The Deputy Head of Iran’s National Elites Foundation announced that the third call for the “Jahat” program will be released immediately after the review process of applications from the previous call is completed, citing an unprecedented level of interest in the program.
According to ISNA, Saeid Khodaygan explained that applications for the Jahat program—which offers incentives for the recruitment of eligible candidates as faculty members—were originally scheduled to be accepted during the first two weeks of each season. This timetable was designed based on an expected, manageable number of applicants and with the aim of allowing thorough and careful review of each case.
However, he noted that in recent months, due to the suspension of general faculty recruitment calls by the two responsible ministries, a significant portion of faculty applicants nationwide turned to the Jahat program. As a result, more than 5,000 application files—including re-evaluated cases—entered the assessment process during the last two calls. This figure far exceeded initial projections and went well beyond the program’s intended elite target group.
Khodaygan stressed that the Jahat program was specifically designed to support elite scholars and top talents, not to serve as a substitute for nationwide faculty recruitment. He explained that the limited availability of general recruitment calls led many applicants—regardless of their alignment with the program’s mission—to submit applications, placing considerable pressure on the foundation’s secretariat and evaluation mechanisms.
Emphasizing that accuracy will not be sacrificed for speed, he said that application reviews under the Jahat program go far beyond routine administrative procedures. Each case involves a comprehensive assessment of academic, research, technological, and elite credentials; expert scoring; and qualitative review by seven specialized committees of the National Elites Foundation, composed of distinguished scholars. These evaluations, he noted, are directly tied to applicants’ rights and the credibility of the program itself.
For this reason, Khodaygan stated, the next call will be launched only after the full review of existing applications has been completed.
He also highlighted the continuous efforts of the Jahat program’s executive secretariat, noting that the team has been operating at full capacity in recent months, reviewing files intensively and without interruption. Nevertheless, the sheer volume of applications requires sufficient time to ensure fair and accurate evaluation of each case.
Reiterating that the foundation’s primary objective is to safeguard the quality, fairness, and integrity of the Jahat program, the Deputy Head concluded that once the remaining application results are finalized and announced, the new call will be officially published through formal communication channels.
