More than one lakh engineering seats may go vacant this year too

When the time limit for application ended on Saturday evening, only 1,52,940 have enrolled themselves through online or facilitation centres. Sources from Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions at Anna University said the total number of engineering seats available in the state is about 2.4 lakh.

“The vacancy trend will continue this year also. It is due to increasing opportunities in sectors other than engineering,” said a senior professor from Anna University.

Even among the registered candidates, not all of them would join engineering courses, as many students would opt out after getting through medical counselling. Last year, private engineering colleges could fill only about 30 per cent of the total seats available, he added.

“Though All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) had asked to close down institutions with less than 30 per cent of admission, college owners are reluctant to do it,” he added.

The professor also added that civil engineering course is expected to be the last choice among the students, as there was no big jump in the construction and real estate sector. The certificate verification for the students would be done next week. After this, the applicants would be grouped based on a merit list into rounds, and each group of applicants would be allowed into the counselling system round-wise.

After the publication of the merit list, one week would be reserved for addressing applicants’ grievances. Special counselling for students, like eminent sportspersons, differently-abled persons, vocational and supplementary would be held in Chennai. Of the total seats available in institutions in the state, nearly two lakh seats are in self-financing colleges, while intake for government engineering colleges is about 3,700 seats and government aided colleges is little more than 2,400 seats. Also, 8,500 seats are available at Anna University’s constituent colleges.