Context:

• The MTech enrollment numbers in engineering have hit a seven-year low, presenting a grim trend.
• From an approved intake of 1.81 lakh in 2018–19, only about 1.3 lakh seats were offered in 2023–24, and less than 45,000 students enrolled.
• This means, nearly two-thirds of PG engineering seats remain unfilled, reflecting a systemic crisis in India’s technical higher education ecosystem.

Causes Behind the Decline:

• Early employment over higher studies: Immediate jobs after BTech are preferred due to:
  • Attractive industry salaries,
  • Rising demand in the private sector, and
  • Postgraduate education is seen as a delay in career entry.
• Brain drain to foreign institutions: Students opt for foreign MTech/PhD programs offering -
  • Advanced research facilities,
  • Higher scholarships, and
  • Global exposure and job prospects.
• Low perceived value of MTech:
  • Limited enhancement in employability unless from premier institutions.
  • Industry perception of MTech not significantly superior to BTech.
• Financial unsustainability: Inflation and urban living costs make scholarships [stagnant at Rs 12,400/month (unchanged since 2015) inadequate.
• Weak research ecosystem: Many institutions lack -
  • State-of-the-art labs
  • Interdisciplinary exposure
  • Industry linkages
  • Mentorship and innovation culture
• Shrinking academic opportunities: Expansion of engineering institutions has stagnated due to diminished academic incentives - pay parity, career growth, and job security concerns.

All India Council for Technical Education’s (AICTE) Reform Measures:

• Financial incentives:
  • Proposal to increase PG scholarship from Rs 12,400 to Rs 18,600/month.
  • Aligns with 2015 revision (50% increase from Rs 8,000).
  • Aims to reduce opportunity cost for meritorious students.
• Broader scholarship eligibility:
  • New proposal: Include students who may not have cleared GATE but have demonstrated academic excellence with a CGPA of 8.5 or above in their undergraduate programs from AICTE-approved institutions.
  • Significance: Recognises academic merit beyond entrance exams.
• Quality reforms in PhD education: PhD programs to be brought under AICTE purview, with -
  • Standardised minimum quality norms
  • Emphasis on interdisciplinary and applied research
  • Robust evaluation and monitoring systems
• Research and infrastructure initiatives: Scheme YASHASWI - upgrading labs, promoting innovation, and establishing Centres of Excellence.
• Enhancing industry collaboration:
  • Embedding industry mentorship, internships, live projects, and co-designed curricula in PG programs.
  • Bridges academic-industry gap and improves employability.
• Rejuvenating teaching as a career: Focus on - improved pay structures, academic mobility schemes, professional development of educators, etc.

Strategic Importance for India - Tech Transformation Era:

• Sectors like AI, quantum computing, green energy, and smart infrastructure demand highly skilled researchers and innovators.
• MTech and PhD programs are not optional, but critical to national development.
• Need to reshape public perception: PG education is about depth, innovation, leadership, not just degrees.

Conclusion:

• AICTE’s roadmap remains committed to making postgraduate and research education aspirational, affordable, and impactful.
• Revitalising postgraduate engineering education through targeted reforms, enhanced industry linkages, and financial support is crucial for India to build a future-ready, innovation-driven knowledge economy.