LONG TERM CONTRACTUAL EMPLOYMENT IN ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS: PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PROFESSIONAL CONSEQUENCES FOR EARLY-CAREER SCHOLARS IN INDIA.

Abstract

Over the past two decades, Indian higher education institutions (HEIs) have witnessed a significant structural shift from permanent faculty positions to contractual, ad-hoc, and temporary appointments. Despite the increasing demand for quality higher education, permanent vacancies remain unfilled in many universities, compelling thousands of early-career scholars to work under precarious employment arrangements. This paper investigates the psychological, professional, and socio-economic consequences of longterm contractual employment on early-career academics in India. Using a mixed-method approach, the study integrates secondary data from AISHE reports, UGC notifications, parliamentary committee reports, and educational labour research; and qualitative insights from existing studies on academic precarity in India. Findings reveal that longterm contractual employment leads to chronic job insecurity, diminished academic freedom, lack of research productivity, and elevated levels of stress and burnout. Professionally, scholars experience stagnation, poor access to research funding, and limited opportunities for career progression. Institutions that rely heavily on contractual labour exhibit reduced innovation, lower research output, and weaker student–teacher rapport. The study concludes that the widespread contractualization of academic labour represents a systemic threat to India’s higher education quality and long-term academic ecosystem. It offers policy recommendations aligned with NEP 2020, emphasizing recruitment reforms, transparent hiring, financial allocation for permanent posts, and mental-health support systems for faculty.