The Mumbai University (MU) has recently reported a staggering 61% of teaching positions vacant. Out of the total 368 authorised teaching positions, only 142 are currently filled. This scarcity is particularly prominent in the professor category, where only 15 out of the 87 positions are occupied. Alarmingly, 22 departments at the university lack full-time professors.
Although the situation is slightly better in the assistant professor category, with 73 out of 160 positions filled; likewise, in the associate professor category, the university has only 40 out of the authorised 121 positions.
The shortage of regular teachers can be traced back to a government ban on new appointments after retirements. This was implemented in 2015. While the ban has been lifted, the university still awaits government approval for new hires. Consequently, the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is facing challenges due to a lack of adequate teaching personnel.
This shortage of teaching staff has had a detrimental impact on master's programmes and research activities at the University of Mumbai. With limited resources and expertise available, students are being deprived of quality education and research opportunities. Additionally, the shortage has forced teachers to teach subjects outside their areas of expertise. This further compromises the time and attention they can devote to MPhil and PhD students.
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