The first round of counselling concluded with 26,867 students securing seats, of whom 15,527 opted for CSE, accounting for more than half of the total allotments.

Among the core engineering disciplines, Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE) was the next most preferred course, attracting 5,486 students. It was followed by Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) with 1,324 students, Mechanical Engineering with 1,110, and Civil Engineering with 702.

The preference for CSE was equally evident among the State’s top rank holders. Of the top 100 students in the engineering admissions rank list, 73 chose CSE, 26 opted for ECE, and only one selected Mechanical Engineering.

Educationists attribute the trend to the perception that Computer Science offers better placement opportunities and higher starting salaries than traditional engineering disciplines. Speaking to DT Next, educationist R Ashwin said that the overwhelming preference for CSE was not an entirely healthy trend.

“Students and parents are largely driven by immediate placement prospects. However, they should also consider core engineering branches, as manufacturing, infrastructure and other industrial sectors are expected to generate significant employment opportunities in the coming years,” he said.

The first round also witnessed a clear preference for private self-financing autonomous engineering colleges, reflecting students’ inclination towards institutions with established placement records.

More than 2% of eligible candidates did not participate in the first round of counselling. Officials believe many of them may have opted for MBBS and other medical courses instead.

Meanwhile, the second round of TNEA counselling began on Monday, with 93,116 candidates eligible to participate under the general category. Candidates with cut-off marks ranging from 171 to 135.75, corresponding to general ranks 37,977 to 1,31,093, are eligible for the second round. Under the 7.5% horizontal reservation for government school students, candidates ranked between 2,571 and 18,036 within the same cut-off range can also participate.

Eligible candidates can fill their choice of colleges and courses on the TNEA portal till August 5. A tentative allotment will be published after the completion of choice filling, followed by the final allotment after candidates confirm their preferences.

Popular streams

26,867 aspirants secure seats

·      15,527 – Computer Science

·      5,486 – Electronics and Communication

·      1,324 – Electrical and Electronics

·      1,110 – Mechanical

·      702 – Civil