Take "serious steps" to fill up vacant faculty positions, UGC tells institutions

NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 23: The higher education regulator, University Grants Commission (UGC), has directed all the higher education institutions to take "serious steps" to fill up vacant faculty positions. It has also warned institutions of "appropriate action" against institutions delaying recruitment.

UGC Secretary, Rajnish Jain in his letter issued to Vice-Chancellors of all the universities, colleges and institutions deemed to be university has stated that shortage of quality teaching faculty is a major concern and requires to be addressed immediately for improving the quality of higher education.

Many of the universities are facing huge faculty shortage, some to the tune of 40 percent. In some universities, faculty appointment has not happened for years. Even in a major Central University like Delhi University (DU), nearly 5500 teaching posts are lying vacant.

The UGC letter issued yesterday has also referred to the previous letters issued from June to September, it has asked institutions to adhere to the UGC Guidelines for faculty recruitment "in letter and spirit".

Institutions have been asked to submit their status of the recruitment process on the University Activity Monitoring Portal by November 10.