Admissions to polytechnic courses record a five-year high: DTE
These degree courses, run by the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE), are offered after class 10 and are increasingly favoured due to the ease of securing employment after graduation
Mumbai: With the increasing demand of students seeking admission in engineering diploma courses also known as polytechnic, for the first time in five years, around 95,246 students have enrolled in these diploma courses across the state, making it the highest in five years.
These degree courses, run by the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE), are offered after class 10 and are increasingly favoured due to the ease of securing employment after graduation.
The admission process for the diploma courses is administered by the State Directorate of Technical Education. The state’s higher and technical education department launched the ‘School Connect’ initiative to boost diploma enrolment for the current academic year which began in June.
A statement issued by DTE stated that because of these efforts, DTE has reported record-breaking enrolments in diploma courses this year, the highest in four to five years (see box). All diploma courses are approved by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and have been aligned with the new National Education Policy (NEP) since last year.
The courses are outcome-based, with credits awarded to students upon completion of each subject. Additionally, students have the option to learn and take exams in both Marathi and English.
The course of the diploma program is three years, after which students can pursue degree courses or transition into roles ranging from supervisor to manager.
“In the last three years, the AICTE has introduced new-age courses like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and data science, attracting more students back to engineering,” said a principal from Thane-based Polytechnic College. He emphasised that, given the intense competition in the medical field, engineering offers promising opportunities that should continue to attract students.
Colleges are also adjusting their course offerings to align with the demand. A college principal from Thane revealed that they reduced civil engineering seats by 50% over the past five years due to low enrollment, reallocating those seats to AI-based courses to attract students and stabilize the institution’s financial standing.