The curious case of vacant engineering seats in Karnataka

Year after year, the number of students qualifying for admission to engineering courses is increasing, but paradoxically the number of unfilled seats is also on the rise. The Hindu finds out why

If you ask any student interested in pursuing a professional course, engineering and medicine still dominate the list of preferences. Every year, the number of engineering colleges, available seats, and students qualifying for engineering courses through the Common Entrance Test (CET), conducted by the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA), COMED-K UGET, and other entrance exams continues to rise. Yet, paradoxically, the number of engineering seats left unallocated after the counselling process is also increasing annually.

The CET-2024 and COMED-K counselling processes were recently completed, leaving a total of 32,379 engineering and architecture seats vacant. Out of 79,907 government quota seats available through KEA, 13,653 engineering seats remained unfilled. In the COMED-K category, 18,726 seats out of 26,373 were left vacant.

Of the total engineering seats available in the State, 45% of the government quota seats are filled through the CET, 30% through COMED-K, and 25% through the management and Non-Resident Indian quotas.

This year, 1,06,280 seats were available across more than 245 government, aided, and private engineering colleges in the State, but only 73,901 seats were filled, leaving 32,379 seats vacant. A total of 2,74,595 students qualified for admission to engineering courses through CET-2024, while 1,03,799 students qualified through COMED-K.

A look at the past

This trend is not new. In 2021, as many as 90,823 engineering seats were available in Karnataka. Of the 1.93 lakh students who appeared for the CET and 66,304 students appeared for COMED-K, a total of 2,49,304 students were qualified for engineering courses. However, only 60,570 seats were filled, leaving 30,253 vacant. Similarly, in 2022, 92,882 seats were available, but only 69,946 were filled, with 22,936 seats remaining vacant, despite 2,29,043 students qualifying for engineering courses through CET and COMED-K.

In 2023, out of 1,00,351 seats available, 82,122 were filled, while 18,229 remained vacant, even though 2,80,614 students qualified for these seats.

Declining demand

More than 150 engineering colleges in Karnataka fill private and NRI quota seats through COMED-K UGET. This year, 26,373 COMED-K seats were available, but only 7,647 were filled, leaving 18,726 vacant. In 33 engineering colleges, no COMED-K seats were allotted. In fact, 80% of the seats were filled in just six engineering colleges, while 50% to 80% were filled in 19 colleges. In 20 colleges, only 25% to 50% of the seats were filled, and in 75 colleges, less than 25% of seats were taken.

Last year, 14,354 COMED-K seats remained vacant, with no seat allocation in 29 colleges. In 2022-23, 13,149 seats were left unfilled.

Colleges increase seats

Experts point out that in recent years, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has relaxed regulations on increasing seats in engineering courses. Colleges with adequate infrastructure, including buildings and faculty, have been allowed to expand their intake. As a result, many private engineering colleges have increased their seat count from 500 to 1,000, particularly in Computer Science and related disciplines.

This year, AICTE has added 5,929 additional engineering seats in Karnataka, all in Computer Science and allied courses. Last year, 7,469 additional seats were allotted.

For better regulation

The government feels private engineering colleges are “indiscriminately” increasing the number of seats, leading to unhealthy competition. To counter this, the State government mandated that a no-objection certificate from the authorities before seats are increased or new courses are offered.

Minister for Higher Education M.C. Sudhakar had written to AICTE in October 2023, seeking stricter regulations, but he stated that there was “no proper response.”

“Due to AICTE’s liberal regulations, private engineering colleges have continuously increased the number of seats in recent years. Despite our efforts to restrict this growth and allow seat increases only in government-approved colleges, AICTE has taken no action. After AICTE grants permission, the state government is obliged to comply, which has created unhealthy competition among colleges. There is a need to regulate engineering seats similar to medical colleges,” he told The Hindu.

Skyrocketing fees

Sources also noted that a large number of management seats in private colleges remain vacant due to the high fees. This year, private engineering colleges have charged at least ₹60 lakh to ₹70 lakh for management and NRI quota seats. The fees for COMED-K seats range from ₹1.2 lakh to ₹2.81 lakh, depending on the infrastructure and skill development programmes offered.

In government engineering colleges, fees range from ₹42,000 to ₹48,000 per annum. The government allows private colleges to increase their fees by 10% annually. As a result, the fee for government quota seats in private colleges is now between ₹1.7 lakh and ₹1.15 lakh. In addition, private colleges are charging extra fees, ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹1.20 lakh, for skill development and other services. Therefore, students must pay a total of ₹1.2 lakh to ₹2.3 lakh for government quota seats in private colleges. Given these costs, many students are reluctant to enrol in engineering courses, even when they are offered a seat.

“My son qualified in the COMED-K exam and got a seat in a computer science course at a prestigious engineering college in Bengaluru. However, we had to pay around ₹4.5 lakh in total, including college and hostel fees, so we opted for the CET seat instead,” said S. Amarnath, a parent from Hassan.

A lack of infrastructure and faculty is another major reason for vacant engineering seats. Most government engineering colleges face a shortage of permanent faculty and basic infrastructure. Many are located in taluk and rural areas, making them less attractive to students. 

Private colleges in tier-2 and tier-3 cities also struggle with inadequate infrastructure and faculty shortages. Teachers in these colleges often seek better opportunities in tier-1 cities, leading to high attrition rates and a shortage of qualified teaching staff.

Lack of placements

Another reason for the declining demand for engineering courses is the lack of placement opportunities. According to sources, apart from the top 20 colleges in the State, consistent placement has been an issue in recent years.

Nirmal Raj, a student who chose a B.Sc. course over engineering, said, “I applied to the top 20 colleges for a computer science course but didn’t get a seat. Instead, I was offered a seat in mechanical engineering. Since there are fewer placement opportunities for mechanical engineering in Karnataka, I opted out of CET counselling and decided to pursue a B.Sc. in Computer Science.”

Acknowledging the decreasing demand for engineering courses, M.R. Jayaram, Honorary Secretary of COMED-K, attributed it to the lack of job opportunities for engineering graduates.

“Not only COMED-K seats but thousands of government quota seats are remaining vacant. The main question students ask is whether they will get a job after completing their engineering degree. Around 1.1 lakh students graduate in engineering each year in the State, but only 19,000 (10%) find employment. Neither the State nor the Union government is doing enough to create jobs,” he said.

A lack of skills is another challenge. “Around 90% of our engineering graduates lack the necessary skills, which affects their employability. However, the Union and State governments aren’t placing enough emphasis on skill development programmes. Only a few private colleges have adopted the necessary programmes to prepare students for the job market. As a result, students prefer these colleges, while seats in others remain vacant,” Mr. Jayaram said.

Computer Science on top

Despite this bleak outlook, computer science and allied courses continue to see high demand, primarily due to the associated placement opportunities. Of the 18,794 seats available in computer science through CET, 18,157 have been filled, leaving only 637 vacant.

“Before enrolling in an engineering course, students should consider the college’s infrastructure, placement activities, and skill development programmes before choosing a course. I joined an Artificial Intelligence (AI) engineering programme at a prestigious college,” said Monica from Bengaluru, reflecting the views of many students. Those who graduate from this stream often secure jobs with salaries ranging from ₹13 lakh to ₹48 lakh.

Meanwhile, civil and mechanical engineering courses are losing appeal, primarily due to limited job opportunities and a lack of skill development programmes. Out of 5,723 seats in civil engineering, only 2,883 have been filled, leaving 2,840 unallocated. Similarly, in mechanical engineering, only 2,783 of the 5,977 seats have been filled, with 3,194 still vacant. In electronics engineering, 9,841 of the 11,361 seats have been filled, leaving 1,520 vacant.

Will the tide turn?

“Civil, mechanical, electrical, and other branches are fundamental engineering courses. The world cannot function without these technologies. There may currently be a shortage of jobs in these sectors, but globally, more jobs are being created,” said Mr. Sudhakar.

“For example, PES University in Bengaluru has launched a Centre of Excellence in collaboration with the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Bajaj. If educational institutions don’t take such steps, it will be difficult to sustain civil, mechanical, and similar courses in the long run,” he said, emphasising the need to revitalise these fields.

Published - October 18, 2024 06:14 am IST