Srinagar, Mar 26: Higher education in Jammu & Kashmir is facing strain as a large number of teaching posts remain vacant across universities, raising concern over classroom learning and research output.
Data from the Higher Education Department shows that around 1,400 teaching positions are yet to be filled in 11 universities. In several institutions, the gap has widened to the point where departments run with less than half of their sanctioned staff.
Officials said the shortage has started to affect nearly 69,000 students enrolled in these universities. Many departments now rely on contractual staff and guest faculty to manage routine teaching work.
The situation is more visible in some state universities. Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University (BGSBU) is functioning with just 93 teachers against a sanctioned strength of 241. The Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) also faces a major shortfall, with a large portion of posts lying vacant.
Even established institutions such as University of Jammu and University of Kashmir continue to report gaps of over one-third in their faculty strength.
Cluster universities in Jammu and Srinagar, which together cater to more than 32,000 students, are among the worst affected. Limited staff have increased workload on existing teachers and reduced time for research and mentoring.
An official in the department said, “Recruitment is in process, but it takes time due to procedural requirements. We are trying to fill positions in a phased manner.”
Teachers say the pressure is visible in daily academic work. “When posts remain vacant for long, it affects both teaching quality and student engagement,” said a senior faculty member, requesting anonymity. “We manage, but it is not a long-term solution.”
Students have also voiced concern. A postgraduate student in Srinagar said, “We often have fewer classes or combined lectures. It becomes difficult to get proper guidance, especially for research.”
While some institutions like Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir are relatively stable, the overall picture points to delays in recruitment.
Officials maintain that improving faculty strength remains a priority. For now, universities continue to adjust with limited staff, even as demand for quality higher education grows across J&K.
