KOCHI: Hit by dwindling number of students, self-financing engineering colleges in the state have began tracking South East Asian countries like Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok on their edu radar to fill vacant seats.
The Self-financing Engineering College Managements Association (KSFECMA) feel that colleges in the state would be able to capitalise on the Kerala’s super brand status as a global tourist destination to attract students.
“Students from these countries are already studying in colleges in Bangalore. Our effort is to bring some of them to Kerala offering better amenities and using the God’s Own Country tag” said K Sasikumar of Sree Buddha College of Engineering, Pattoor and president of KSFECMA.
There are 165 engineering colleges in Kerala offering a total of 53,000 seats. Last year a total of 18,000 seats remained vacant. Sasikumar said seats are not being filled because supply is disproportionate to demand.
“The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) should have been more vigilant in sanctioning new colleges. The situation is likely to continue in the coming years too,” he said.
Referring to the huge number of unemployed B. Tech graduates, Sasikumar said the situation would change soon. ‘’With India awaiting more investment and mega projects, their search will end soon,’’ he said conveying optimism.
KSFECMA chief patron G P C Nair said that the government should take a proactive role in the case of self-financing engineering colleges.
“Bringing students from SE Asian Countries is not as easy as we think, as they are not clearing the Kerala engineering entrance. We have more negatives than positives to attract students. The association has now decided to invoke the right of the management to admit from next year anyone who has passed Plus Two; from the state, out of the state or from abroad,” he said. (Concluded)