(a) whether there is a huge shortage of faculty in the higher educational
institutions in the country including in Colleges of University of Delhi;
(b) if so, the details thereof including the number of posts lying vacant
in such colleges, State-wise and the reasons therefor;
(c) whether the studies of the students are being affected due to the shortage
of faculty in those institutions; and
(d) if so, the steps being taken by the Government to fill up the vacant posts
in those institutions?
MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI M.M. PALLAM RAJU)
(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. 171
FOR 5.12.2012 ASKED BY SHRI KAMESHWAR BAITHA AND SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY, HON’BLE MEMBERS
OF PARLIAMENT REGARDING SHORTAGE OF FACULTY.
(a) : Yes, Sir. Many higher educational institutions including colleges of University of
Delhi are facing shortage of qualified and experienced permanent faculty. A Task Force was
constituted under the Chairmanship of Prof. Sanjay G. Dhande to make appropriate
recommendations for alleviating shortage of quality faculty. As per the report of the Task
Force submitted on July, 2011, State Universities, Central Universities, Deemed Universities
and affiliated colleges are short of qualified faculty to the extent of roughly 40%, 35%,
25% and 40% respectively.
(b) : The details of sanctioned strength, existing strength and vacant positions in Central
Universities are given in Annexure-I. Details of sanctioned strength, existing strength and
vacant positions in Centrally Funded Technical Institutions (CFTIs) are given in Annexure-II.
Though such a data is not centrally maintained, State-wise details as reported by the Task
Force, as on May, 2007, for State Universities, are given in Annexure-III. The faculty
shortage, faced by colleges under Delhi University, are at Annexure-IV. Main reasons for
shortage of faculty include expansion of higher education during 11th plan, revision of
minimum qualification norms, non availability of suitable candidates, non-portability of
pension scheme and litigations.
(c) : Different universities and colleges are adopting different methods/processes to address
faculty shortages in order to ensure that studies of students are not affected. These include
hiring ad-hoc faculty, appointing temporary faculty, engaging services of retired teachers
and engaging visiting faculty etc.
(d) : An Implementation Monitoring Committee has been constituted by the Government on 23rd
January, 2012 to implement and monitor the recommendations of the Task Force. Apart from
this, in order to meet the situation arising out of shortage of teachers in universities
and other teaching institutions, the age of superannuation for teachers in Central
Educational Institution has already been enhanced to sixty five years. UGC has advised
all the Central Universities to fill up the teaching positions at the earliest. Teachers
re-employment on contract basis beyond the age of sixty five years upto the age of seventy
years is permitted subject to availability of vacant posts and fitness. Para 12.2 of the
UGC Regulations on Minimum Qualifications for Appointment of Teachers and Other Academic
Staff in Universities and Colleges and Measures for the maintenance of standards in Higher
Education 2010 clearly mentions that all the sanctioned / approved posts in the university
system shall be filled up on an urgent basis.
UGC has also launched a scheme called “Operation Faculty Recharge Programme†for augmenting
the research and teaching resources of universities to tackle the shortage of faculty in
university system.