An Associate Professor is a person who educates pupils beyond high school in a variety of academic and vocational areas. They are also responsible for carrying out research and producing academic articles and books. They work in public and private colleges and universities, professional schools, junior and community colleges, and career and vocational schools, among other places.
Aspirants who wish to become an Associate Professor must fulfill all the qualifications. To work as an Associate Professor one must have to complete their post graduation. For some best universities/colleges one may also ask for a Doctoral degree. There are no specific courses to become an Associate Professor but an individual should score at least 55% marks in each level of education (10+2, UG, PG and PhD).
See more: PhD courses in India
Apart from the basic eligibility requirements, aspirants may also ask to qualify various exams such as the SET, UGC NET, CSIR, SLET, etc to become an Associate Professor. Also aspirants wishing to become an Associate Professor should possess various skills and abilities such as good communication, problem solving, research, mentoring, organising, etc.
Also Check: How to become an Associate Professor?
Associate Professors are tenured professors who hold the title of Associate Professor. This post, which ranks above assistant professors, frequently comes with a heavier administrative load and committee membership that is limited to tenured faculty. They are lecturers who are conducting continuing research and inquiry in the field of their choice while adhering to the rules and regulations of the organisation that employed them.
Also see: How to become a Professor
What does an Associate Professor do?
Apart from their study paper research, associate professors have a variety of tasks, as previously stated. They are expected to do the following tasks:
- Creating the institution's and students' material and curriculum: Chalk down the syllabus for the upcoming batches of students as per semester or yearly tenure.
- Performing research: Research on the latest studies in terms of the material and content to go out to students.
- Delivering advice on important specialised areas: Helping students to identify their areas of future expertise, by assessing them on their strong points.
- Maintaining up with fresh and recent discoveries and developments: Keeping up to the developments to give students better knowledge and information.
- Delivering regular lectures to pupils on the assigned subject: Pouring out sessions on subjects and topics assigned on a daily or hourly basis.
See: List of PhD Courses
Qualifications to become Associate Professor
An individual wishing to develop a career as an Associate Professor must have to fulfill the eligibility requirements, one may also require to qualify the entrance exam. In order to become an Associate Professor one must complete their education and are required to perform various research.
In order to become an Associate Professor, one must meet the following requirements.
Elementary Education and Senior Secondary Education
Aspirants must have completed their 10th and 10+2 level of Education from a recognized Board. One can choose to pursue any stream in their 10+2. In order to get a good college, candidates must score well in their 10+2 Board Exam.
Undergraduate Degree
To become an Associate Professor, it is necessary for an aspirant to complete their graduation, the undergraduate stream is not very important to your future speciality. There are two options for getting into college: merit, which is based on 10+2 grades, or entrance test, which is used in around 80% of colleges and universities nowadays. To be considered an undergraduate degree holder, a student must have a minimum aggregate of at least 55% score.
Also Read: PhD Specializations
Masters Degree
This is the majors degree that will take you to the speciality and niche where you desire to acquire a professorship once you have completed your undergraduate degree. The admissions procedure is comparable to that of an undergraduate programme. In the end, you'll need to take a specialty test, UGC NET, SET or any other necessary exam.
PhD Degree
This step in the process or set qualification is optional or relevant depending on your field and the relevant requirements, PHD duration is about 3-years, the process of admission would be also similar to Masters as well as UG courses.
Skills Required
Apart from completing Education and research, aspirants wishing to become Associate Professor are also required to possess some skills and abilities. Some of the crucial skills required to become an Associate Professor are given below in the tabular chart:
| Research | Communication |
| Mentoring | Educating |
| Assessing | Participation |
| Self Motivated | Organizing |
| Good Working Ethics | Problem Solver |
Read more: Courses to Become an Associate Professor
Associate Professor Salary in India
Salary of an Associate Professor is dependent on many factors, the location, qualifications,the sector and institution they are working for. According to Glassdoor, the national average salary of an Associate Professor in India is INR 8,97,468 per annum. The average annual salary of an Associate Professor in India according to various aspects are given below:
Experience Wise Salary
The average annual salary of an Associate Professor various depending upon their working experience, the average salary according to experience is given below:
| Years of Experience | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| 0 - 2 years | INR 2,50,000 |
| 2 - 5 years | INR 4,00,000 |
| 5 - 10 years | INR 7,00,000 |
| 10 - 15 years | INR 10,00,000 |
| 15 years and above | INR 20,00,000 |
Qualification Wise Salary
When it comes to qualifications, Associate Professors who completed their postgraduate level are paid the most, although everyone must complete at least three research articles. The average salary of an Associate Professor according to their qualifications are given below:
| Qualifications | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Diploma Degree | INR 1,00,000 |
| Undergraduate Degree | INR 1,50,000 |
| Postgraduate Degree | INR 2,00,000 |
Organizations-Wise Salary
The private sector pays more generously than the government, and there is a disparity in terms of income, work load, culture, and benefits given by each. Government organisations, without a question, have more job security than private ones.
| Organization Name | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Government Organisation | INR 2,00,000 |
| Private Organization | INR 5,00,000 |
Top recruiters
Top candidates might come from both public and private universities. Out of the 958 UGC-approved institutions in India, there are over 350 private universities. These private colleges provide lucrative teaching and academic positions. Some of the top recruiters of the Associate Professors in India are given below in the tabular chart:
| Dayananda Sagar University Bangalore | MIT- World Peace University Pune |
| NMIMS Deemed University- Chandigarh Campus | CMR University Bangalore |
| Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research – Mumbai & Bangalore | Banasthali Vidyapith |
Also check: How to Become an Associate Professor Abroad
Scope of Associate Professor in India
In India, the scope and demand for Associate Professors is extremely considerable; this is a well-paying, high profile and stable position. It is surely a lucrative career option in terms of salary and job opportunities. A master's degree is required, but a doctorate is no longer required. The average pay ranges between INR 2,00,000 and INR 20,00,000, depending on the number of years of experience, expertise and the industry in which you work.
Associate Professor Qualification : FAQs
Ques. Do we need PHD degree to become an Associate Professor
Ans. No, according to a recent declaration by UGC PHD degree isn't mandatory anymore.
Ques. How many years of experience do I need to work as an Associate Professor ?
Ans. You can start working as soon as you finish your masters degree and research papers.
Ques. What is the minimum requirement for becoming an Associate Professor?
Ans. A Master 's degree is mandatory to become an Associate Professor.
Ques. Private institutions or Government Institutions who give higher salaries?
Ans. The private one gives better and higher salary than the government institutions.
Ques. What is the male and female distribution in this career path?
Ans. Higher percentage of males are found than females in this job role.
Ques. How much times does PHD degree completion take
Ans. It is around 3-years minimum to maximum of 5-years.
Ques. What are the other positions in the hierarchy above?
Ans. Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor, Senior Professor are the other positions.
Ques. For a masters degree do we need to take the entrance examination?
Ans. This totally depends on the institution and the field you choose.
Ques Do I need to take science in class 12th to become Associate Professor?
Ans. This depends on what specialization you wish to have in the future.
Ques. What are the minimum passing marks required in undergraduate to become an Associate Professor?
Ans. An aggregate of 55% is required for stepping into masters after graduation.
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