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Engineering diploma admissions reach 93%; deadline extended to September 4
Over 103,000 students have enrolled in first-year diploma engineering courses in Maharashtra, achieving a 93% occupancy rate amid growing interest in technical education.
Pune: A total of 1,03,115 students have secured admission to first-year diploma engineering courses across the state, marking a 93% seat occupancy rate, according to officials. Authorities attribute this trend to the growing popularity of skill-based and technical courses over traditional education paths.
On Wednesday, the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) extended the admission deadline from August 14 to September 4 to accommodate more aspiring students. The extension aims to benefit students who passed the supplementary SSC exams.
Chandrakant Patil, Maharashtra’s Higher and Technical Education Minister, attributed the surge in admissions to several initiatives undertaken by the DTE. These include targeted awareness campaigns, collaborations with industry, introduction of innovative and future-ready courses, and the implementation of self-learning and assessment systems.
“The unprecedented interest in diploma engineering programmes reflects the growing confidence among students in technical education as a viable path to both employment and higher studies,” said Patil.
He also highlighted the increasing popularity of modern diploma courses in artificial intelligence, data science, and robotics, which have drawn significant interest from young learners.
Shubham Salunke, a student, said, “I want to pursue computers. After Class 10, I chose to do computer diploma so that I can directly get admission to second year of engineering.”
The extended deadline applies not only to first-year diploma courses after class 10 but also to direct second-year admissions and diploma programs offered after class 12 in hotel management, catering technology, and surface coating technology.
In 2024, as many as 95,248 students secured seats in various diploma courses, and 84% of polytechnic seats were filled, officials stated.
