AICTE proposes 50% scholarship hike to tackle falling MTech enrolments in engineering colleges

In response to the alarming drop in enrolment for MTech programmes across India, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has proposed a 50% increase in postgraduate scholarships to the Ministry of Education, aiming to attract more students to advanced engineering studies.

The technical education regulator has recommended raising the current monthly scholarship from ₹12,400 to ₹18,600. This move comes after a gap of nearly a decade—the last revision was implemented in 2015, when the amount was increased from ₹8,000 to ₹12,400. The initial request was made in June 2023, with a formal reminder sent in March 2024 alongside other suggestions for financial assistance and support for postgraduate programmes.

AICTE data reveals a concerning trend: the approved intake for MTech and other postgraduate engineering courses in AICTE-approved institutions fell from 1.81 lakh in 2018-19 to approximately 1.30 lakh in 2023-24. More critically, enrolment has declined from 66,862 to just over 44,000 during the same period, resulting in 66% of seats remaining vacant in the 2022-23 academic year.

In its communication, AICTE highlighted that the number of students receiving scholarships has also seen a sharp drop—from 11,926 in 2018-19 to 5,176 in 2022-23. Currently, eligibility for the scholarship requires students to clear the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) and secure admission to AICTE-approved postgraduate programmes. Those who are sponsored by employers, admitted through the management quota, or receive alternative financial support are ineligible.

To expand access and revive student interest, AICTE has also proposed that students from AICTE-approved institutions with a CGPA of 8.5 or higher be made eligible for the scholarship without appearing for the GATE exam.

Minutes from an expert committee meeting held in May 2023 were also cited in the council’s submission to the Ministry. The experts termed the current stipend of ₹12,400 as “rock bottom,” and recommended an immediate revision. The council also pointed to the significant hikes in 2023 for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Senior Research Fellowship (SRF) stipends—from ₹31,000 to ₹37,000 and from ₹35,000 to ₹42,000, respectively.

A senior official at AICTE acknowledged the seriousness of the situation, noting, “The diminishing enrolment in MTech courses is worrying, especially considering that a postgraduate qualification remains essential for those aspiring to academic careers in engineering.” He attributed the waning interest to multiple factors, including students preferring to enter the workforce immediately after completing their BTech or opting for overseas education.

With postgraduate seats already shrinking by nearly one-third since 2017-18, the AICTE’s latest proposal seeks to reverse this decline by making MTech education more financially viable and academically attractive.