Date:11/07/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/07/11/stories/2009071158220100.htm

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Sharp rise in demand for Mechanical Engineering

Priscilla Jebaraj

CHENNAI: While Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE) remains the subject of choice for students, Mechanical Engineering is seeing a sharp spike in popularity this year, going by the selections of 500 toppers, who were allotted seats on the first day of single window counselling.

With 243 students opting for ECE, the stream bagged just under half the toppers, in comparison to just over half last year. The contrast was sharper in Mechanical Engineering, with 94 students or 18.8 per cent opting for the stream, in comparison with 8 per cent last year. Computer Science and Engineering, which dropped from second to third place this year, snagged 75 students – that’s a fall from 25 per cent last year to just 15 per cent this time around.

Handing over allotment orders to the top 30 rankers in the morning session, Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy announced that 37 institutions started this year – including five new government colleges – were added to the single window system before counselling began, taking the total tally in the State to 391, with 1,00,930 seats on offer.

These new colleges have been quick to read the trends in students’ choices. Each institution is being launched with four streams, and all but one are offering the Mechanical Engineering stream. ECE is being offered by 35 institutions. Electrical and Electronics and Civil Engineering are the other top choices, but only 23 of the new colleges are offering Computer Science this year.

Mr. Ponmudy pointed out that with 50-odd colleges having received AICTE approval and awaiting university affiliation, the total intake under the single window system would be enough to satisfy most of the 1.23 lakh applicants. “The counselling quota itself will provide for most students. I ask students and parents to make use of the counselling, rather than undergo the stress of [applying to] management quota seats,” he said. The growth in the number of engineering colleges would increase the competitive spirit, and ensure improvements in faculty and infrastructure development, as well as cause a reduction in capitation fee demands, he added.

Most students opted for government or aided colleges, with just three choosing a self-financing institution.

Among the top 30 students, all with a 200 cut-off score, 21 chose ECE. “It’s a broad field with wide scope. I can go for either core or software jobs, or do higher studies,” said Keerthi Suryakumar. S. Pavithra and three others who opted for Computer Science were also confident of their choice. A sizeable number of toppers aspire to enter the Indian Administrative Service.