This document is an answer provided by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2497 on August 4, 2025, regarding vacancies at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati. The response addresses the number of sanctioned and vacant posts for Professors, Associate Professors, and Assistant Professors, the number of guest faculty, and the number of vacant posts reserved for Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Scheduled Castes (SCs).
The response indicates that IIT Guwahati, established in 1994, is an autonomous institute governed by the Institutes of Technology Act, 1961. It highlights that vacancies occur continuously due to retirement, resignation, and increased student enrollment. IIT Guwahati employs a rolling advertisement strategy for faculty recruitment throughout the year and adheres to a rigorous multi-stage selection process, including pedagogy demonstrations, internal evaluations, seminar presentations, faculty interactions, and interviews with external experts.
To supplement the faculty, IIT Guwahati also engages Professors of Practice (PoPs) to provide real-world insights and bridge the gap between industry and academia. Visiting faculty members from academia and industry are also hired for short durations to foster cross-cultural exchange.
Finally, the response notes that reservations for Associate Professor and Professor positions were introduced in 2019 through the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers' Cadre) Act, 2019, providing 15% reservation for SCs, 7.5% for STs, 27% for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and 10% for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).
Key Entities Referenced
Scheduled Tribes STs: A reserved category for government positions in India.
Scheduled Caste SCs: A reserved category for government positions in India.
Indian Institute of Technology IIT, Guwahati, Assam: An autonomous institute of higher education mentioned in the context of sanctioned and vacant posts, guest faculty, and reserved posts.
Institutes of Technology Act, 1961: The act governing the autonomous Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).
Central Educational Institutions Reservation in Teachers' Cadre Act, 2019: The act that introduced reservation at the Associate Professor and Professor levels in IITs.
Ministry of Education: The government ministry responsible for education.
OBCs: Other Backward Classes, a reserved category for government positions in India.
EWS: Economically Weaker Sections, a reserved category for government positions in India.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2497
ANSWERED ON-04/08/2025
Vacancies in IIT, Guwahati
2497. Shri Kamakhya Prasad Tasa:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) the total number of sanctioned and vacant posts of Professors, Associate Professors and
Assistant Professors in the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati, Assam;
(b) the total number of guest faculty currently engaged by the Institute; and
(c) the total number of vacant posts reserved for Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Scheduled
Caste (SCs) in the Institute?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)
(a) to (c): Indian Institute of Technology (IITs) are autonomous institutes governed by the
Institutes of Technology Act, 1961 and the Statutes framed there under from time to time. IIT
Guwahati was established in 1994 with a world class infrastructure for carrying out advanced
research and has been equipped with state-of-the-art scientific and engineering laboratories.
Besides its laurels in teaching and research, IIT Guwahati has been able to fulfil the need for
the technical support for the development of the North East region.
Occurring of vacancies and filling thereof is a continuous process. The vacancies arise
due to retirement, resignation and additional requirement on account of enhanced students’
strength. The Institute issues rolling advertisement for faculty recruitment which are open
throughout the year in order to attract the best talent to the institution. Further, IITs follow a
rigorous faculty recruitment process comprising multiple stages, such as pedagogy
demonstrations and internal evaluation, to ensure the selection of top-notch faculty. Shortlisted
candidates undergo seminar presentations, faculty interaction, and interviews by a committee
with external experts.
Further, IITs engage Professors of Practice (PoP) to enhance students' experiences by
providing insights into real-world best practices. PoPs also serve as a bridge between industry
and the institute to identify teaching and research opportunities that support the public interest
and societal needs. Further, IITs also hire visiting faculty members who are from academics or
senior industry professionals joining IITs for a short duration to promote a cross-cultural
exchange of ideas and perspectives.
In 2019, reservation at the Associate Professor and Professor levels was introduced, in
IITs through the enactment of the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers'
Cadre) Act, 2019. The Act provides for 15%, 7.5%, 27% and 10% reservations for SCs, STs,
OBCs and EWS, respectively.
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