Posts and Vacancies in Higher Education

The Ministry of Education’s Central Higher Education Institutions (CHEIs)—including Central Universities, IITs and NITs—are autonomous bodies that conduct their own faculty recruitment. Vacancies arise from retirements, promotions, deaths, new institutions and increased student numbers. The Ministry has repeatedly directed CHEIs to clear backlog vacancies in Mission Mode (August 2021, September 2022, October 2025). By 23 May 2026, 32,114 posts (including 18,757 faculty positions) were filled, with reserved category allocations (3,851 SC, 1,643 ST, 6,785 OBC, 1,191 EWS). PhD enrolments rose from 1,17,301 (AISHE 2014‑15) to 3,43,559 (AISHE 2023‑24), a 192.89 % increase. The data were provided by MoE Minister of State Dr Sukanta Majumdar in a Rajya Sabha reply.