AICTE to Discontnue Engineering Streams with Low Enrolment
The reason behind seats lying vacant is that most of the engineering institutes follow obsolete syllabus and training methods. Low enrolment has led AICTE to ban all moves to create new seats in engineering colleges.
Apart from closing down the engineering colleges with less enrolment, AICTE has also come up with a plan to discontinue the engineering courses that have fewer takes. As per the proposal, the following courses are likely discontinued by AICTE in several AICTE-approved technical institutes across the country: -
- Instrumentation Technology
- Manufacture Science and Engineering
- Aerospace Engineering
- Automation and Robotics Engineering
- Mining Technology
- Ceramics and Cement Technology
- Environmental Engineering
Lack of jobs in the above-mentioned fields is one of the major reasons for lack of takers for the courses.
Half of the Engineering Seats Vacant in India:
As per the latest data shared by the All India Council for Technical Education- AICTE, 49% of engineering seats are lying vacant in engineering colleges across the country. As per the data of 2017-18, the low enrolment record has been witnessed in the states such as Nagaland with 100% vacancy, Haryana 72 %, Himachal Pradesh 75% among others. Such low enrolment records have led AICTE to ban all moves to create new seats in engineering colleges.
Year-Wise Percentage of Vacant Seats in Engineering Courses:
| Academic Year | Percentage of Engineering Seats Vacant |
| 2014-15 | 48.79% |
| 2015-16 | 47.68% |
| 2017-18 | 49.70% |
| 2018-19 | 49.30% |
As per the ministry official, every year many new engineering colleges come up. The AICTE grants approval to these colleges whether the college meets the infrastructure and other requirements. However, one needs to carefully examine the demand and supply for the same. The low- enrolment record may due to various factors such as lesser jobs opportunities for engineering students.
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According to SS Mantha, AICTE Chairman, one of the main reason behind seats lying vacant is that most of the engineering institutes across the country follow obsolete syllabus and training methods while the industry is moving towards automation.
These institutes need to work on their syllabus and introduce new training methods and curriculum. Many factors like the adverse job market, low campus placements and fewer job opportunities have led to students not willing to join engineering colleges.
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AICTE is taking various measures to ensure that more seats are filled so that the engineering colleges do not have to apply for closure. They are also floating scholarship schemes like Pragati and Saksham to motivate girls.