New Delhi: Two years since adopting a mission mode recruitment to hire faculty members from reserved categories, just over 10% of faculty positions filled up by IITs (Indian Institute of Technology) and IIMs (Indian Institute of Management) collectively are from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SCs/STs), the union ministry for education has told the Parliament.
According to a written reply to the Lok Sabha on Monday (February 10), by union minister of state for education, Sukanta Majumdar, since September 2022, all IITs and IIMs undertook recruitment drives to fill vacancies on a mission mode including those of SCs and STs. Of the total 3,027 faculty positions that were filled till December 23, 2024 only 328 were SCs (276) and STs (52).
In August 2021, the Centre notified the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers Cadre) Act, 2019 to provide for the reservation of posts in appointments of persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, the socially and educationally backward classes and the economically weaker sections, to teachers’ cadre in Central Higher Education Institutions (CHEI)s. In the same month, all CHEIs under MoE were asked to undertake a special drive to fill backlog vacancies in their institutions in Mission Mode.
Only 328 SC/STs out of 3,027 faculty positions filled
“From September 2022, IITs and IIMs have also undertaken Mission Mode recruitment drive to fill the vacancies including those of SC and ST. Up to 23.12.2024, a total number of 26,751 posts have been filled up by all CHEIs in Mission Mode, including 15,637 faculty positions. A total number of 7239 vacancies have been filled up by IITs and IIMs collectively, out of which 3027 are faculty positions including 276 SC and 52 ST,” said Majumdar in his reply.
In December, Right to Information (RTI) replies revealed that in at least two IITs and three IIMs, more than 90% of faculty positions are held by those from the General category. Additionally, in six IITs and four IIMs, the figure stands at 80-90%.
As per the Centre’s policy, 27% of faculty positions are reserved for OBCs, 15% for SCs, and 7.5% for STs in nearly all central educational institutions, including IITs and IIMs.
Majumdar said that All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi advertised 172 faculty posts in 2018-19, just over 12% were filled from the SC/ST categories, In 2021-22, of the 270 faculty posts just over 14% were from SC/ST.
“All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) have been established by an Act of Parliament and under the administrative control of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. As per information provided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, AIIMS Delhi has advertised 172 & 270 faculty posts and filled up 22 & 40 SC/ST posts in the year 2018-19 and 2021-22 respectively,” his reply stated.
