Most students opted for mechanical engineering: DTE

MUMBAI: Mechanical engineering was the most sought-after course for engineering aspirants this year, followed by computer and civil engineering, revealed data from

MUMBAI: Mechanical engineering was the most sought-after course for engineering aspirants this year, followed by computer and civil engineering, revealed data from the state Directorate of Technical Engineering (DTE).

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According to the DTE data, 18,500 students (23%) allotted seats in the state opted for mechanical engineering, while 17,000 (22%) and 11,000 (14%) opted for computer and civil engineering courses.

Although another 11,000 students chose electronics and telecommunication, 13,000 of the 24,000 (53%) seats available in the branch remained vacant. Similarly, there were no takers for 6,000 of the 11,000 (53%) seats in electrical engineering.

Experts said the vacant seats are the result of fewer jobs available in the manufacturing and services sectors. “Electrical and electronics engineering branches are connected to the manufacturing sector, which is yet to pick up pace. Earlier, the software industry would hire electrical and electronic engineering students. But today, with fewer jobs available in the sector, the software industry tends to hire computer engineering students, as they are easier to train,” said Kamal Karanth, MD, India, Kelly Services and KellyOCG.

Milind Kulkarni, group director, engineering institutes, ITM Group of Institutions, said that a few students opt for electronics engineering, because there aren’t enough core companies to hire them. “Most of the electronics firms are based in China and other Asian countries,” he said. Besides, private spending in real estate has ensured that many students continue to opt for civil engineering, said Karanth, adding, “From design to automobile industry, the mechanical engineering provides many avenues to graduates.”