Central Institutes Fill 28,639 Positions in Mission Mode Since 2022, Data Shows
Updated (2 articles)
Recruitment Numbers Across Central Universities and Institutes Since September 2022, central universities, IITs, IIMs, IIITs and NITs have filled 28,639 faculty and staff posts in “mission mode,” according to Ministry of Education data released on 2 February 2026. The figure rises to 29,979 when AIIMS New Delhi’s hires are added, including roughly 17,494 faculty appointments [1]. The recruitment drive spans three years, ending with the latest count as of 2 February 2025.
Social Category Representation Falls Short of Quotas Of the 28,639 hires, 12 % (3,485) were Scheduled Castes, 5 % (1,471) Scheduled Tribes and 21 % (6,013) Other Backward Classes, totaling 38 % representation for historically disadvantaged groups [1]. Government reservation mandates require 15 % SC, 7.5 % ST and 27 % OBC, indicating the hires under‑achieve each minimum quota. The shortfall highlights ongoing challenges in meeting affirmative‑action targets despite the mission‑mode push.
Ministerial Response Highlights Ministry’s Limited Role Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar addressed a query from Congress MP Manoj Kumar, presenting the recruitment figures and emphasizing that the ministry does not conduct hiring directly [1]. He described vacancy filling as a continuous process and said the ministry’s function is limited to urging institutes to recruit “mission mode.” This clarification underscores the decentralized nature of the recruitment effort.
AIIMS Faculty Composition Mirrors Overall Trends AIIMS New Delhi reported 781 faculty hires, with 15.1 % SC, 5.1 % ST and 21.5 % OBC representation [1]. These percentages are broadly consistent with the aggregate central‑institute data, suggesting similar shortfalls in meeting reservation minima across premier medical institutions.
Reservation Policy Sets Higher Minimum Quotas The government’s reservation framework stipulates minimum quotas of 15 % for SC, 7.5 % for ST and 27 % for OBC in all central‑institute posts [1]. The current hiring numbers fall below each of these thresholds, indicating that the mission‑mode initiative has not yet achieved policy‑mandated diversity levels.
Timeline
Sep 2022 – The Union Ministry of Education launches “mission mode” recruitment across central universities, IITs, IIMs, IIITs and NITs, imposing higher reservation minima of 15 % for SC, 7.5 % for ST and 27 % for OBC to accelerate faculty and staff hiring [1].
Feb 2, 2025 – Central institutes report filling 28,639 faculty and staff posts since the 2022 launch, with SC, ST and OBC representation totaling 38 % (12 % SC, 5 % ST, 21 % OBC); Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar tells Parliament that “vacancy filling is continuous, the ministry does not recruit directly, and it merely writes to institutes urging ‘mission mode’ recruitment,” after MP Manoj Kumar’s query, and the overall recruitment reaches 29,979 posts, including 17,494 faculty and AIIMS Delhi’s 781 faculty hires [1].
Dec 10, 2025 – The Personnel Ministry circulates a communique to all state chief secretaries urging nomination of women and SC/ST officers for Central Staffing Scheme and Chief Vigilance Officer posts, stating “Sufficient names of women and SC and ST officers may be sponsored so that adequate representation can be provided to them,” and requires nominees to be unlikely to be recalled for at least two years to ensure continuity [2].
Jan 1, 2026 – A dedicated online portal opens for states to submit nominations for central deputation, and the Department of Personnel and Training warns that withdrawal of a recommended name triggers a five‑year debarment from central deputation, including foreign postings, reinforcing the commitment to stable representation [2].