A severe reduction in core engineering seats across Telangana has left many experienced engineering faculty members grappling with job losses and financial instability. Since 2020, over 70% of seats in core engineering fields like civil and mechanical engineering have been slashed, forcing many professors into alternative jobs such as delivery services or small roadside businesses to support themselves and their families.
Shift in Engineering Education Preferences
The shift in student preferences from traditional engineering fields to emerging disciplines such as computer science, data science, and cybersecurity has significantly impacted core engineering programs. Currently, out of Telangana’s 86,943 engineering seats, a staggering 61,587 are dedicated to computer science and related fields, while core branches like civil and mechanical engineering offer just 7,458 seats combined. Additionally, around 25% of these core engineering seats remain vacant each year, which has led colleges to further reduce these programs to align with demand.
Faculty Face Financial Hardships and Job Uncertainty
With fewer students opting for core engineering, many faculty members have faced substantial salary cuts or lost their jobs altogether. For instance, Achyuth V, a former mechanical engineering professor, shared his experience of being forced to accept a 50% pay cut on an already reduced salary before ultimately leaving his teaching role. Now working as a delivery driver and a two-wheeler taxi driver, Achyuth’s monthly earnings have drastically dropped from Rs 40,000-1.5 lakh to around Rs 600 per day, creating severe financial strain.
Many faculty members, particularly those in their forties and fifties, face significant challenges finding new positions. With limited hiring in both academia and industry for traditional engineering expertise, these professionals are often left in limbo.
Calls for Government Intervention
The Telangana Technical Institution Employees Association has raised concerns, urging the government to address the employment challenges faced by core engineering faculty. D Srinivas Varma, the association’s general secretary, highlighted that without industry or academia’s interest in their expertise, these experienced faculty members are left with few viable options.
To address the imbalance, the technical education department plans to regulate course offerings more stringently, potentially introducing more balanced course structures in future academic years. An official indicated that the government restricted computer science seats this year and aims to maintain equilibrium in course intake across fields in coming years.
Conclusion
As the engineering education landscape continues to shift toward newer technologies, many faculty members who specialized in core engineering subjects face an uncertain future. Without supportive measures, these faculty members may continue to struggle, underscoring the need for balanced policies to safeguard their livelihoods.
4o
