Engineering institutes can hire more industry professionals as professors now: Check AICTE's updated guidelines for the appointment of Professors of Practice

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has introduced updates to its Approval Process Handbook for 2025-26. According to a TNN report, engineering institutions can now allocate up to 20% of their total faculty roles to industry professionals under the Professors of Practice (PoP) framework, reflecting a 5% increase from the previous limit. Click here to read our report.

Interestingly, in a recent Rajya Sabha session, Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar provided insights into the implementation of the PoP initiative, suggest media reports. Reportedly, he said that since the University Grants Commission (UGC) rolled out this policy, over 15,000 industry experts have been appointed across Indian universities. According to media reports, he further indicated that university departments are leading in hiring PoPs, with colleges contributing 2,444 appointments. However, Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) have added only 80 professors to this figure. These statistics were disclosed in response to a query by a Congress MP in the Rajya Sabha. Here is a look at the qualification and eligibility requirements for PoPs.

Qualifications for Professors of Practice

AICTE's updated guidelines specify the eligibility criteria for various roles under the PoP system, as per the TNN report:

• Assistant Professors of Practice: Requires a master’s degree with five years of experience in a large corporation or a BTech with seven years of relevant experience.
• Associate Professors of Practice: Requires a PhD with five years of experience, a master’s degree with 10 years of relevant experience, or a BTech with 12 years of experience.
• Professors of Practice: Requires a PhD with 10 years of experience, a master’s degree with 15 years of relevant experience, or a BTech with 17 years of experience.

AICTE guidelines for the appointment of Professors of Practice

Here is a look at AICTE’s updated guidelines for hiring PoPs. The guidelines include eligibility criteria, percentage of sanctioned strength and tenure of a Professors of Practice.

PoP Eligibility criteria of Professors for Degree coursesHere are the different parameters for PoPs in degree courses:

• PhD with relevant 10 years of experience in a large conglomerate
• Masters with relevant working experience of 15 years in a large conglomerate
• B.Tech with relevant working experience of 17 years in a large conglomerate
• PhD/Masters/B Tech with minimum 5 patents and 5 years of experience in a startup

PhD is desirable for guiding researchers at PhD level but not mandatory for teaching.

Percentage of Sanctioned StrengthInstitutions offering technical programs may engage Professors of Practice (with extensive industry experience) to teach students as part of the faculty strength.

• In Engineering and Technology programmes, the maximum percentage of faculty members who can be appointed as Professors of Practice within the sanctioned faculty strength (cadre ratio) is 20%, with 5% exclusively reserved for women. They can be employed as Professors of Practice, Associates, or Assistants on a regular basis.
• For other programs, the applicable prevailing norms will be followed.

Tenure The engagement of Professors of Practice may be assessed by the institute after one year. At the end of the initial engagement or any subsequent extension, the institute will evaluate their performance and decide whether to extend the engagement. Each institute will develop its own assessment procedure for extensions, based on the contributions and requirements of the experts engaged as Professors of Practice.

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