With MTech admissions going down, AICTE suggests 50% increase in scholarships to generate interest among students

Sanctioned strength for post-graduate technology and engineering courses fell from 1.81 lakh in 2018-19 to around 1.30 lakh in 2023-24, numbers used in the release by AICTE show. (File photo) (Hindustan Times)

Among the steps to reverse dwindling MTech course admissions, India's technical education watchdog All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has also suggested increasing the postgraduate scholarship awarded to the students.

It has suggested to the Education Ministry increasing the scholarship amount by 50% from the current Rs. 12,400 a month.

The AICTE had, in June, written to the Ministry that scholarship of postgraduate students should, at least, be enhanced by Rs. 18,600 on a proposed 50% increase. The letter had claimed that the previous increase had been proposed by the Ministry itself in 2015. This and other proposals such as proposal for grants were once again brought to the notice of the Ministry in early March this year.

The Ministry, 18 February, 2015, informed the AICTE and to IITs, NITs, and IISERs regarding the increase in AICTE approved and Central Funded Technical Institutions' scholarship value for PhD and MTech/ME courses. Scholarship in MTech course has been increased from Rs. 8000 to Rs. 12,400 monthly. Having already levied a draconian 50% increase till now, this time too, the AICTE demanded the same type of 50% increase, sources said.

June of the previous year, while writing to the Ministry, AICTE had requested on the basis that there was a declining number of admissions into postgraduate classes of engineering and technology courses being taught in AICTE-approved colleges.