135 AICTE-approved technical institutions closed in 2026-27; 342 shut in three years: Govt

The number of AICTE-approved technical institutions closing across the country has increased over the last three years, rising from 83 in 2024-25 to 124 in 2025-26 and 135 in 2026-27, as per information shared by the Ministry of Education in the Lok Sabha. A total of 342 institutions closed during the three-year period, with Maharashtra recording the highest number of closures.

The information was shared by Minister of State for Education Dr Sukanta Majumdar in a written reply to a question raised by MP Rahul Kaswan. The member had sought the reasons behind closures, and if the government had assessed factors contributing to the decline in enrolment, and also the measures taken to improve quality, viability and enrolment of technical institutions .

In his reply, the minister said the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) grants approval for conducting diploma, undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) technical programmes in accordance with the provisions of the AICTE Act, 1987, and the rules and regulations framed under it. He added that AICTE also processes applications for the closure of institutions in accordance with the provisions of the Approval Process Handbook (APH).

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According to the annexure attached to the reply, the number of AICTE-approved technical institutions that closed has increased each year during the last three academic sessions. While 83 institutions shut in 2024-25, the figure increased to 124 in 2025-26 before reaching 135 in 2026-27.

Maharashtra records highest number of closures

Maharashtra recorded the highest number of closures over the three-year period, with 57 institutions shutting down. The state reported three closures in 2024-25, 19 in 2025-26 and 35 in 2026-27.

Uttar Pradesh recorded the second-highest number of closures at 54 institutions, including 13 in 2024-25, 27 in 2025-26 and 14 in 2026-27. Madhya Pradesh followed closely with 53 closures, comprising 22 institutions in 2024-25, 12 in 2025-26 and 19 in 2026-27.

Tamil Nadu reported 45 closures during the period, with 15 institutions closing in 2024-25, 16 in 2025-26 and 14 in 2026-27.

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AICTE-approved institution closures: State-wise data

Among the other states, Gujarat recorded 22 closures during the three years, followed by Punjab with 19 and Rajasthan with 17. Andhra Pradesh reported 15 closures, while Telangana recorded 12 and Haryana 11. Karnataka saw 10 institutions close during the period, followed by Kerala with eight.

Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand reported five closures each, Odisha recorded four, West Bengal three and Bihar two. Check complete table.

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Enrolment increase

Despite the sharp increase in closures, the enrolment in AICTE-approved technical institutions has increased consistently over the last three academic years. According to the reply, enrolment rose from 22,11,504 in 2023-24 to 27,25,980 in 2024-25 and further to 29,58,870 in 2025-26.

The ministry also outlined several policy measures taken by AICTE to improve the quality, viability and enrolment of technical institutions. These include permitting institutions to reduce intake and discontinue non-performing courses and programmes based on demand.

According to the reply, AICTE periodically revises the Approval Process Handbook to simplify regulatory procedures and provide greater operational flexibility to institutions. It is also promoting innovation, industry interaction, internships, skill development and outcome-based education to improve the quality and relevance of technical education.

In addition, AICTE has facilitated online and transparent approval processes to reduce procedural delays and enhance ease of compliance for institutions. Ministry believes that these measures are intended to enable institutions to align their academic offerings with emerging industry requirements and enhance the overall quality of technical education.