Haryana’s Higher Education in Crisis: Vacant Faculty Posts, Administrative Failures, and the Struggle to Realise NEP 2020
Gustakhi Maaf Haryana – Pawan Kumar Bansal
By our enlightened reader Satish Mehra
Haryana’s Higher Education in Crisis: Vacant Posts, Weak Systems, and a Shaky National Education Policy
Haryana, proudly known as the land of the Gita, holds a unique place in India’s cultural and philosophical heritage. It was in Kurukshetra that Lord Shri Krishna delivered the message of the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna—a text that continues to inspire Indians to dream of making the nation a Vishwaguru. Yet today, the same state of Haryana is passing through a deep crisis in its higher education system.
Education in government colleges and state universities is not being driven by a strong, long-term, or scientific vision, but rather by temporary and fragile arrangements. Recent data reveal that 85 government colleges in the state do not have regular principals, while more than 60 percent of assistant professor posts have remained vacant for years. This situation reflects not merely administrative failure, but a serious compromise with students’ futures and the intellectual development of the state.
Out of 8,137 sanctioned assistant professor posts in 185 government colleges of Haryana, more than 4,900 positions are lying vacant. Core and professional subjects such as English, Hindi, History, Geography, Political Science, Commerce, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Computer Science are facing an acute shortage of teachers. In many colleges, a single teacher is forced to teach two or even three subjects simultaneously. As a result, neither regular classes are conducted nor do students receive proper academic guidance and discipline.
The condition of state universities in Haryana is no better. At present, nearly four dozen state and private universities are functioning in the state. In state-run universities alone, thousands of assistant professor and associate professor posts are sanctioned, yet an estimated 40 to 50 percent of these posts remain vacant. In several universities, even heads of departments, deans, and research supervisors are not appointed on a regular basis, severely affecting research and advanced teaching.
Today, higher education in Haryana is largely running on the support of guest faculty, temporary, and part-time teachers. In many colleges and universities, entire academic sessions pass without the presence of permanent faculty. Examination results are delayed, syllabi remain incomplete, and research work, seminars, laboratories, and other academic activities are almost at a standstill.
Colleges in rural and backward areas and newly established universities are the worst affected. Students are compelled to seek admission in private universities by paying exorbitant fees, while children from economically weaker sections are gradually being pushed out of the higher education system. On one hand, nationwide campaigns like Sarva Shiksha are being promoted, while on the other, teaching posts in government colleges and institutions continue to remain vacant.
The responsibility for recruitment of teachers in higher education lies with the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC). However, the functioning of the commission has been under scrutiny for a long time. Advertisements are issued and examinations are conducted, but appointments are rarely made on time. Recruitment procedures are repeatedly altered, increasing uncertainty and frustration among candidates. The direct impact of this inefficiency is borne by lakhs of students and thousands of qualified youth, who wait for years for selection.
The introduction of a 35 percent minimum qualifying marks policy by HPSC has further aggravated the situation. Under the screening test, Subject Knowledge Test (SKT), and interview process, a large number of candidates are eliminated due to cut-off criteria, resulting in many posts being left vacant. Data from PGT and Ayurvedic Medical Officer recruitments show that despite thousands of sanctioned posts, selections remained incomplete. A similar pattern is evident in assistant professor recruitments, where the number of selected candidates is disproportionately low compared to the number of sanctioned posts.
The most direct victims of this system are students. In the absence of regular teachers, academic continuity is disrupted, the development of a scientific approach is hindered, and students remain confined to rote learning. An environment conducive to research, innovation, and experiential learning simply does not emerge. This is a major reason why Haryana is consistently lagging behind in higher education and research.
The irony becomes even more striking when one considers that Haryana is surrounded on three sides by the national capital, Delhi. Regions like Delhi, Noida, and Gurugram host world-class universities and research institutions, yet despite such proximity, Haryana’s higher education system has failed to reach comparable standards. Although most government and private universities in the statepossess adequate buildings and infrastructure, education cannot be imparted through grand structures alone in the absence of teachers. This decline, despite the availability of resources and opportunities, highlights a lack of vision and policy direction.
Amid the grand promises of the National Education Policy 2020, this crisis stands as a harsh reality. Without sufficient teachers, regular principals, robust university governance, and a strong research culture, multidisciplinary education will remain confined to policy documents. This situation is a clear warning that unless the government adopts timely, farsighted, and scientific measures, future generations will be forced to pay a heavy price.
Education is the backbone of any society. If it weakens, all claims of development, employment, and innovation become hollow. To safeguard its identity, the future of its youth, and its intellectual credibility, Haryana must treat higher education not merely as a subject of announcements, but as a top practical priority—and must urgently eliminate the shortage of teachers in its educational institutions.
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