Hyderabad: The shortage of mid-level faculty, particularly associate professors, remains a major challenge for govt medical colleges in Telangana, despite the state’s large-scale recruitment of assistant professors.According to the Directorate of Medical Education (DME), around 786 associate professor posts are vacant. These roles are critical in acting as a bridge between senior professors and junior faculty while supporting postgraduate teaching and departmental administration.“Filling these posts is challenging because associate professor positions are largely filled through internal promotions based on eligibility, teaching experience and research credentials. The limited pool of eligible candidates has slowed the pace of appointments,” said Dr A Narendra Kumar, DME director for Telangana.In contrast, the state govt has made significant progress in strengthening the lower ranks of faculty. Officials said nearly 2,000 assistant professor posts are currently being filled, despite there being around 1,459 vacancies in that category.This recruitment drive forms part of the health department’s broader efforts to strengthen teaching infrastructure and meet the standards set by the National Medical Commission (NMC) for medical colleges. In 2025, the NMC issued show-cause notices to 26 of Telangana’s 34 medical colleges for severe faculty shortages.‘You Quote, We Pay’To address persistent vacancies, the DME is planning an innovative recruitment model called “You Quote, We Pay”. This allows candidates to quote their desired salary (within a maximum limit). It is mainly intended to fill long-vacant posts, particularly in remote districts or specialities where doctors are reluctant to join government medical colleges.Under the scheme, the govt first sets a maximum consolidated salary for the position. In many cases, this ceiling can be up to three times the regular pay. “For instance, if a professor earns around ₹2 lakh per month, the maximum salary under the scheme could be as high as ₹6 lakh. Interested doctors can then quote the salary they are willing to work for as long as it is within the govt-set limit. One doctor may offer to work for ₹5.75 lakh, another for ₹5.5 lakh and a third for ₹5 lakh, for instance. The candidate who quotes the lowest salary will be selected for the job,” explained Dr A Narendra Kumar.However, experts say that, while the scheme may help to address the shortage of associate professors to some extent, most associate professor posts are usually filled through promotions from assistant professors once they meet the eligibility criteria.“If there are no eligible candidates for promotion, the govt can use schemes like this to recruit experienced doctors from outside on a contract or consolidated pay basis. This can help to temporarily fill gaps in departments facing severe shortages. However, specific strategies targeting associate professor positions will be necessary to address the persistent shortage,” said Dr Madhala.Experts warn that a shortage of associate professors could put a strain on the academic ecosystem. “Associate professors play a crucial role in mentoring junior faculty and guiding postgraduate students. Without adequate numbers at this level, the teaching and learning process can become strained,” said Dr Kiran Madhala, secretary-general, Telangana Teaching Doctors Association (TTGDA).He added: “The state should consider accelerated promotions and structured faculty development programmes to build a stronger mid-level academic pool.”Experts also noted that, while recruiting assistant professors is important, balanced faculty strength across all levels is essential for quality medical education.“Medical colleges function best when there is a healthy academic setup. At present, senior residents have to take on teaching roles in many medical colleges, especially new ones such as Maheshwaram and Qutubullapur. Telangana has expanded medical education rapidly in recent years, and now the focus must shift to strengthening the ranks of experienced faculty members who can ensure consistent teaching quality and research standards,” said Dr D Srinath, president of the Telangana Senior Resident Doctors Association (TSRDA).
