Andhra may see spurt in engineering colleges

According to information, around 80 institutes have sought approval from the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE), the apex body of higher education in the state, to start new colleges.

APSCHE secretary MD Christopher told Business Standard some existing colleges too had represented to the council for increasing the intake.

All these would imply an addition of about 35,000 seats across all streams. This would also take the total number of engineering colleges in the state to about 410 while the number of seats would increase to about 155,000, the highest in the country.

"The demand for engineering courses is on the rise. Students are assured for a livelihood after completion of the course," said P Rajeshwar Reddy, general secretary of Consortium of Engineering College Managements' Association, a body of engineering college managements.

It is not difficult for engineering graduates to find themselves a job that would fetch them at least Rs 15,000 a month, he felt.

 It normally costs about Rs 10 crore to start an engineering college. Many start off with an investment of Rs 3-4 crore and invest the remaining in phases. "It takes about 6 years for an engineering college to break even," Reddy said.

The consortium has represented to the council to increase the management quota. "We are expecting to fill 25 to 30 per cent seats under the management quota," he said.

This year saw the highest number of students, at 270,000, appearing for the Engineering, Agricultural and Medicine Common Entrance Test (Eamcet) of which about 250,000 qualified. Shortage of experienced faculty, however, remains an issue.

Reddy said, "There will be some skill gaps as we aim at producing engineers for serving multiple sectors."