinances/Regulations made
thereunder. As autonomous institutions, faculty and non-faculty recruitment 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.
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.The Government notified the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers Cadre) Act, 2019 on
09.07.2019 to provide for the reservation of posts in appointments of persons belonging to the Scheduled
Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, the socially and educationally backward classes and the economically weaker
sections, to teachers’ cadre in these CHEIs. The reservation is provided in teachers cadre to the extent of 15%
for SCs, 7.5% for STs, 27% for socially and educationally backward classes and 10% for Economically weaker
sections, as per notification dated 12.7.2019 issued in pursuance of the said Act.
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. In October 2025, all the CHEIs have again been requested to fill up all the backlog vacancies
in Mission Mode within a period of one year.
From September 2022, all CHEIs including Central Universities (CUs), IITs, IIMs, IIITs 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. During the said period, CUs, IITs, IIMs, IIITs and NITs collectively have filled
up 28639 posts including 3485 SC, 1471 ST and 6013 OBC.
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) have been established by the Act of Parliament and are under
the administrative control of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. As per information provided by the
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, AIIMS Delhi has total 781 faculty in position, including 118 SCs, 40
STs and 168 OBCs.
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