State got 77 new govt colleges in 9 years but not enough teachers in regular posts

Gurgaon: In the past nine years, 77 new govt colleges were opened in the state, but the colleges — both old and new — lack permanent employees or professors and lecturers on regular posts.
According to an RTI reply, 15 govt colleges in Mahendergarh district have the highest number of vacant posts. Against the requirement of 913 teachers, there are only 198 regular teachers and 240 guest or extension lecturers in the Mahendergarh colleges.
According to RTI activist Subhash, there are only 195 regular and 176 guest and extension lecturers in the 11 colleges in Bhiwani, while the requirement is for 574 teachers. He added that govt colleges in Gurgaon, Faridabad, Panchkula, and Ambala also have a similar situation.
With over 50% of regular posts of assistant professors lying vacant across the state, lecturers in contractual roles are filling the need as a stop-gap arrangement.
“There are 182 govt colleges in the state. According to the state higher education department, there is a requirement of 8,843 posts. However, there are only nearly 3,300 regular assistant professors,” Haryana Soochna Adhikar Manch convener Subhash said.
According to the higher education department, the state has 7,986 sanctioned posts of assistant professors. in the state.
The department of higher education, dismissing the concerns of staff shortage, claimed that only 25% of the posts are vacant, as more than 2,000 guest teachers or extension lecturers are also working in the colleges, apart from regular assistant professors.
“Extension lecturers and contractual teachers are filling in for the vacancies. Through the same, nearly 70% of our posts are occupied,” said an official from the education department.
Shweta Dhull, recruitment activist turned politician, said on Tuesday, “The state has made it a habit of filling vacant posts with guest teachers, extension lecturers, or contractual teachers. But this is just a stopgap arrangement as they have not been regularised despite long-standing demand for the same. The absence of the regular assistant professors adversely affects the education in government colleges.”
Recently, chief minister Nayab Singh Saini announced the initiation of recruitment for 50,000 posts across various categories soon in the state. He added, “Group-D jobs will also be available to the youths.”