Challenges in Engineering Education in India- Some Thoughts

Every year large number of engineering graduates and diploma holders pass out of engineering colleges and universities. However, a sizeable number of them are not simply employable. Again, the growth of the manufacturing sector has almost become stagnant globally, so also in India. And economic recession is still looming large in different walks of life. Direct effect is that employment opportunities of engineering students are on the wane. Moreover, appropriate skilling and training are not provided to students pursuing engineering education in many of the institutions having lack of laboratory facilities and suitable man power to impart desired education and training. Result of these combined effects is alarmingly poor admission of students in engineering institutions, particularly in distance private colleges far off from the state capitals. The AICTE, New Delhi has put large number of such institutions in the list of possible closure or no-admission category. In this backdrop, this brief write up outlines some of the glaring facts that are plaguing engineering education in reality nowadays.