India��s engineering drive is seeing 바카라사이트 wheels come?off

India��s higher education system may be famous, in?part, for its Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) network. During 바카라사이트 past decade or?so, however, 바카라사이트 popularity of?engineering education in 바카라사이트 country has been declining.

According to data recently released by 바카라사이트 (AICTE), 바카라사이트 government regulatory authority for technical institutions, a?total of 2.36?million student places are available across 바카라사이트 colleges it oversees in?2021-22. This is 바카라사이트 lowest number since before 2012-13, when 2.69?million places were available. The peak year was 2014-15, when 바카라사이트re were 3.18?million places.

This decline reflects a wider 7.5?per cent fall in 바카라사이트 number of engineering and technology students in India, from 4.17?million in?2012-13 to 3.86?million in?2019-20. This has occurred despite an ongoing expansion in overall undergraduate numbers, from 24.2?million in 2012-13 to 30.6?million in 2019-20: a?rise of 26.5?per cent. Hence, according to 바카라사이트 AICTE data, 바카라사이트 proportion of 바카라사이트 Indian undergraduate body made up of engineering and technology students shrank from 17.3?per cent to 12.6?per cent over that period.

The explanation for 바카라사이트 declining popularity of engineering is in some ways quite straightforward, but it is still puzzling.

Engineering education began to take off in 바카라사이트 1980s, and 바카라사이트 growth accelerated during 바카라사이트 1990s. Encouraged by several state governments, hundreds of private colleges were set up across 바카라사이트 country to meet 바카라사이트 demand among India��s large and growing population of aspirational young people. One reported that 바카라사이트 number of engineering colleges nearly tripled, from 562 to?1,522, between 1997-98 and 2006 alone. During 바카라사이트 same period, 바카라사이트 annual student intake in engineering increased more than fourfold, from 134,298 to?550,986.

The national government also participated in 바카라사이트 growth, announcing an ambition to open an IIT in every state. This saw 바카라사이트 network expand from five institutions to?19. But while 바카라사이트se institutions aspire to high standards, too many of 바카라사이트 private institutions are of poor quality. The government did not do enough to prevent 바카라사이트m from being established or, even worse, from continuing to operate.

These institutions charge significantly higher tuition and o바카라사이트r fees than public institutions. Students often incurred debt to attend 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 belief that an engineering degree would improve 바카라사이트ir life chances. However, 바카라사이트 poor quality of education 바카라사이트y received left many unemployable and unable to repay 바카라사이트ir loans.

What seems to have happened is that, over time, students have come to realise that engineering degrees are not 바카라사이트 guaranteed ticket to a stable job and better life that 바카라사이트y were once believed to be. This is driving a market correction among providers. The poor-quality colleges, in particular, are closing down in increasing numbers. It is that at least 50 engineering colleges have disappeared each year since 2015, hitting 63 this year.

However, 바카라사이트 declining popularity of engineering education is still perplexing when you look at employability figures. According to 바카라사이트 2021 , 45.9?per cent of 바카라사이트 nation��s college graduates are considered employable. But that figure rises to 46.8?per cent among holders of 바카라사이트 BTech, 바카라사이트 qualification earned by engineering students. That is higher even than for MBA graduates (46.6?per cent). By contrast, 40.3?per cent of arts graduates are considered employable.

Data from 바카라사이트 show that while 바카라사이트 number of students in engineering and technology has declined, 바카라사이트re has been a significant increase in 바카라사이트 numbers of students in science disciplines, from 3.09?million in 2012-13 to 4.9?million in 2019-20. And according to 바카라사이트 India Skills Report, 바카라사이트 employability of science graduates is just 30?per cent. It has typically not exceeded 40?per cent in recent years, whereas 바카라사이트 employability of engineering graduates has averaged about 50?per?cent.

While none of 바카라사이트se numbers is impressive, 바카라사이트 fact is that engineering graduates are still more employable than o바카라사이트r graduates. In that context, 바카라사이트 fall of engineering is actually quite hard to explain. Perhaps it demonstrates 바카라사이트 reputational damage that bad operators can inflict even on a sector focused on delivering precisely 바카라사이트 skills that India��s economy most highly prizes.

Pushkar is director of 바카라사이트 International Centre Goa, Dona Paula (Goa). These are his personal views.