India Faces Shortage of 300,000 Faculty Members

September 8, 2011, 12:21 pm

India faces a shortage 0f 300,000 faculty members at its universities, according to latest numbers provided by a federal government panel appointed in January to study the problem, reports the New Indian Express. “Besides the present shortage, in the coming decade it will increase at the rate of 100,000 faculty a year. This clearly needs massive mobilization of resources and a policy framework to ensure that the growing higher-education system maintains quality standards,” the panel said in a report it submitted to Kapil Sibal, India’s education minister. The report noted that administrative bureaucracy was a major obstacle in hiring faculty. It added that various incentives should be offered to retain outstanding faculty members. It also proposed a plan to groom young faculty members while they are still completing their degrees.

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Its has been oft repeated that India really needs to address issues surrounding quality faculty and delivery. All experts recognize this. But, these numbers just overwhelm without providing tangible ideas to address the problem. It is time for Indian Higher Education to move beyond faculty:student ratio in calculating these numbers.
609zr

The following is a quote from an article entitled Education: The Ph.D. Factory. “Scientists who attain a PhD are rightly proud — they have gained entry to an academic elite. But it is not as elite as it once was. The number of science doctorates earned each year grew by nearly 40% between 1998 and 2008.” In the U.S. and Japan, supply exceeds demand. China and India graduate an abundance of Ph.D.s, but “the quality of the graduates is not consistent.” From a supply and demand perspective, the Indian government would benefit from incentives to bring its Ph.D.s home.
luigi

I would keep in mind the words that my first dean imparted to me: “Never trust a dean, including this one.”
aleader

I fear that the responses here may give candidates the wrong impression, especially those in the humanities and arts. Over my career I have been offered seven full-time positions. In only two cases was I able to negotiate a higher starting salary, and even then it was only a 2K difference. Three of these jobs I turned down because taking them was truly unaffordable, and in two cases involved serious pay cuts. You are better off getting a realistic sense of pay rates (the Chronicle’s database, state websites if it is a public school, salary scales if it is unionized) and expect to get at or below average. Especially in this market, administrators know that the next candidate in line will likely be hungrier and take the low offer. This way, you won’t be overly disappointed if your counter offer is rejected. By all means make one, it is truly your best opportunity to get better, but be prepared to hear “no”.