AISHE 2023-24: SC, ST Faculty Below Reservation Norms; Women’s Professor Share Declines

The All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2023-24 has highlighted persistent gaps in faculty representation across India’s higher education institutions. The report shows that Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities continue to be underrepresented in teaching positions despite existing reservation policies. It also reveals that the proportion of women faculty declines significantly at senior academic levels.

According to the survey, SC faculty account for around 10% of the total teaching workforce, while ST faculty make up just 3%. Both figures remain below the prescribed reservation norms of 15% for SCs and 7.5% for STs. In comparison, Other Backward Classes (OBCs) represent 32% of the total faculty, exceeding the reservation benchmark of 27%.

The report also provides insights into the representation of minority communities in higher education. Muslim faculty members constitute 5.7% of the total teaching workforce, while teachers from other minority communities account for 8.5%.

Gender disparity remains another key concern highlighted by the survey. Women constitute nearly 44% of assistant professors, but their representation steadily declines with seniority. At the professor level, women account for only 27% of the total faculty, indicating that relatively fewer women advance to top academic positions despite strong participation at the entry level.

The survey covered 1,278 universities, 46,468 colleges, and 11,787 standalone institutions across the country. Together, these institutions employ more than 17.3 lakh teachers.

Among states, Kerala recorded one of the highest proportions of women teachers, followed by Punjab and Nagaland.

However, women continue to be underrepresented in senior positions at premier institutions. At the Institutes of National Importance, including the IITs and NITs, women comprise only around 18% of professors, while central universities also report comparatively low female representation in top academic ranks.

The latest AISHE findings underscore the continuing challenges of achieving equitable representation in India’s higher education system, particularly in senior faculty positions and among historically underrepresented communities.