HYDERABAD: The number of seats in core engineering courses like electrical, mechanical and civil is likely to come down further in the coming academic year as Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad has issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) to colleges to increase/decrease intake in a particular course.
These seats will be replaced by intake in emerging tech courses like artificial intelligence, machine learning and data science, among others. Last year, the number of seats in civil engineering was reduced by 1,170 seats, while seats in EEE and ECE branches came down by 1,440 and 2,130 respectively. About 7,000-8,000 seats were added in emerging tech courses in 2021.
“A committee has been formed and only after proper scrutiny, NOC to colleges to convert seats has been granted,” said M Manzoor Hussain, registrar, JNTUH. He said that almost all colleges have sought permission to reduce seats in ECE, civil, mechanical and EEE, etc.
“We have, however, not issued permission for closure of courses this year,” he said. He further said if core courses are completely shut down by colleges there won’t be enough seats for lateral entry of students who join in the second year of B Tech.
Managements and faculty said that many colleges are adding seats in emerging tech courses as there is a huge demand for them.
“Though we know that all engineering courses are important, there is a mad rush for computer-related courses now. So, all of us are adding seats in these courses,” said KVK Rao, general secretary, All India Federation of Self-Financing Technical Institutions.
“We got NOCs to add seats in emerging tech courses, but with some restrictions. JNTUH has capped the total increase in intake at 120 seats. All the colleges which have core courses now will at least have 30 seats in these courses in the coming academic year,” he said.
V Balakrishna Reddy, president, Telangana Technical Institutions Employees Association, said that students want computer science and related courses. “Seats are being added in these courses to cash in on the demand,” he said and pointed out that there is a serious imbalance between core courses and computer-related courses in the state.
In April this year, the colleges had applied to the All India Council for Technical Education seeking permission to reduce the number of seats in core engineering courses. It will be processed after colleges submit NOC from the university and the state government.