At least 55 engineering colleges across the country have been closed during the academic year 2025-26 due to various reasons, according to the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
Existing students will be allowed to complete their semester but the institute will not be able to accept first-year students during the academic year.
“A total of 58 engineering and technical colleges have been closed gradually during 2025-26. The phased closure means that the institute cannot admit students for the first year during the academic year in which the phased closure is given. However, existing students will continue,” a senior AICTE official told PTI.
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Some of the reasons for the closure include low student population, inability to maintain the required faculty, non-compliance with infrastructure and operational standards, among others.
The announced closure is a “gradual” closure, not a “complete” closure. Previously, institutions are phased out while allowing enrolled students to complete their studies. Meanwhile, a complete closure is one in which courses are closed completely and affected students are transferred to other institutions.
Countries affected by most institutions
Of the 58 engineering colleges granted gradual closure during the academic year 2025-26, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra recorded the highest number of closures, with 12 colleges each.
Madhya Pradesh followed with eight lockdowns, while four institutions were closed in Telangana and Punjab. Three colleges in Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan were closed during this period.
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Gujarat, Karnataka, Pune and Tamil Nadu recorded two closures each, while Haryana, Odisha, Uttarakhand and West Bengal saw one establishment shut down each.
Of the 58 institutions, only three received government assistance, while the remaining colleges were privately funded.
The AICTE official also said that over 950 courses offered by technical and engineering colleges across the country were discontinued during the same period.
“More than 950 courses in technical and engineering colleges across the country were also closed during this period,” the official added.
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AICTE is the national apex statutory advisory body and regulator of technical education in India, overseeing programs in engineering, architecture, management and pharmacy, ensuring quality assurance, maintenance of standards and coordinated development.
(With inputs from PTI)
