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Career · Education and Teaching

College professor and lecturer

Also called: Assistant Professor

Teaches undergraduate and postgraduate students and does research.

Is College professor and lecturer the right career for you?Find out now

DemandSteady

Starting pay₹5-9 LPA

Time to first job6 to 10 years after Class 12

Who can enterMaster's plus UGC-NET or a PhD

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I am in:Class 8-10 Class 11-12 College or fresher Working or switching

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What the work is

College and university teachers teach their subject, guide projects and dissertations, and do research and publish papers. Entry is as Assistant Professor, rising to Associate Professor and Professor.

You need a master's degree with good marks and UGC-NET (or CSIR-NET for sciences), and a PhD is increasingly expected and is needed for promotion and for top institutions.

A typical week

Teach classes and design courses
Guide student projects and research
Do research and publish papers
Take part in college administration

It suits people who

Love their subject deeply
Enjoy teaching adults
Like reading and research

Your path to get there

School (Class 8-10)Class 11-12College or fresherWorking or switching

School (Class 8-10)

Choose a subject you love

Class 11-12

Graduation in that subject

College or fresher

Do a master's (CUET-PG and university entrances)
Clear UGC-NET or CSIR-NET
Do a PhD and publish research

Working or switching

Industry experts join as visiting faculty and professors of practice

Returning after a break?

Teaching suits returners well: tutoring, part-time and online teaching are easy first steps.
Refresh your subject with a short course and clear CTET or TET if you want a government post.

Exams and certifications

Name	What it is for	When
UGC-NET ↗	Assistant Professor eligibility and JRF	Twice a year
CSIR-NET ↗	Sciences: lectureship and JRF	Twice a year
State SET	State-level lectureship eligibility	Varies by state

Exam names, eligibility and dates change. Always check the official website for this year's notice.

Job market

Job titles to search

Assistant ProfessorLecturerVisiting facultyAssociate Professor

Who hires

Universities and collegesIITs, NITs and IIMsPrivate universities

Where the jobs are

All over India

See openings on Naukri ↗See openings on LinkedIn Jobs ↗See openings on Indeed ↗

These buttons open a live search for "Assistant Professor" on each job site. TalentMeter does not list or vouch for the jobs there.

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