IIFT Head, Centre for WTO Studies Recruitment 2026

IIFT Head, Centre for WTO Studies Recruitment 2026: Overview

Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), a deemed university under the Department of Commerce, Government of India, wants a new Head for its Centre for WTO Studies (CWTOS) in New Delhi. The Department of Commerce set up the Centre in 1999 to give the government research support for World Trade Organization negotiations and WTO committees. Today it works under IIFT's Centre for Research on International Trade (CRIT).

This is the top job at the Centre: the Head acts as its Chief Executive. The post is filled on a contract or deputation basis, and the selected person must be ready to join immediately. It suits senior academics, industry experts and government officers who have spent years working on international trade, trade law or economic diplomacy.

Posts and Disciplines

IIFT is looking at three routes into this one post. Pick the route that matches your background:

• Academicians: researchers and teachers in international trade, economics, economic diplomacy, international law, investment or public policy. A Ph.D. is essential, most of your experience must be at Assistant or Associate Professor level, and time spent as an Associate Professor at a premier institution such as an IIT, IIM, IISc, National Law School or Central University carries more weight.
• Candidates from industry: professionals with significant, nationally or internationally recognised work in trade, economics, trade law or investment. Ten years of managerial experience is desirable.
• Candidates on deputation: officers of the Central or State Governments, PSUs, autonomous and local bodies chosen for their length of service and trade expertise, plus staff of academic, research and training institutions.

Service Conditions and Caveats

• Tenure: the IIFT Board of Management appoints the Head for three years on the recommendation of the CRIT Chairperson. The first year is a probation period.
• Extension: depending on your performance and the Centre's needs, the contract can be extended by up to three more years or another period the CRIT Chairperson decides.
• Deputation term: for a government officer, the first deputation term is three years, extendable under DoPT instructions.
• Pay note: the notice marks the pay level for this post as subject to revision, so check the final terms in your offer letter.
• Interview costs: interviews are held in New Delhi, and outside candidates pay their own travel and stay.
• Shortlisting: if many people apply, the scrutiny committee may set a higher bar than the minimum to decide who gets an interview.
• Jurisdiction: any dispute falls under the courts and tribunals of Delhi.

Application Submission Notes

There is no online form. Email your CV to the Registrar, IIFT New Delhi, at recruitment@iift.edu and mark it as an application for the post of Head, Centre for WTO Studies. Attach a one-page write-up on why you are suitable for the post. IIFT will reject applications that arrive without it. Government officers must send their application through proper channel with the extra service documents listed under required documents. IIFT will send the interview date and time to shortlisted candidates by email only.

• Lead the Centre for WTO Studies as its Chief Executive
• Plan, carry out and monitor the Centre's annual work programme
• Supervise the day-to-day running of the Centre so its bye-law objectives are met
• Guide research that helps India's trade negotiators and policy makers at the WTO and in bilateral and multilateral talks
• Spread understanding of key trade issues among stakeholders through outreach and publications
• Build capacity on WTO and trade issues in India and other developing countries through training programmes