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Executive Summary

What weighs on faculty is not always seen on the surface.

India has approximately 16 lakh teachers in HEIs. Beyond teaching loads, research demands and institutional affiliations, deeper forces are at work: slow, sometimes invisible shifts pulling at how faculty experience their professions and their places within academia.  

Through this study, we surfaced a set of fault lines: structural stresses that are reshaping what it means to teach, to lead and to belong. The following pages trace these fault lines as they emerge through faculty voices, revealing a landscape that is complex, often fragile and urgently in need of attention.

As you read, I invite you to engage deeply with these insights, to reflect on what they mean for your institution, and to consider the role each of us plays in building a more supportive, equitable academic workplace.

Shreyasi Singh
Founding Managing Partner, Jetri
Methodology

We surveyed

547

respondents

across public and private higher education institutions in India to better understand their lived experiences, particularly around institutional challenges, professional development and teaching effectiveness.

While the survey reached a diverse range of respondents, the sample may not fully represent the breadth of academic institutions across India. Notably, participation required a high degree of comfort, in English, which may limit representation from some faculty groups.

This is not a

It is a call to look deeper

feel-good

at what is cracking and

report.

and what must be rebuilt.

Firmographics

Who responded

Designation
Centre Director 31.26%
Professor 13.89%
Associate Professor 11.15%
Visiting Faculty 10.24%
HoD (Head of Department) 9.87%
Department Deputies 7.68%
Emeritus Professor 6.40%
Practice Professor 5.30%
Dean 2.56%
Clinical Professor 0.91%
Head of Lab 0.73%
Type of Institute
Deemed University 20%
Autonomous College 20%
Affiliated College 19%
Private University 19%
State Government University 14%
Central Government University 4%
Institute of National Importance 4%
Discipline
STEM fields 76.05%
Non-STEM fields 23.95%
Explore the report
Executive Summary

Faculty Worklife Report

2025

The Faculty Worklife Report 2025 offers a candid, data-driven look into the lived realities of over 500 faculty members across India’s higher education landscape. It reveals structural pressures, competing demands, and the quiet resilience of educators navigating an increasingly complex system. From workload imbalances to the need for more meaningful professional development, the report highlights the urgent need for institutions to rethink how they support, recognize, and empower their faculty.

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ABOUT

Jetri is a strategic advisory and implementation firm dedicated to elevating educational institutions in India and beyond.  We partner with schools, colleges and universities to establish and scale their academic offerings. We also advise philanthropists and visionaries to shape and launch new institutions critical for educating India.

Our portfolio spans the design and launch of pioneering institutions—from a tech and management university in Nigeria to a values-driven law school in Mumbai. We've crafted India-entry strategies for global universities, introduced a unique block-teaching model at a top B-school. Notably, we also developed a fellowship to nurture grassroots leadership in the Himalayan region.

Transforming
Education

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