TN to recruit 881 guest lecturers for govt arts, science colleges

Chennai, Sep 25 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu Higher Education Department has announced the recruitment of 881 additional guest lecturers for government Arts and Science Colleges across Tamil Nadu to address immediate teaching requirements and ensure uninterrupted academic activity for students.

The move follows the recent induction of more than 500 guest lecturers and comes amid rising demand for higher education in the state.

Authorities said the appointments aim to prevent any academic disruption caused by a shortage of permanent faculty, while the process of recruiting assistant professors to fill long-vacant posts continues to face delays, including legal challenges.

To expand access to higher education, the department has introduced over 15,000 additional seats for the 2025-26 academic year and launched several new courses tailored to emerging academic and employment trends.

In a major expansion of infrastructure, 15 new Government Arts and Science Colleges have been established in different parts of Tamil Nadu to serve students, especially those from economically weaker sections. Recruitment of permanent teaching staff has slowed due to multiple hurdles, leaving around 4,000 assistant professor posts vacant in government colleges.

To bridge this gap, guest lecturers are being hired in phases. Earlier notifications led to the appointment of 516 guest lecturers, and with the latest announcement, an additional 881 positions will temporarily strengthen teaching capacity across 38 subjects.

Applications for these posts are being accepted online between September 24 and October 8 through the portal www.tngasa.org. Candidates who applied under the previous notification issued in July can reapply without paying the application fee by using their earlier application number.

Officials said this stopgap measure will ensure that students, especially those from underprivileged backgrounds who rely heavily on government colleges, continue to receive quality instruction without delay.

The department emphasised that these appointments are part of a broader strategy to maintain the academic calendar while structural issues in permanent recruitment are addressed.

–IANS

aal/dpb