Giving details about vacancy in teaching position in 16 IITs and 30 NITs, the minister said that there are approximately 36.5 per cent and 40.8 per cent vacancy in teaching positions in theses institutes. The reasons for faculty shortage are due to retirement, resignation, increase in students’ intake and non-availability of qualified candidates for taking up teaching assignments.
The Institutes have been taking various initiatives to attract outstanding candidates for faculty positions. Some of these measures include year-round open advertisements, holding of selection committee meetings through video conferencing, invitation to alumni, scientists and faculty to reach out to potential candidates, advertisements in international journals, outstanding young faculty awards, etc.
As regards NITs, the Institutions are engaging contract and adjunct staff as well as using the online mode of teaching to overcome these shortages. Moreover, faculty in NITs has now been given pay parity with faculty in IITs with a view to attract quality faculty.
Further, the MHA has reduced the salary limit for employment Visa to foreign faculty from US$ 25,000 to US$ 14,000 with a view to make it possible for foreign faculty to join IITs and NITs.
Meanwhile, union minister of human resource and development Smriti Irani stressed on central sector scheme of scholarship for college and university students. In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, the HRD minister said that students who are above 80th percentile of successful candidates in the relevant stream from a particular Board of Examination, in class XII of 10+2 pattern or equivalent, having parental income of less than Rs.6.00 lakh per annum and pursuing regular courses (not correspondence or distance mode) from recognized educational institutions and not availing of any other scholarship scheme, are eligible for consideration of award of scholarship.
The Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students is implemented through the State Education Boards and Central Board of Secondary Education who disseminate the information about the Scheme.