India's Higher Education Sector Witnesses Unprecedented Expansion

India's higher education landscape has transformed dramatically over the past decade, driven by ambitious government policies and rising aspirations among the youth. The number of higher education institutions (HEIs) has surged from 51,534 in 2014-15 to over 70,000 as of June 2025, encompassing universities, colleges, and standalone institutions. This expansion aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020's goal to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) from around 28 percent to 50 percent by 2035, positioning India as a potential global education hub.

Student enrolment has crossed 43 million, with women comprising nearly 48 percent of the total, marking significant progress in gender parity. States like Uttar Pradesh lead with the highest number of colleges, while private institutions have played a pivotal role, accounting for much of the growth in availability from 29 colleges per lakh youth in 2010 to 45 in 2021. Yet, this boom in infrastructure and access tells only half the story, as the sector grapples with a persistent lag in faculty recruitment that threatens to undermine these gains.

Alarming Statistics on Faculty Vacancies Across Institutions

The scale of the faculty shortage is starkly revealed in recent government data. In top-tier institutions such as the 23 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), and Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs), over 28 percent of the 18,940 sanctioned teaching positions remain vacant as per the 2025-26 Demands for Grants report. This includes a staggering 56 percent vacancy in professorial roles, 38 percent in associate professor positions, and 18 percent in assistant professor posts.

Central universities report around 26-35 percent vacancies, while some state public universities exceed 60 percent. The All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2021-22 indicated a pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) deteriorating to 24:1, far from the University Grants Commission (UGC) and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) recommended 1:15 to 1:20. Recent analyses show public colleges averaging 47 students per teacher and private ones 28, exacerbating the strain on educational quality.

Root Causes Behind the Recruitment Lag

Several interconnected factors contribute to this faculty crunch. First, unattractive remuneration and service conditions deter qualified candidates. Entry-level salaries for assistant professors often pale in comparison to industry offers, especially in booming sectors like technology and finance. Rigid career progression structures, emphasizing PhD qualifications without flexibility for diverse expertise, narrow the talent pool.

The supply of quality PhDs remains inadequate despite a 20 percent rise in enrolments over five years. Many programs suffer from outdated curricula and limited research opportunities, producing graduates ill-equipped for academia. Brain drain to foreign universities and industries further depletes the pool, while recruitment delays due to bureaucratic hurdles and reservation quotas leave positions unfilled for years.

• Low Pay and Perks: Academic salaries lag private sector by 20-30 percent for similar qualifications.
• PhD Quality Gap: Fewer than 10 percent of PhDs from Indian universities meet global research standards.
• Bureaucratic Delays: Processes can take 1-2 years per hiring cycle.
• Reservation Challenges: High vacancies in SC/ST/OBC posts due to limited eligible candidates.
• Poor Infrastructure: Especially in state universities enrolling 81 percent of students.

In state public universities, NITI Aayog highlights outdated infrastructure compounding the issue, leading to reliance on ad-hoc and contractual staff, which affects stability and mentorship.

Impacts on Students, Research, and Institutional Quality

The fallout from faculty shortages is profound. Overcrowded classrooms with 40-50 students per teacher hinder personalized learning, fostering rote memorization over critical thinking. Research output suffers, with limited supervision for postgraduate theses and projects, contributing to India's lag in global rankings—only a handful of institutions feature in top QS or Times Higher Education lists.

Employability remains a concern, with nearly 40 percent unemployment among graduates aged 15-29, as per the State of Working India 2026 report. Depleted rosters mean reduced innovation, with students facing rote learning and poor skill development. For detailed vacancy insights in elite institutions, see the University World News analysis.

Stakeholder perspectives vary: Vice-chancellors cite funding constraints, faculty unions demand better pay, and students protest large class sizes. In IITs and IIMs, 40 percent and 31 percent vacancies respectively blunt competitive edges.

Photo by Pratik Mohapatra on Unsplash

Regional Disparities and Case Studies

Shortages are unevenly distributed. Uttar Pradesh, with the most colleges, faces acute issues in state universities. In contrast, premier institutions like IIT Madras report 39 percent vacancies, while IIT Kharagpur exceeds 50 percent. State universities in Maharashtra and West Bengal grapple with over 50 percent gaps, per recent audits.

Case study: A NITI Aayog review of state public universities notes that despite enrolling 81 percent of students, many lack basic labs and have faculty strength below 50 percent. In medical colleges, similar trends emerge, with protests over shortages affecting training standards.

Government Initiatives and NEP 2020 Reforms

The NEP 2020 emphasizes multidisciplinary education and faculty development, mandating PhD incentives and performance-linked promotions. UGC has pushed for filling vacancies through fast-track recruitments and contractual hires. The 2025-26 budget allocates funds for faculty training, while schemes like PM-USHA aim to upgrade infrastructure.

Internationalization efforts, including foreign campus setups, seek to import expertise. For enrolment trends and gaps, the Economic Times report on State of Working India 2026 provides comprehensive data.

Expert Views and Calls for Rethinking the Academic Model

Experts urge a paradigm shift. Jaideep Chatterjee, former dean at O.P. Jindal Global University, warns of a "quantum leap" in programs without staff, advocating diverse roles like learning designers over rigid PhD tracks. Shradha Kanwar of Jain University stresses upskilling faculty for modern needs. See Times Higher Education for in-depth discussions.

Solutions include adjunct faculty, AI-assisted teaching, and global recruitment. Private universities experiment with flexible models, achieving better fill rates.

Emerging Solutions and Best Practices

• Incentive Packages: States like Punjab approve thousands of faculty posts with enhanced pay.
• Contractual Hiring: Temporary roles to bridge gaps, with pathways to permanency.
• PhD Fellowships: Expanding schemes like PMRF to boost supply.
• International Faculty: Visa relaxations for foreign experts.
• Tech Integration: Online platforms to supplement teaching.

Institutions like IITs use global hunts, filling 20 percent more via targeted drives.

Photo by Ibrahim Rifath on Unsplash

Future Outlook: Bridging the Gap for Viksit Bharat

By 2030, India needs millions more faculty to sustain growth. Success hinges on policy execution, industry-academia ties, and quality PhD production. With demographic dividend peaking, addressing this crisis could propel India to Vishwaguru status. Proactive measures promise a balanced expansion, ensuring quantity translates to quality.

Stakeholders must collaborate for sustainable reforms, prioritizing recruitment to harness the sector's potential.