60,733 engineering seats remain vacant across Maha despite four admission rounds

According to data shared by the CET Cell, computer engineering and allied branches continue to dominate student preferences

PUNE: Even after completion of four centralised rounds of engineering admissions by the Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell, nearly 60,733 seats across the state still remain unfulfilled this year. The admission process was conducted for a total of 202,638 engineering seats with 141,905 students securing admission after completion of all four centralised rounds on Monday. The responsibility of filling the vacant seats now rests with the individual colleges through the institutional round of admissions which is open till September 15.

This year, computer engineering registered the highest intake with 22,955 admissions against 32,171 available seats. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

Colleges now face the uphill task of attracting students during the ongoing institutional round. While the demand for newer and tech-driven branches is rising steadily, institutions offering conventional programmes may struggle to achieve full capacity.

According to data shared by the CET Cell, computer engineering and allied branches continue to dominate student preferences. This year, computer engineering registered the highest intake with 22,955 admissions against 32,171 available seats. Similarly, computer science and engineering recorded 15,263 admissions against 19,860 seats; whereas information technology (IT) courses recorded 12,520 admissions against 17,311 seats.

Emerging specialisations such as artificial intelligence (AI), data science, and machine learning are also witnessing a strong response, reflecting rising demand for tech-oriented programmes in line with the industry trends.

By contrast, traditional engineering disciplines continue to lose traction among the aspirants. Mechanical engineering, once the backbone of engineering studies, recorded 15,233 admissions against 23,853 seats. Civil engineering recorded 10,939 admissions against 17,450 seats; whereas electrical engineering recorded 8,714 admissions against 13,649 seats.

This sharp divide highlights a significant shift in student interest towards digital-era courses over conventional streams, posing challenges for colleges dependent on traditional disciplines. Pune-based aspirant Rohil Khare said, “Many of my friends and I didn’t take admission at all because we didn’t get the branch we wanted. That’s why maybe this year, seats are vacant. Students prefer to try again in the next round instead of compromising.”