In a recent update to the Lok Sabha, the Ministry of Education informed that there are currently 5,825 teaching and 15,390 non-teaching positions vacant in central universities as of April 1, 2023.

Efforts have been made to address this issue through a mission-mode recruitment drive, resulting in the filling of over 4,000 teachings and 1,500 non-teaching posts so far, as stated by Subhas Sarkar, the minister of state for education.

The vacancies have arisen due to retirements, resignations, and an upsurge in student enrollment across various central universities. The education ministry and the University Grants Commission (UGC) are working closely with the central universities to streamline the recruitment process in order to tackle this situation.

It's worth noting that central universities, being autonomous bodies created under Acts of Parliament, have the responsibility to fill these positions. The education ministry has already issued directives to the UGC and the central universities to prioritize filling these vacancies in mission mode.

Earlier, the UGC had urged states and union territories to promptly fill vacant faculty positions in universities and colleges. The shortage of faculty members adversely impacts the teaching and learning system, emphasizing the need for timely recruitment of qualified and competent faculty members.