Tamil Nadu is leading India in hiring industry experts as professors of practice (PoP) in higher education. These experts bring real-world knowledge to students. Maharashtra and Gujarat come next, says University Grants Commission (UGC) data. UGC introduced PoP guidelines in 2022. The move aims to bridge the gap between industry and classrooms. PoP positions are temporary and do not replace existing posts. Candidates need at least 15 years of experience, often in senior roles. So far, 1,841 professors of practice have been hired by 349 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Tamil Nadu tops with 395 appointments. Maharashtra hired 193, Gujarat 179, and Karnataka 170. Private universities lead in hiring PoPs, with 715 hires. Deemed-to-be universities follow with 699. State universities have 212, and colleges about 200. Central universities have hired only 15, despite having 56 in the country. India has 56 Central, 460 State, 128 deemed-to-be, and 510 private universities, plus over 45,000 colleges. The low PoP count in Central universities shows room for growth. A senior UGC official said, "The concept of professor of practice has been adopted to bring in distinguished experts from fields like engineering, science, technology, and entrepreneurship. This helps develop better courses and connect students with industry needs." He added, "A professor of practice can serve up to three years at an institution, extendable by one year in exceptional cases, but not beyond four years." The official said the scheme allows leaders to serve on an honorary basis and contribute to nation-building through education and mentorship.