Quality of engineering education declined in Tamil Nadu, says education minister Viswanathan

CHENNAI: Expressing concern over rising unemployment among technical graduates, State Higher Education Minister Viswanathan has stated that the quality of engineering education in Tamil Nadu has witnessed a decline. Speaking at a seminar titled "Future of Engineering Curriculum – Enhancing Graduate Employability" here on Tuesday, the minister highlighted that while Tamil Nadu accounts for roughly 50 per cent of the country's engineering institutions, more than half of its technical graduates remain jobless.

"We are currently facing a critical situation where over 50 per cent of higher education graduates in the southern districts are unable to secure employment," he added.

He drew a contrast with other states, pointing out that despite having fewer engineering colleges, the job placement rates for graduates in those regions are significantly higher. "It is an urgent necessity for integrated departmental experts, including the Directorate of Technical Education, to convene and investigate the root causes behind these contradictions," the minister emphasised.

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Stressing the urgent need to continuously update the engineering curriculum to align with the rapidly evolving technological and industrial landscapes, the minister said, "Curriculum reforms must be carried out with a central focus on enhancing graduate employability".

Stating that future engineering graduates must possess multi-disciplinary learning capabilities, data-handling skills, and a mindset for continuous lifelong learning, he said that the Tamil Nadu government was firmly committed to enhancing both the quality of higher education and student employability.