India’s dream of turning its higher education institutions into global powerhouses—like IITs, IIMs, Central Universities, and IISERs—has remained largely a promise on paper. Despite grand announcements and policies, a shocking parliamentary report reveals the crumbling reality of India’s higher education system. Nearly 1 in every 4 faculty positions is vacant, and over 50% of non-teaching posts are lying unfilled in premier institutions. Even worse, contract teachers are hired in bulk only to be let go within a year, denying job security and sabotaging reservation policies meant for SC, ST, and OBC communities. The situation is so dire that 11 out of 21 IIMs have zero ST faculty members. In the IITs, the representation of SC, ST, and OBC faculty is far below mandated quotas—pointing to a silent but systemic exclusion of marginalized communities.