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Synopsis
At least 58 engineering and technical colleges were closed across India in the 2025-26 academic year under progressive closure rules, with Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra reporting the highest numbers. Existing students will be allowed to complete their degrees.
Over 55 engineering and technical colleges across India have been shut during the 2025-26 academic year, according to the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). The regulator confirmed that 58 institutions were closed under a phased or 'progressive closure' system.
Under this system, colleges are not allowed to admit new first-year students for the academic year in which closure is approved. However, students already enrolled in the institution will be allowed to complete their courses without disruption.
A senior AICTE official said, “A total of 58 engineering and technical colleges were closed progressively during 2025-26. Progressive closure means institute cannot admit the students for the first year during the academic year for which progressive closure is granted. However the existing students will continue”.
AICTE is the statutory body responsible for regulating technical education in India. It oversees engineering, management, pharmacy, and architecture programs, and is tasked with maintaining academic standards and ensuring quality across institutions.
Among the states, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra recorded the highest number of closures, with 12 colleges each. Madhya Pradesh followed with eight closures. Telangana and Punjab reported four closures each.
Other states also saw smaller numbers of shutdowns. Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan each saw three colleges close. Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Odisha, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal each recorded one closure. Pune also accounted for one institution closure during the period.
Of the 58 institutions, three were government-aided, while the remaining majority were privately funded colleges. This highlights that most closures occurred in the private technical education sector.
The regulator also reported that more than 950 technical and engineering courses were discontinued during the same period across the country. This reflects a broader restructuring in engineering education, where several programs are being phased out due to low demand or compliance issues.
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AICTE distinguishes between 'progressive closure' and full shutdowns. In progressive closure, institutions gradually wind down operations while allowing existing students to complete their education. In full closure cases, entire programs are discontinued, and students are shifted to other approved institutions.
Officials said colleges were shut for several reasons, including low student intake, shortage of qualified faculty, and failure to meet required infrastructure and academic standards. Non-compliance with regulatory norms was also a key factor behind many of the closures.
The trend reflects ongoing challenges in India’s technical education sector, where a mismatch between the number of institutions and actual student demand has led to capacity underutilization in several regions.
Experts say the closures also point to changing student preferences, with more learners opting for emerging fields such as computer science, data science, artificial intelligence, and interdisciplinary programs, rather than traditional engineering branches.
While the closures may raise concerns about institutional stability, AICTE maintains that the process ensures quality control and protects students’ academic interests by allowing them to complete their degrees.
The latest figures indicate a continuing restructuring phase in India’s engineering education ecosystem, as regulators push for improved standards and better alignment with industry demand.