Half staff: 110 faculty positions vacant at Gujarat University, NAAC report finds

The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has raised serious concerns over the high number of vacant teaching posts and staff shortages at Ahmedabad’s Gujarat University. According to the council’s inspection report, more than 50% of faculty positions remain unfilled, a situation that has persisted for several years.

Recruitment stalled for years

The university has not conducted any significant recruitment for teaching or non-teaching posts in recent years. Most departments are operating with temporary or contract-based staff. Currently, 110 faculty positions remain vacant.

While the university has sought government approval to fill both newly created and long-pending vacancies, the process has been delayed. The state government has yet to grant permission, leaving the timeline for recruitment uncertain.

Administrative vacancies also a concern

While the shortage of teaching staff has drawn the most attention, the university’s administrative side faces an even wider gap. Out of 594 approved non-teaching posts, only 182 are currently filled, leaving 412 positions vacant.

University officials say this shortfall has affected day-to-day operations, from exam coordination to finance and admissions. Many departments are functioning with skeletal support staff or relying on temporary hires. The administration has repeatedly sought state approval to fill these posts, but no major recruitment has taken place in recent years.

Previous recruitment attempts scrapped

The last major recruitment drive, announced in October 2022, aimed to fill both teaching and non-teaching posts on a permanent basis. Applications were first invited for non-teaching roles, and interviews were scheduled. However, due to internal disputes, the process was cancelled before completion.

Following the introduction of the Common University Act in July 2023, all earlier recruitment processes were scrapped. Nearly ₹50 lakh collected in application fees were refunded to applicants. Since then, no new advertisements or recruitment initiatives have been launched.

With several retirements every October, the number of vacancies continues to rise. In some departments, only one or two teachers remain, while senior faculty positions are almost entirely vacant.

Council meeting addresses vacancies

During a recent meeting of the university’s Executive Council, the issue of vacant posts was taken up again. The Higher Education Department had earlier asked the university to consider recruitment under the disabled (Divyang) category in special cases and to review pending matters where no previous orders had been received.

In May this year, the department approved recruitment for six permanent posts, directing that the process be completed by January 2026. However, under the sanctioned academic structure, a total of 110 faculty positions are to be filled, including 10 reserved for Divyang candidates.

The Council has now approved a proposal to seek government permission to fill these 110 academic posts. The university has made multiple representations to the state government in the past, requesting approval. The government is expected to give its consent by December 2025.

Vacancies impact university grading

The NAAC inspection team made a specific note of the large number of unfilled teaching posts, observing that this shortfall has adversely affected the university’s overall grading.

Vacancy details at Gujarat University