Only two SC, ST vice-chancellors among 45 central universities in India: Education Ministry

NEW DELHI: Depicting a grossly disproportionate caste representation in higher education, education ministry data revealed that only two vice-chancellors belong to the historically-marginalised Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities in the 45 central universities in India. These are directly governed by the union education ministry.

Responding to a question in Lok Sabha, minister of state for education Subhash Sarkar informed the lower house that in 45 central universities, one Vice-Chancellor is from SC community, one VC belongs to the Scheduled Tribe community and five are from OBC community, as on April 1 2023. The question was asked whether the deprived social categories like SCs, STs and OBCs are adequately represented in the central institutions.

The data shared by Sarkar further revealed that there are only 96 professors–one of the highest teaching posts at the university level—are from the SC community and 22 from the ST community out of the total of 1,341 professors in central universities. Similarly, at the associate professor level, 231 belong to SC, 69 belong to ST community out of the total of 2,817 as professors employed by the university.

Meanwhile, at the assistant professor level, 1, 094 belong to SC and 534 belong to ST community among the 8, 940 professors employed at the central universities. At the administrative level, the data showed that only two registrars belong to the SC community while two are from ST community and three belong to OBC community.

Caste-wise faculty employed in 45 central universities as on April 1, 2023

Source: Education ministry.

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Teaching posts

According to the education ministry, 1,421 SC category candidates and 625 ST category candidates are employed in various teaching posts. Under the EWS category, 192 candidates are employed at various teaching posts.

Sarkar also shared that as on April 1, 2023, 5, 825 teaching posts and 15, 390 non-teaching posts are lying vacant in central universities. Meanwhile, more than 4000 teaching posts and 1500 non-teaching posts have been filled under the ongoing “mission mode” recruitment drive by central universities. Since 2021, various public institutions have been holding special recruitment drives or “mission mode faculty recruitment drives” calling for applications to fill posts reserved for SC, ST, OBC, EWS, and disabled candidates. Government had intended to fill vacant faculty positions in “mission mode” by December 2022.

Caste-wise teaching and non-teaching post distribution as on April 1, 2023.

Source: Education ministry.