IITs to Hire Foreign Faculties on Easier Move

Encouraging the plan of IITs to appoint teachers from foreign countries, recently the home ministry has relaxed the income criteria for grant of employment visa to them.

Upon revised norms taking effect, the IITs will be able to hire faculties from other countries against their payable salary of $14000 per year. Previously the visa was granted to only those who were receiving a salary of more than $25,000 per annum in India.

HRD ministry official spoke of already informing the IITs about the new relaxation in norms, he also said that introducing new norms would help the IITs to meet the shortage of faculty to a scope.

The relaxation is the norms would only be valid till following 2 years that means up to December 31, 2015, after which these norms would be evaluated by reviewing the growth in the foreign faculty, arriving and teaching In India.

The change in norms and relaxations by the home minister would only be limited to be availed for recruiting teaching faculties only, and not for exclusive research positions in strategic areas or in strategic institutions.

The National Institutes of Technology (NITs) and other central universities will also be at advantage with the introduction of relaxations and new norms, told the official.

Many IITs run with having up to 30% shortage of faculties and hence they are even keener on hiring qualified teachers from abroad, on contract basis that will be offered posts of assistant professors or associate professors.

Two years ago the IIT council also had given green signal for appointing foreign teachers which must constitute only 10% of the total strength of present faculty.

The foreign nationals belonging to countries such as China, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and Sudan, will not be benefitted from the new norms, official informed.

The rule of giving seats to foreign students also states to get the foreign students first registered at the local police station in the respective campus area, within 14 days of his/her arrival.