Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh’s technical education system is facing a severe shortage of permanent faculty, with hundreds of teaching posts vacant in govt engineering colleges and polytechnics across the state. The shortage has raised concerns over classroom teaching, laboratory training and academic supervision.
Govt engineering colleges have only 170 permanent faculty against 500 sanctioned posts, leaving 330 vacant. Thus, 66% of sanctioned posts are vacant, while only 34% are filled.
The situation is similar in govt polytechnics. Of 2,100 sanctioned teaching posts, around 1,350 are vacant, resulting in a vacancy rate of 64.29%. Only 750 posts, or 35.71%, are filled. Institutions are consequently relying heavily on guest faculty.
The shortage also extends to institutional leadership. Govt polytechnics are reportedly functioning with only one permanent principal across the state, raising concerns over academic planning and administration.
Officials of the Department of Technical Education, Skill Development and Employment said guest faculty were being appointed to ensure academic activities continued and immediate teaching requirements were met. Steps were underway to fill permanent positions.
“Guest faculty are appointed strictly in accordance with the prescribed rules. All of them are highly qualified, and there should be no doubt about their credentials,” commissioner of Technical Education Awdesh Sharma said.
Education experts and students, however, said guest faculty could provide temporary support but could not replace permanent teachers responsible for curriculum development, research, mentoring, laboratory management and academic continuity.
“If the workload can be managed by guest faculty, why appoint permanent faculty at all? All positions should simply be filled with guest teachers,” a student said.
The department is planning to change its recruitment policy, with technical education posts proposed to be filled through Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission (MPPSC). Officials said the move would streamline recruitment and speed up appointments against vacant posts. “Policy will be issued soon,” Sharma added.
