02 Jul 2025 : Reserved faculty posts are still vacant and out of reach

 Editorial 1: Reserved faculty posts are still vacant and out of reach

Context

Central universities and top institutes should match their hiring policies with the aim of ensuring social justice.

Introduction

India’s Constitution guarantees social justice, which means giving fair representation to marginalised communitiesin public institutions. To fix past inequalities, there are reservation policies for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), with quotas of 15%, 7.5%, 27%, and 10%, respectively. But central universities and top institutes like the IITs, IIMs, and AIIMS often fail to fill these reserved faculty positions. This raises concerns about whether they are following the constitutional promise of inclusion. The BJP-led government has repeatedly said it supports social justice and wants public institutions to be more inclusive and democratic. In this context, the key question is: What are the systemic obstacles that stop these institutions from giving fair and inclusive representation to all groups?

Status of Reserved Faculty Positions in Central Universities

Structural Issues in Representation

Systemic barriers

1. Institutional Autonomy and Weak Accountability

• Central universities and elite institutions enjoy high levels of autonomy, which sometimes shields them from strict government oversight.
• Although the University Grants Commission (UGC) mandates reservation rules, their enforcement is inconsistent.
• Vice-Chancellors and selection committees, often from dominant social groups, show little urgency in implementing social justice measures.

2. Impact of the 13-Point Roster System

• In 2018, the UGC replaced the 200-point roster (institution-level reservation) with a 13-point roster (department-level).
• Under this system, smaller departments with few posts offer minimal or no reserved seats, especially for STs.
• For instance, a department with 6 posts may have only 1 reserved for OBCs and none for SC/STs, unless more positions are added.
• This change led to a drastic reduction in reserved posts and sparked legal challenges and student-faculty protests.

3. Discretionary Rejections and Bias

• Many qualified SC, ST, and OBC candidates are rejected under vague justifications like “candidate not suitable”.
• These subjective decisions discourage talented individuals from marginalised communities from entering academia.
• A 2022 study by the Ambedkar University Faculty Association found that over 60% of reserved post vacancieswere due to such biased exclusions.

4. Political Influence and Lack of Transparency

• Some appointments are allegedly influenced by political loyalty or ideological alignment, not merit or fairness.
• These practices undermine transparency and the principle of equal opportunity.
• Though both Congress and BJP governments have spoken in favour of social justice, there is a clear gap between promises and actual implementation.

Steps to Fill Reserved Faculty Posts

• Strictly follow UGC rules on reservations. Institutions should face regular checks and be asked to publicly report how well they are following reservation policies.
• Review the 13-point roster system. This system should be changed so that it matches the Constitution's goal of fair representation. The Supreme Court's ongoing hearings may help clear doubts.
• Fix biases in recruitment. Selection committees should have people from diverse backgrounds. Set clear rulesfor judging candidates. Start training programs to help academic leaders understand social justice and inclusion.
• Reach out actively and enforce politically. Leaders must treat social justice as a real duty, not just a political slogan. The government must make sure these rules are followed in every university.

Why It Matters

• Unfilled reserved posts weaken India's goal of an inclusive education system.
• Universities are not just places to study—they are spaces that can change society.
• Fair representation in teaching jobs is both a legal duty and a moral responsibility to reflect India's diverse population.

Conclusion

As the National Education Policy 2020 focuses on inclusive and multidisciplinary education, central universitiesmust match their hiring practices with the goal of bringing in more faculty from marginalised communities. Only through strong policy changes, better accountability for social justice, and a clear political commitment to make public institutions inclusive, can we reduce the gap between the promise of social justice and the current lack of action by many academic institutions.