AICTE’s autonomy plan reveals crisis in polytechnic colleges – declining admissions, teacher shortage

NEW DELHI: Two years after the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) launched a scheme to grant autonomy to polytechnic colleges, just five colleges in Maharashtra and Karnataka have qualified. The initiative has uncovered several challenges facing these institutions, particularly regarding availability of faculty and employability of students.

AICTE member secretary Rajive Kumar revealed that enrollment in polytechnics has been steadily declining over the years. Data also shows a drop in their intake capacity, or number of seats.

Stakeholders suggest that these institutes, being crucial for the country’s skilling ecosystem, should be brought under the ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship (MSDE), just like the Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) have been. At present, they are regulated by the AICTE.

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Polytechnics offer diploma courses in engineering and play a vital role in producing a significant portion of the country’s mid-level workforce. Students can enrol in polytechnic courses after Class 10 or 12. As part of wider reforms in 2023, AICTE floated a policy of granting autonomy to polytechnic colleges.

Private sector dominance in polytechnic colleges

Private players dominate the ownership of polytechnic institutes. As per the 2024-25 list of AICTE-approved engineering diploma institutions, out of the total 3,566 polytechnics in India, 59% are private.

The table below shows states with more private players than government ones as of 2024-25.

Polytechnics: Ownership and intake (2024-25)

Only Goa, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Lakshadweep, Dadra and Nagar Haveli have no private polytechnics.

AICTE autonomy conditions

Kumar told Careers360, “It was a scheme that AICTE had launched as we believed that polytechnics are the backbone of our industry. We are always eager to see how we can promote our polytechnic institutions as they are mostly located in remote areas.”

The state government, through its department of technical or vocational education, acts as their university. It conducts their examinations and awards degrees. Off late, in several states, like Delhi and Chhattisgarh, they have been placed within the the ambit of skill universities.

“When we give autonomy to polytechnics, the state government has to be in sync with us. AICTE, state governments and institutions have to work together. We have formed committees for eligible polytechnics and provide representatives. But very few institutions meet our stringent parameters. We want to ensure quality as we have conditions on admission, accreditation. But even when these conditions are met, some states don’t want to give autonomy to the polytechnics,” added Kumar.

The essential requirements for granting autonomy to polytechnic colleges include:

• Institute should be at least 10 years old and possess a National Board of Accreditation (NBA) accreditation for minimum 30% of eligible programmes; the accreditation must be valid for at least one year from the date of application submission.

OR

• The institution is at least 25 years old.

• 50% of faculty members should be working on a regular basis.

• At least 60% of faculty should have experience of over 5 years and of them, 50% should have been retained for the last 3 years.

• Infrastructure as per AICTE norms.

• At least 60% of students should have passed in all semesters over the last 3 years.

• 80% seats should have been filled at admission in the previous 3 years.

• More than 50% of faculty members should have undergone at least one course – at least 2 weeks of online course or 3 weeks of industrial training – in the current or previous year.

• 75% of final-year students should have been placed or opted for entrepreneurship or higher studies during the previous 3 years.

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Faculty shortage

The faculty policy is one of the factors which affects the functioning of polytechnics. “We have revised the curriculum for polytechnics and most of the states have adopted it. But the faculty transfers – typically mandated every three years – disrupt relationship building and long-term planning,” said Kumar.

“Government appointments through the public service commission is a rigorous process that takes time,” he added.

A paper published in the The International Journal of Indian Psychology titled, “Analysing the challenges and opportunities faced by polytechnic college students in Chennai district”, also highlights the lack of qualified and experienced faculty as a challenge.

Citing another similar research, K Saranraj and P Selva Parnabika write, “A study conducted in Chennai district …sheds light on the specific hardships encountered by polytechnic students. One of the major concerns is the lack of adequate resources, including libraries, laboratories, and workshops. This deficiency hinders students' practical learning experiences, which are crucial for technical fields (statement of the problem). Another challenge identified in the literature is the shortage of qualified and experienced faculty. This can lead to a decline in the quality of education received by polytechnic students.”

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Polytechnic Courses: Vacant seats

Year after year, polytechnics have struggled to fill seats. From 2017-18 to 2022-23, the latest available data, close to a fifth of polytechnic seats (19.7%) had been culled.

“A large number of seats remained vacant and it is a very sad reality. Finding students for polytechnics is becoming a challenge for institutions despite industry-aligned curriculum revisions,” said Kumar.

The table below shows the approved intake and percentage of vacant seats over the years.

Polytechnic seats: Enrolment & vacancies

A senior Delhi government official who has been part of the technical education ecosystem, echoed Kumar, adding that in Delhi specifically, bringing polytechnics under the skill university has aggravated the problem.

Other states also seem to be following the trend. The Hindu reported in September 2024 that the Telangana CM has called for integration of ITI and polytechnics with the skill university.

“After it became part of the skill university, the fees increased. Generally, students from low-income backgrounds choose polytechnics to become industry-ready within three years and land a job quickly. With polytechnic fees reaching around Rs 40,000, many opt for regular school or bachelor degrees instead,” said Manoj Varghese, former media adviser to Delhi government.

The paper cited earlier also highlights that low marks in secondary examinations also push students to join polytechnics. It states, “The average score (332.14 out of 600) and the fact that nearly half the students scored between 200 and 300 in 10th grade (out of 500) suggest academic performance might influence their choice.” The study was based in Chennai.

According to Varghese, another problem cropped up with polytechnics getting university affiliation. The instructors became professors, covered by the University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations. “Now, instead of providing hands-on training, they are giving lectures, which goes against the very idea [based on which] polytechnics were established,” he added.

Polytechnic jobs

“The third challenge is employment, which is a major one,” said Kumar. “To provide employment, we have to impart skills required at industry level. We are closely working with industry and coming out with short-term skill programmes and schemes. We are trying to bring in some programmes dedicated to diploma students through the SWAYAM portal.”

The regulatory body is expected to soon launch a portal to provide internship and employment opportunities for diploma students.

The placement data available on the website of few polytechnics show a varying trend.

As per the data of Government Polytechnic Ambala City, between 2019-2022, 64% students were placed. The following year, 56% students were placed and of those admitted in 2021, 73% were placed. These figures also include those who opted for higher studies.

However, there are some polytechnics like the Government Polytechnic for Women, Faridabad, Haryana,whose placement has been in the 97-100% range over the past five years.

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Polytechnic Institutes: The way forward

In 2017, a notification announced that few polytechnic schemes were being placed under the ministry of skill development.

The MSDE’s website states, “The Polytechnics Scheme, administered by the Directorate General of Training, encompasses initiatives like establishing 300 new polytechnics, constructing women’s hostels, upgrading existing institutions, and implementing community-focused skill development programs. With a focus on enhancing technical education, the scheme promotes inclusivity, infrastructure development, and community empowerment.”

“As the MSDE is already looking after ITIs they should also look into these polytechnics as there are skill based courses,” said Kumar.

Varghese added, “The benefits of the schemes of Skill India, Make In India policy are yet to reach the ground level. There are also skill development schemes under the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) for ITI’s and polytechnics. But polytechnics have not been integrated well with MSME.”

The Chennai researchers had an important recommendation: “Skill-based polytechnic education stands out in today's job market. Unlike traditional academic programs, it equips graduates with the specific technical skills that industries crave. This translates directly to higher employability, as graduates are well-prepared to hit the ground running in fields like manufacturing, construction, and engineering. To further enhance this advantage, partnerships with these industries, a strategy employed by powerhouses like Germany and South Korea, ensure programs are constantly updated to meet evolving needs. This close collaboration isn't just beneficial for graduates; it fuels economic growth.”

FAQs

What is a polytechnic course?

A ‘polytechnic course’ is a diploma programme in a technical field, offered by a specific category of institutions. Their graduates are typically diploma engineers, holding three-year certifications.

What is a polytechnic job?

A polytechnic job is typically one for which a full-fledged engineering degree is not required. These jobs go to diploma engineers from technical and skilling institutes that offer three-year programmes. Until very recently, polytechnic institutions were outside the university systems and functioned under government departments.

Is polytechnic good after 10th or 12th?

Students can join polytechnic courses after 10th or 12th level of education but it is generally advisable to complete school education in its entirety, all the way till Class 12. A full-fledged school education is essential to future career growth and stability as well.

Why is it called polytechnic?

It is a standard term used for institutions that offer technical programmes of a lower standard than full-fledged degrees, with a far greater focus on practical skills and hands-on work. Polytechnics are meant to train mid-level technicians.