Skill-Based Learning

In a significant push to align higher education with industry needs, more than 1,800 professionals from diverse sectors have joined universities and colleges across India as Professors of Practice (PoP). The Ministry of Education revealed that 1,841 experts have been appointed across 349 higher education institutions as part of reforms envisioned under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Responding in writing to the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar said the initiative is intended to deepen industry-academia engagement and promote hands-on, skill-oriented learning. He highlighted that the position of Professor of Practice is largely temporary and honorary in nature, enabling accomplished professionals to contribute to academic development and nation-building by sharing real-world expertise. Private universities accounted for the largest share of appointments with 715 PoP positions, followed by deemed-to-be universities with 699. State universities appointed 212 professionals, while central universities added 15. Colleges across the country contributed another 200 appointments. State-wise, Tamil Nadu leads with 395 Professors of Practice, followed by Maharashtra (193), Gujarat (179), Karnataka (170), and Uttar Pradesh (157). Several other states and Union Territories have also implemented the model, albeit on a smaller scale. What is a Professor of Practice? The Professor of Practice designation allows experienced industry and professional leaders to take up academic roles even if they do not hold conventional academic qualifications such as a PhD, which is otherwise mandatory for regular professor or associate professor positions. Appointments are typically for a term of up to three years, with a possible one-year extension in exceptional circumstances, capping the maximum tenure at four years. Institutions may allocate up to 10% of their sanctioned faculty positions to Professors of Practice. Eligible candidates must be distinguished professionals with at least 15 years of experience and notable contributions in fields such as science and technology, social sciences, media, armed forces, and other domains. To facilitate diverse participation, three categories of appointments have been introduced: industry-funded Professors of Practice, institution-funded positions supported by the higher education institution’s own resources, and honorary Professors of Practice. Source: Indian Express