Bengaluru: Engineering colleges closing down in state due to lack of admissions

Bengaluru: Parents used to be proud to claim that their son is an engineer. But times have changed today. There is a feeling of pride only if engineering is completed in a very few specific courses. This is why the demand for some engineering courses is declining. Furthermore, unnatural competition has come up due to excessive increases in certain courses. Last year, 21 thousand seats in the government quota remained unfilled. Counseling for engineering admissions has started this year as well, and there is concern that almost the same number of seats will remain vacant. In last five years nearly 20 medical colleges were closed due to lack of admissions.

On the other hand, what is worrying is that last year, in 33 private engineering colleges, not a single seat was filled under the ‘Comed-K’ quota. In 43 private colleges, less than 25% of the seats were filled, leaving the governing bodies puzzled. Even though the fear of COVID is over, the fact that students are not enrolling in colleges has worried them. They remain hopeful that such a situation will not arise this time. However, this year too, even though a few days have passed since counseling started, the expected response is not being received.

All the seats are filled under the ‘Comed-K’ quota in the prestigious six engineering colleges that are in high demand. But in the other 10 colleges, only 80 to 99 percent of the seats are filled. In 16 colleges, 50 to 79 percent of the seats are filled, and in 10 colleges, only 25 percent to 49.99 percent of the seats are filled. Last year, 75 private engineering colleges failed to attract students, and this year they are also struggling. This is said to be due to increased fees and the growing popularity of other fields.

The courses in high demand are Computer Science, Information Science and Engineering, Mechanical, and Civil Engineering. Most students prefer to opt for these courses in all colleges, leading to unfilled seats in other courses. Popular courses include Computer Science, Information Science and Engineering, Electronics and Communications, Mechanical, Civil, and Electrical and Electronics. On the other hand, the courses not in high demand are Industrial Engineering Management, Biotechnology, Chemical Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, and Telecommunication. According to experts, the main reason students do not prefer government colleges is the lack of job opportunities. A senior faculty member of a private engineering college in Bengaluru expressed the opinion that government colleges are lagging behind in placing students through placement and campus recruitment, which is a priority for students and parents when choosing a seat.

According to an analysis of AICTE data by the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE), at least 35-40 percent of the allotted seats in engineering colleges across the country remain vacant every year, with most vacancies in engineering colleges located in rural and small urban areas, a trend that predates the Covid-19 pandemic. In the years prior to the pandemic, the percentage of vacant seats was even higher, with 48.56 percent vacant seats in 2018-19 and 49.14 percent vacant seats in 2017-18. Statistics show that the number of students admitted through these institutes is relatively less compared to the number of students passing the course every year. Although campus recruitments have improved in 2021-22 compared to the previous four years, the numbers are still lower.

In 2021-22, 4,92,915 students passed out, out of which 4,28,437 students secured campus placements. However, only 3,69,394 students out of 5,85,985 who passed in 2020-21 secured campus placements. The lack of job opportunities is also cited as a reason for students’ disinterest in pursuing engineering.