View of National Centre for Biological Sciences TATA institute of Fundamental research in Bengaluru. Image used for representative purpose only.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
Nearly three in five of the posts sanctioned for scientific personnel at one of India’s top institutes for basic science research, the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), are lying vacant. Moreover, a quarter of the sanctioned posts at India’s key atomic energy research institutions and nuclear power plants are vacant; this is significant given that India has committed ₹20,000 crore this year for building small modular reactors.
This data emerges from a report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science, Technology and Environment tabled in both Houses of Parliament on Tuesday. The bipartisan committee expressed “serious concerns about workforce planning, recruitment efficiency, and the overall sustainability of nuclear and research projects in India.”
Follow Parliament Budget Session Updates on March 27
At the TIFR, there are 839 vacant posts, a whopping 58% of the total 1,448 sanctioned posts. At the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), 3,841 or 26% of the 14,445 sanctioned posts are vacant. At the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), the 596 unfilled posts account for 22% of the total 2,730 posts. At the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL), there are 4,343 posts to be filled, amounting to 28% of the 15,088 posts. In summary, of the 46,307 sanctioned posts across organisations under the Department of Atomic Energy, 13,449 posts — or 30% — were vacant.
‘Reliant on contractual staff’
“This 58% vacancy rate reflects a significant shortfall in scientific manpower. Such a high vacancy rate suggests that TIFR is heavily reliant on contractual and research-based staff rather than regular employees. Given the institute’s crucial role in fundamental research, this issue requires immediate attention to ensure stability in long-term scientific projects,” said the report of the committee, chaired by BJP MP Bhubaneshwar Kalita.
The TIFR includes sister organisations — the National Centre for Biological Sciences, the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics, the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education — and their satellite institutions.
TIFR director Jayaram Chengalur had not responded to an email query on the reasons for the vacancies at the time of publication.
A senior scientist affiliated to one of the TIFR institutions and involved with hiring scientists declined to be identified but said that the numbers were “surprising” to him. Department heads of TIFR institutes seeking to recruit more scientists were usually told by the parent DAE that the sanctioned posts were already full, he said. The Parliament Committee report does not specify if the “sanctioned posts” only refers to scientists, faculty, and technical personnel or employees in non-technical roles as well.
‘Can hurt nuclear programme’
On the shortfall in other atomic energy institutions, the Committee said it was “concerned over these vacancies, especially in key operational areas such as nuclear power generation, research, and mineral exploration.” The shortage of skilled personnel could delay research and development, cause inefficiencies in plant operations, and constraints in nuclear fuel production and “ultimately affect the country’s nuclear energy programme,” it said.
In a written response to the Committee, the DAE said it had started a recruitment drive to mitigate workforce shortages. A Central Recruitment Agency was set up in 2022 to streamline recruitment across all DAE units. A “mission-mode recruitment drive” in 2023-24 led to the hiring of 3,200 people, including scientific officers, technical staff, and administrative personnel. Trainee scientific officers were recruited annually for BARC Training Schools, and 180 officers were inducted in August 2024. The Department emphasised that the recruitment of technical officers, scientific assistants, and paramedical staff was ongoing, with the empanelment of 2,269 technicians and 1,206 scientific assistants. To this, the Committee “observed” that recruitment delays persisted, and several advertised posts remain unfilled.
The Committee strongly recommended an “immediate recruitment drive” to fill the existing vacancies. It is imperative that recruitment processes be streamlined to ensure the timely hiring of personnel in technical, scientific, and operational roles, it said. Pushing for a review of existing workforce policies to identify areas where delays occur in the hiring process, the panel said that necessary reforms should be implemented. The DAE should also adopt modern human resource management strategies to attract and retain talent, ensuring competitive salaries, career progression opportunities, and research grants for professionals in nuclear science, energy, and advanced research, it said.
Published – March 27, 2025 08:06 pm IST