Tezpur University IPR Chair Professor Recruitment 2026 (Advt. No. 28/2026) – One Vacancy under the SPRIHA Scheme of DPIIT

Tezpur University, a Central University established by an Act of Parliament and located at Napaam, Tezpur in the state of Assam, has released Advertisement No. 28 of 2026 inviting applications from suitably qualified and accomplished Indian nationals for appointment to the prestigious academic position of IPR Chair Professor. The Chair is being created under the Scheme of Pedagogy and Research in IPRs for Holistic Education and Academia, popularly known by its acronym SPRIHA, which is sponsored by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, commonly referred to as DPIIT, under the Government of India. The Chair is to be operated out of the IPR Cell of Tezpur University and is intended to strengthen the teaching, research and outreach ecosystem in the field of Intellectual Property Rights, with particular emphasis on patents, designs, trademarks, geographical indications, copyright, trade secrets, and related emerging areas such as plant variety protection, traditional knowledge, biodiversity-related IP, data protection and AI-linked IP questions. Only one post is on offer under this advertisement, and the position is being filled strictly on a contract basis for a fixed tenure, with a clearly defined emolument structure, age ceiling, and application procedure.

Important Dates, Tenure and Application Window

The University has notified that the last date for submission of the duly filled-in application, in the prescribed format given in Annexure I and Annexure II of the advertisement, is 16 September 2026 (16.09.2026) up to 5.00 PM Indian Standard Time. Applications must be submitted only by e-mail to the dedicated recruitment address turecruit@tezu.ernet.in, with the subject line clearly written as "Application for the post of IPR Chair Professor against Advt. No. 28/2026". In addition to the soft copy submitted by e-mail, a hard copy of the application along with all supporting certificates and testimonials is required to reach the office of the Registrar, Tezpur University, within seven days from the last date of submission. Candidates who are already in employment with any government body, autonomous institution, public sector undertaking or private organisation must produce a No Objection Certificate from their present employer. However, in order to ensure that no eligible candidate loses the opportunity on account of procedural delay in issuing the NOC, the University has permitted candidates to send an Advance Copy of their application by e-mail within the closing date, provided that the original application forwarded through proper channel and the NOC reach the Registrar within the seven-day window. The selected candidate will be appointed for a fixed tenure of five (5) years from the date of appointment, and the engagement is purely contractual in nature and does not confer any right of absorption or regularisation against any permanent vacancy in the University.

Number of Posts, Age Limit and Emoluments

There is only one sanctioned post under this advertisement, namely the IPR Chair Professor. The upper age limit for eligibility has been fixed at not exceeding 70 years as on the closing date of receipt of applications, and any individual above the age of 70 years stands ineligible for appointment to the Chair. The selected candidate will be paid a consolidated monthly emolument of Rs. 1,50,000 (Rupees One Lakh Fifty Thousand only), and this is the full and final pay for a full-time IPR Chair. No other allowances such as Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance, transport allowance, medical allowance, or any perk of regular service shall be admissible over and above the consolidated figure. In addition, the University has provided for an annual increment of 3 per cent of the current remuneration upon the completion of every 12-month period of continuous service, with the first such increment accruing from the date of appointment of the IPR Chair. The position is full-time in nature, and the Chair holder is expected to reside at Tezpur and be an active member of the academic community of the University, although limited consultancy engagements and invited lectures consistent with the UGC norms and the rules of the University may be permitted with prior approval of the competent authority.

Essential Educational Qualifications and Eligibility

Because the IPR Chair is a specialised academic leadership position that demands both depth of subject expertise and breadth of professional standing, the University has laid down four alternate eligibility routes, and an applicant has to satisfy any one of the four. The first route requires that the individual has either served as a Professor or an Associate Professor, or alternatively meets the eligibility criteria prescribed by the University Grants Commission for appointment to the post of Professor or Associate Professor, and additionally possesses sufficient teaching and research experience specifically in the area of Intellectual Property Rights. The second route is open to any IP attorney who has actively practised Intellectual Property law, including appearance before the Patent Office, the Trademark Registry, the Copyright Board, the Intellectual Property Appellate Board, or any High Court or the Supreme Court of India, for a minimum period of ten years. The third route is meant for any other professional, including scientists, industry leaders, senior policy advisors, and senior IP practitioners, who has gained significant recognition in the field of Intellectual Property Rights with no less than ten years of experience in the said field. The fourth route is specifically for retired officials of the IP Office functioning under the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks, who must hold a doctorate degree and must have a minimum of five years of experience working at Level 12 of the Pay Matrix or above, in positions such as Controller of Patents and Designs, Registrar of Trademarks and Geographical Indications, or Registrar of Copyrights. In all four routes, the burden of proving eligibility, recognition and experience rests with the applicant, and the decision of the Screening Committee constituted by the University for the purpose of short-listing candidates shall be final and binding on every applicant.

Desirable Attributes and Areas of Engagement

While not strictly mandatory, candidates with a Ph.D. in any branch of Intellectual Property Rights, in law with specialisation in IP, in technology management with focus on innovation and IP, or in economics or management with focus on innovation policy, and candidates with a strong publication record in indexed and peer-reviewed journals, granted patents, authored books or edited volumes on IP, and demonstrated leadership in organising academic programmes on IP will be given preference at the time of short-listing. The Chair Professor is expected to design and offer credit and non-credit courses on Intellectual Property Rights at the undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral levels, supervise research students, conduct policy-oriented studies for the DPIIT and other Central ministries, build the capacity of academic institutions and MSMEs on IP awareness and management, lead the IPR Cell of Tezpur University as its Chair, mentor young faculty members, and serve as a resource person in national and international fora on IP education and research. The Chair will also be expected to liaise with the DPIIT, the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks, the IP organisations of other countries, the World Intellectual Property Organization, industry associations such as CII, FICCI and ASSOCHAM, and academic institutions across the country to deliver the objectives of the SPRIHA scheme.

Selection Process and Method of Application

The selection of the IPR Chair Professor shall be through a process of short-listing on the basis of academic credentials, professional experience and contributions to the field of IP, followed by a personal interview before a Selection Committee to be constituted by the competent authority of Tezpur University in accordance with its statutes and the UGC Regulations. Mere fulfilment of the minimum eligibility criteria shall not entitle a candidate to be called for the interview, and the University reserves the right to restrict the number of candidates to be called for interview to a reasonable number. No TA/DA will be paid for attending the interview, although outstation candidates called for interview may be provided with second-class railway fare by the shortest route on production of tickets, as per the rules of the University. Applicants are required to fill in their applications in the format given in Annexure I and Annexure II, attach self-attested copies of all relevant certificates, mark sheets, experience certificates, publications list, and a recent passport-size photograph, convert the entire application into a single PDF, and send it as an attachment to turecruit@tezu.ernet.in on or before 5.00 PM of 16 September 2026.

About Tezpur University and the SPRIHA Scheme

Tezpur University was established in 1994 by an Act of Parliament and is recognised by the University Grants Commission under Section 12(B) of the UGC Act, 1956. The University has been accredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council with the highest A++ grade in successive cycles, and has consistently been ranked among the best universities of the country in the National Institutional Ranking Framework of the Ministry of Education. The SPRIHA Scheme of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade is aimed at creating a robust ecosystem for teaching, training, research and outreach in the area of Intellectual Property Rights in academic institutions, and IPR Chairs are being established in select Central Universities and other institutions of national importance to anchor this mission. Joining Tezpur University as an IPR Chair Professor is therefore a unique opportunity for an established IP professional to shape the future of IP education and research in the North-Eastern region of India in particular, and in the country at large, while working in a vibrant Central University campus that offers excellent academic infrastructure, residential facilities, library resources, and a cosmopolitan academic community drawn from across India.

Key Snapshot: Post – IPR Chair Professor (1 vacancy); Organisation – Tezpur University (Central University, Napaam, Tezpur, Assam); Department – IPR Cell, under the SPRIHA Scheme of DPIIT, Government of India; Emoluments – Rs. 1,50,000 per month consolidated, with 3% annual increment; Age Limit – Not exceeding 70 years; Tenure – 5 years from date of appointment; Last Date – 16 September 2026 (5.00 PM IST); Apply by e-mail to – turecruit@tezu.ernet.in; Application Format – Annexure I and Annexure II of the advertisement; Notification – Advt. No. 28/2026, dated 02.09.2026.