Why MBA and BBA Faculty Hiring Processes Often Contradict What Business Schools Teach

By Rajeev Paripoornam

Business schools across India frequently highlight their commitment to people, talent and efficient management. Their recruitment pages often promise a straightforward application process. However, the experience described by some prospective MBA and BBA faculty members can be considerably more complicated.

Applicants may encounter lengthy forms requesting information already included in their résumés, technical restrictions on document uploads, requests for multiple academic certificates and publication records, and limited communication after submitting applications. These experiences raise questions about whether faculty recruitment processes reflect the management principles that business schools teach.

The Promise of a Candidate-Friendly Process

Business schools teach students that customer experience, employer branding and efficient processes are essential to organisational success. They explain how complicated procedures can discourage applicants and damage an employer's reputation.

Yet some faculty applicants report having to enter the same information into online forms, separate application documents and physical submissions. Certain institutions also charge application fees. Although these practices are not necessarily improper, they can create additional barriers for candidates.

The concern is not that recruitment requirements should be removed altogether, but that institutions should examine whether every requirement is necessary and proportionate.

When Compliance Takes Priority Over Candidates

Faculty recruitment in higher education must account for applicable regulatory and institutional requirements. Bodies such as the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) prescribe relevant qualification norms for institutions and programmes within their respective jurisdictions. Accreditation and ranking processes may also require detailed faculty information.

These requirements can explain why institutions collect extensive documentation. However, the process can be designed to meet compliance needs without unnecessarily burdening applicants. Collecting the same information repeatedly or requesting every supporting document at the earliest stage may increase administrative work for both candidates and recruitment teams.

Business schools teach process design and organisational efficiency. Applying those principles to recruitment would help institutions balance documentation requirements with the experience of prospective employees.

The Gap Between Teaching and Practice

Management education covers concepts such as process mapping, service quality, employer branding and employee engagement. Faculty recruitment provides an opportunity for institutions to apply these concepts in their own operations.

When applicants face unclear timelines, repeated document requests or prolonged periods without updates, the experience can undermine confidence in the institution's administrative practices. Students and prospective employees may notice the difference between the principles discussed in classrooms and the processes followed by the institution itself.

Complicated recruitment procedures may also discourage experienced industry professionals and researchers who have multiple career options. If institutions want to attract practitioners who can bring practical knowledge into the classroom, a clear and efficient application process can help.

Communication Gaps During Recruitment

Applicants may hesitate to criticise recruitment procedures publicly because academic and professional networks are often interconnected. As a result, concerns may be shared privately rather than through formal complaints or public statements.

Commonly reported concerns include unclear selection timelines, a lack of updates after application acknowledgements, short notice for interviews, changes in the number of interview rounds and requests for extensive demonstration material without clear instructions.

Such experiences should be assessed through documented candidate feedback rather than assumed to be universal across all business schools. Nevertheless, transparent communication can reduce uncertainty and demonstrate respect for applicants' time.

The Cost to Institutional Reputation

Business schools invest considerable resources in attracting students, building their brands and developing corporate partnerships. Their recruitment practices can also influence how prospective employees perceive the institution.

A difficult application experience may affect a candidate's willingness to pursue a position or recommend the institution to others. Conversely, a well-organised process can help attract a wider range of qualified applicants, reduce unnecessary delays and support timely faculty appointments.

These potential benefits align with the principles of talent acquisition and employee experience that management programmes teach.

How Business Schools Can Improve Faculty Hiring

Improving recruitment does not require eliminating rigorous screening. Instead, institutions can make the process more efficient through several practical measures.

• Collect information once: Use résumé details to pre-fill application forms where possible, and request additional documents at the appropriate stage.
• Publish clear timelines: Inform candidates about application deadlines, shortlisting schedules, interview stages and expected decision dates.
• Communicate outcomes: Provide applicants with updates and communicate selection decisions, including rejections, wherever feasible.
• Clarify interview requirements: Share the format, duration and topic of demonstration lectures in advance, and avoid unnecessary unpaid assignments.
• Measure candidate experience: Gather feedback, identify stages where applicants withdraw and use the findings to improve recruitment procedures.

Practising What Is Taught

Faculty recruitment must remain rigorous because academic appointments influence teaching quality and students' educational experiences. Qualification checks, document verification and structured interviews have legitimate purposes. The challenge is to distinguish necessary scrutiny from avoidable administrative friction.

Business schools ask students to understand that effective management involves respecting people, improving processes and translating theory into practice. Applying these principles to faculty hiring would strengthen the credibility of that message.

Ultimately, an efficient recruitment process benefits both applicants and institutions. Clear instructions, reasonable documentation requirements, transparent timelines and timely communication can help business schools attract suitable faculty while demonstrating the management values they seek to teach.