Engineering college admissions hit record high in Maharashtra, 40k increase seen

The spike represents a significant shift in student preferences towards engineering owing to the rising costs and challenges of medical education

Mumbai: Admissions to engineering colleges in Maharashtra have touched an all-time high this year, with 149,078 students securing spots in various institutions across the state. The figure is 40,000 higher than engineering admissions in 2023-24 and nearly double that in 2018-19, when 73,950 students enrolled in engineering colleges in the state.

Admissions to engineering colleges in Maharashtra have touched an all-time high this year, with 149,078 students securing spots in various institutions across the state.  (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

The spike represents a significant shift in student preferences towards engineering owing to the rising costs and challenges of medical education and the introduction of scholarship schemes by the state government, said experts.

In 2018-19, 130,356 engineering seats were available in Maharashtra, of which 73,950 were filled and 56,050 remained vacant. This year, while the number of seats has surged to 180,170 – an increase of 50,000 seats in just seven years – vacancies have dropped significantly to 31,092, the lowest in seven years. In fact, engineering admissions have consistently breached the 100,000-mark in the state for the past three years.

Technological innovations have created new opportunities in the engineering sector, owing to which students are opting for courses on artificial intelligence, data science and related subjects, said education researcher Anand Mapuskar. “This apart, students are also choosing engineering due to scholarships offered by the state government, including free education for female students,” said Mapuskar.

Introduced by the state government in 2018-19, the Rajarshi Chatrapati Shahu Maharaj Shikshan Shulk Scholarship covers 50% of the tuition fees for students whose family income is below ₹8 lakh per annum. Around 500,000 students, including boys and girls, have benefitted from the scheme over the past five years, with many students opting for engineering courses.

Additionally, in the run-up to the assembly polls this year, the state government made higher education free for female students. This resulted in a further spike in engineering admissions – up from 38,626 girls in 2023-24 to 52,669 girls in 2024-25.

“The increased participation of girls in professional education following the introduction of the free education scheme is a very good sign. The number of girls in engineering colleges dropped significantly after 2005, especially in rural areas, as parents were unable to afford the costs,” said professor Suresh Ukarande, principal, KJ Somaiya College of Engineering.

Efforts by the Common Entrance Test (CET) cell to streamline the admission process in engineering colleges also contributed to the spike in admissions, said officials. “Our intention is to ensure that every interested and eligible student in the state can secure admission in engineering colleges,” said an official from the CET cell.