Hyderabad: Students shock tech colleges

Hyderabad: Some engineering students, who wanted to bolster Intermediate students ahead of the TS Eamcet (Telangana State Engineering Agricultural Medical Common Entrance Test) were in a shock on meeting several students as part of their campaign.

Some of the Inter students said that they are least bothered about Eamcet as they are “unwilling to join a four-year expensive professional engineering degree, which is fetching a salary that is as low as what a general graduate draws.”

According to Mr R. Sharan, who was part of the awareness campaign, “This exercise was taken up well in advance so that students would be suitably prepared for the big test. We all know that last year’s Intermediate results shook the state and around 20 disillusioned students took their lives. However, most of the respondents were vocal and clear that they did not want to end up in an expensive engineering degree and later struggle for jobs.”

The lack of interest is getting reflected in the gradual decline in engineering admissions in certain colleges.

About 10 engineering colleges have applied to Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad (JNTUH) seeking closure as they have seen less than 30 per cent of admissions in the last three years. Some institutions have sought closure of around 35 engineering courses as there were no takers.

Students have also cited that lack of quality education in many engineering colleges is resulting in the decline.

They alleged that students are not being prepared for the hugely competitive world that awaits them.

It should also be noted that there has been no recent survey on the quality parameters of engineering and management colleges conducted by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the University Grants Commission, according to information from the Union ministry of human resource development

When it comes to employment opportunities, they are limited only to IITs, NITs and IIITs. Out of 23,298 graduates in 2018-19 from these institutions, about 17, 946 secured campus placements, which is 77 per cent.

For other AICTE-approved engineering institutes, out of 7,92,970 students, 3,59,153 were placed, which is 45.2 percent for 2017-18. The figures for 2018-19 were not available with the government.