New Delhi, February 15 Tamil Nadu is leading in the hiring of "professors of practice" (industry experts) in its Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), followed by Maharashtra and Gujarat, according to UGC data.
"Professors of practice" (PoPs) are distinguished industry experts and professionals appointed by HEIs to teach, mentor, and bring real-world experience into the classroom, with the aim of bridging the gap between academia and industry.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) released guidelines in 2022 to hire PoPs to inject professional expertise into classroom environments. The position is strictly temporary and does not replace existing positions. Eligibility requires a minimum of 15 years of relevant experience, ideally in senior positions.
According to the data, 1,841 PoPs have been hired by 349 HEIs, with the largest number in Tamil Nadu (395).
While 193 PoPs have been hired in Maharashtra (193), Gujarat and Karnataka have appointed 179 and 170 professionals, respectively.
Private universities are leading in the hiring of industry professionals in the academic workforce, while central universities have only hired 15 PoPs so far.
In contrast, deemed universities have made 699 appointments, private universities have reached 715, state universities have added 212 PoPs, and colleges have employed 200 PoPs.
India's higher education landscape includes 56 central, 460 state, 128 deemed universities, and 510 private universities, along with more than 45,000 colleges, indicating the limited diffusion of PoP appointments at central universities.
"To bring in distinguished experts from various fields of engineering, science, technology, entrepreneurship, etc., and to develop courses and curriculum to meet industry and societal needs, and to enable HEIs to work with industry experts on joint research projects, the concept of a 'professor of practice' has been adopted, thereby providing exposure and mentorship to students by domain experts," a senior UGC official said.
"The maximum duration of service for a professor of practice at a given institution should not exceed three years, and can be extended by one year in exceptional cases, and the total service should not exceed four years under any circumstances," he added.
The official explained that the PoP scheme provides an opportunity for those in leadership positions in different fields to serve on a honorary basis, in order to give back to society and contribute towards nation-building.
