With five years of experience, they can become assistant professors of practice at technical institutes and with eight years, they become associate professors of practice.
The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) issued guidelines to its affiliate institutions in this regard. One of the aspects that set these positions apart from the University Grants Commission’s cadre of ‘professors of practice’ (POPs) announced in 2023 is the number of years of service.
The AICTE document does not explicitly state the role of the new cadre. But retired UVCE principal and former Bangalore University vicechancellor KR Venugopal, who works with the AICTE, said they could be employed in examination roles too.
“PoP has been introduced to integrate industrial/corporate experience into academics and also mitigate the acute shortage in regular faculty in institutions throughout the country,” he said.
The AICTE stated that guidelines issued by the UGC shall be followed strictly in the appointment of professors of practice.
“On the similar lines of professor of practice, institutions may avail the services of industry experts having five years and eight years of experience in emerging/ multi-disciplinary areas as assistant professor of practice and associate professor of practice respectively,” reads its document.
The UGC guidelines for engaging PoPs said a formal academic qualification is not considered essential for this position if they have exemplary professional practice in lieu. An official said even someone who has not passed class 10 is eligible. A PoP’s service tenure is limited to three years.
UGC rules state the person should have expertise in his or her specific profession or role with at least 15 years of service, preferably at a senior level, to teach as a PoP at universities in the country. This cadre will be limited to 10% of their sanctioned posts. These faculty members will be engaged above the sanctioned posts and will not affect the number of sanctioned posts and the recruitment of regular faculty members.