Intense competition expected for engineering admissions in state
This year, the state is witnessing fierce competition for engineering admissions, particularly in top-tier colleges, following a significant surge in the number of high-scoring students in the MHT CET 2025 examination.
According to the State Common Entrance Test Cell (CET Cell), the number of students scoring between the 10 and 99.99 percentile has risen by 4,471 compared to last year. As many as 43,299 students scored between 90 and 99.99 percentile this year, compared to 38,828 students in that range last year.
Also, this year, 22 students across Maharashtra have scored a perfect 100 percentile in the Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics (PMC) group of the MHT CET. Among them, 18 students have qualified for the prestigious JEE Advanced examination, making them eligible for admission into India's premier Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).
As a result, the pressure now shifts to students scoring between 90 and 99.99 percentiles, who will face fierce competition for admission into highly sought-after courses like computer engineering, artificial intelligence and machine learning, internet of things, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence and data science (AI-DS).
'Several top-performing students have stated that although they had initially considered MHT CET and JEE as parallel options, their strong JEE Advanced scores ultimately influenced their decision to pursue admissions in IITs instead. This pattern is expected to slightly ease the pressure on state colleges but heighten competition among those just below the top percentile ranks,' said a senior official from the state CET cell on condition of anonymity.
The growing appeal of engineering as a career choice over the last two years has been reflected in rising participation numbers. As per the information given by the state CET Cell, this year, 1,22,663 students in the PCM group were deemed eligible for the CET. Interestingly, there is a significant spike in students scoring within the 70 to 80 percentile range, with 5,798 more students in this bracket than last year.
The popularity of engineering admissions in the state has been at a record high, with 1,49,078 students admitted last year, one of the highest in the past seven years. In fact, 20,000 additional seats were created last year, raising the total to 1,80,170 seats. Despite the increase, nearly all seats were filled, demonstrating the field's sustained demand. While deans of several engineering colleges have confirmed that this year, computer engineering will likely witness the fiercest competition, followed closely by other courses.
'I scored 98.7 percentile in the CET and was hopeful about securing a seat in computer engineering at one of the top colleges in Pune. But seeing the rise in high scorers this year, I know the competition will be tougher. I've already started preparing a strong preference list and exploring backup options too. The increasing demand for AI and cybersecurity courses makes it even more critical to make quick and informed choices,' said Rishabh Deshmukh, a student.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
17 hours ago
- Indian Express
Learning to balance, lead, and grow: Lessons beyond the classroom at IIT Guwahati
– Mithil Sandhineni After my Class 10, I had to choose either science, commerce, or humanities. As someone who likes science, I was left with two major options – either the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) or the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG). I chose JEE not because of something I loved, but because of something I hated. My strong dislike for biology during school naturally pushed me towards the other subjects. Even though I had no clue about JEE at the time, I decided to move ahead with it, keeping in mind my comfort and interest in subjects like physics and mathematics. Later, I started finding physics interesting, which helped me prepare well. In addition to other teachers in my coaching institute, Rajesh Sir and Naveen Sir, who were IITians, shared stories about their life at IIT. These stories highly motivated me to aim for a seat and experience such a wonderful life at an IIT. Schooling and JEE preparation I did my schooling in DAV Public School, Hyderabad. My focus wasn't solely on academics; I took part in various school activities, including sports like volleyball and kho-kho. Due to the pandemic, my Class 10 exam was conducted online, and I missed making good memories of my final year in school. Later, I joined a coaching institute in Hyderabad. I completed my Class 11 and Class 12 in Sri Chaitanya Junior College. Even though my house was located in Hyderabad, I had to stay in a hostel to focus on my JEE preparation. As a person who gets distracted easily, I feel that the environment was suitable for me. I appeared for JEE Main and JEE Advanced in 2023 and secured a rank of 4278 in JEE Advanced and 6592 in JEE Main. I chose JEE simply with the wish to pursue engineering, not with any particular IIT in mind. Later, I decided that I wanted to get into one of the top seven IITs. After carefully evaluating all the options I had, the best ones were Chemical Engineering at IIT Madras and Mechanical Engineering at IIT Guwahati (IITG). Due to my interest in physics, I chose Mechanical at IITG. I'm thankful for this decision — not just academically, but also because it led me to meet my amazing friends. My days at IIT Guwahati I came to IIT Guwahati in July 2023. This wasn't exactly my first time away from home, as I had lived in a hostel during my JEE preparation. But this time, it truly felt like being away — since I had moved to the other side of the country and couldn't just go back whenever I wanted. I felt homesick for a day or two, but eventually, I made some amazing friends, and after that, I didn't think about home as much. Honestly, it wasn't very difficult for me to adjust here. We had classes for about three hours a day and three labs per week, each lasting three hours, with Saturdays and Sundays off. This schedule gave me the chance to explore other things. I made good friends in my class and hostel as well. Even today, I hang out with my hostel friends – it's like a mandatory part of the day. The schedule wasn't hectic for me to manage; it felt well-balanced between academics and extracurriculars. But one thing that did take time to adjust to was the food. It didn't taste like home-cooked meals, and that was a bit tough initially, but eventually, I got used to it. I used to play volleyball during my school days, but due to my JEE preparation, I didn't get time to play. So, after coming here, I started playing volleyball again in the evenings from 6 to 9 after classes with my friends. Then, I got into the volleyball club and also joined the cultural fest, Alcheringa team. I was also elected as the Branch Representative (BR). It was not hectic in the first semester since we had very little academic pressure and enough free time. From the second semester, I joined the Consulting and Analytics Club, the AI Club, and the Techniche team. When exams are near, I reduce the time I spend on non-academic activities like playing volleyball for an hour instead of three. I completely focus on my academics when I sit down to study and keep distractions as far away as I can. What I have learned at IIT Guwahati, my future plans Comparing the person I was before and who I am now, my personality has developed a lot. By interacting with people coming from various states across India, I understood different cultures and mindsets, which helped me become more open-minded. As a BR, I developed leadership qualities in order to act upon my branch-mates' concerns and communicate them effectively to the professors, along with guiding my juniors when they were new to the campus. As a team member of fests, I learned formal communication and coordination across different teams. Going ahead, now in my third year, I got a wonderful opportunity to be the Overall Coordinator of the Students' Welfare Board, where I manage the seven clubs under the Welfare Board. And as a student, I learned how to utilise my time efficiently, prioritise the things I have to do, and fulfil my responsibilities. Overall, I became a better version of myself and wish to improve even more. There is a stereotype that IITians only study, but trust me, students here are very good at living their life — managing and doing everything they want to. Being here for two years now, one of the biggest things I've learned is to enjoy what I'm doing. At IIT, there's always something going on – fests, hostel events, club activities, classes, exams – all happening at the same time. In the beginning, it was overwhelming, but slowly I understood that it's all a part of the journey. Managing so many things together, without letting my academics fall behind, was definitely tough. But in the process, I started learning how to manage my time better, how to prioritise, and most importantly, how to stay calm even when things get hectic. One of the best experiences has been being part of the organising teams of Alcheringa and Techniche. Alcheringa, especially, is very close to me. I've been a part of it for two years now. It's honestly one of the most memorable parts of my college life. Enjoying a fest is one thing, but being on the other side and organising it is a whole different experience. Those sleepless nights during the fest, back-to-back team meetings, last-minute chaos, working with over 200 people – it's tiring but also the most exciting and satisfying thing. Looking back, these are the moments that make college life special. We learn so much in the process – how to work in a team, how to solve problems on the spot, how to take responsibility. But above all, we make memories that'll stay with us forever. Hence, this is my learning: do what you like and enjoy doing it. In the process, we learn something valuable – something we only realise when we look back. After my BTech, I wish to get a placement in one of the big tech firms as a software developer. Recently, I've also been exploring non-tech fields, so I would love to see myself in a non-tech role as well, if the opportunity feels right. In the long run, I aspire to build something of my own – a startup or a project I'm truly passionate about. Mridusmita Deka covers education and has worked with the Careers360 previously. She is an alumnus of Gauhati University and Dibrugarh University. ... Read More
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Indian Express
NIT Trichy Vs IIIT Hyderabad: Which institute is better for CSE?
While for JEE Advanced 2025 qualified students, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) will be a go-to way, but for those who cracked the JEE Main and could not meet the JEE Advanced cutoff, NITs and IIITs will remain their options. India is home to 31 NITs, 25 IIITs, and 28 government-funded technical institutes (GFTIs). To guide students on which NIT or IIIT is better for different engineering courses, we have started a series to compare them on different parameters. In this article, we will compare NIT Trichy and IIIT Hyderabad for the Computer Science Engineering course. Located in Tamil Nadu, the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Tiruchirappalli was founded as a Regional Engineering College Tiruchirappalli in 1964 by the state government under the affiliation of the University of Madras. In 2003, the college was granted deemed university status and was renamed as the National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli, with approval from UGC, AICTE, and the Government of India. As of 2019, the NIT has 115 seats in the CSE course. The International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad (IIIT-H) is a deemed university in Hyderabad, India, established as a non-profit public-private partnership (N-PPP) model, and is the first IIIT in India to follow this model. As mentioned on the official website, there are 30 programmes with 2374 students and 105 faculty members and 25 research centres. The campus has various clubs for students, like the hacking club, the Astronautics club, the open source developers group, among others. Every year, the Ministry of Education release the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF). It ranks higher education institutions in India and is based on different parameters. It also helps students to make an informed decision about what to expect from an institution they are applying to. Under the NIRF Rankings 2024, NIT Trichy secured a rank of 30 under the overall categories of institutions in India. Additionally, it ranks in the 9th spot under the engineering category of the rankings after the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad. In the top ten of the engineering category, NIT Trichy is the sole NIT in 2024 and has left IIT BHU behind, which stands at the 10th spot. Not only this, but NIT Trichy ranks at the 8th spot under the architecture and planning category of NIRF 2024. The institute ranks at 51th spot under the management category of the rankings. In the NIRF 2024, the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad, ranked in the bandwidth of 101-150. Under the engineering category, it ranked 47 with a score of 54.29. Last year, the Institute ranked 55th in the engineering category. As the official website of the NIT Trichy, every year, 220 companies participate in the placement. In the academic session 2023-24, 96.9 per cent of undergraduate students in computer science participated in the placement; on the other hand, in the MTech CSE course, 93.3 per cent of students participated. In the placement, some of the companies that participate are Intel, Morgan Stanley, HCL, Google, Facebook, Honeywell, Microsoft, HSBC, McAfee, Reliance, Pepsico, Tata, Samsung, among others. As mentioned on the official website, in IIIT Hyderabad's placement, various top companies participate, like Bloomberg, Adobe, Facebook, Google, Opex, Indeed, Uber, Teradata, Walmart and Unacademy, among others. With two engineering programmes, CSE and ECE, IIIT in the academic session 2023-24, saw the highest salary package of Rs 65 LPA in CSE, and Rs 55 LPA for ECE. In the previous academic year, 99 per cent of students in CSE and 98 per cent of students in ECE were placed with an average pay of Rs 31.49 LPA in CSE and Rs 21.30 LPA in ECE. The lowest salary in the last academic year for CSE was 10 LPA, and 10.97 LPA in ECE. In NIT Trichy, there are various courses like architecture, chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer applications, computer science and engineering, electrical and electronics engineering, energy and environment, humanities and social sciences which provides just one course on MA in English language and literature, management, mathematics, mechanical engineering, production engineering, and metallurgical and materials engineering. In the year 2012, they established a Centre of Excellence in Corrosion and Surface Engineering and provide short-term courses for the students. The Undergraduate Entrance Examination (UGEE) is held for all dual-degree programmes, while the Special Channel of Admission (SPEC) is meant for single-degree programmes. Students interested in dual-degree courses through lateral entry can apply via the Lateral Entry Entrance Examination (LEEE). Additionally, Olympiad winners have a dedicated admission channel. The Direct Admission for Students Abroad (DASA) option is available for both single and dual-degree programmes. The JEE (Main) route is applicable for single-degree programme admissions. Under the core dual degree programme, there are four courses in BTech and a Master of Science by research in electronics & communication engineering or computer science engineering. Other programmes include BTech in Computer Science, MS in Computational Natural Sciences, and MS in Computing and Human Sciences by Research.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Intense competition expected for engineering admissions in state
This year, the state is witnessing fierce competition for engineering admissions, particularly in top-tier colleges, following a significant surge in the number of high-scoring students in the MHT CET 2025 examination. According to the State Common Entrance Test Cell (CET Cell), the number of students scoring between the 10 and 99.99 percentile has risen by 4,471 compared to last year. As many as 43,299 students scored between 90 and 99.99 percentile this year, compared to 38,828 students in that range last year. Also, this year, 22 students across Maharashtra have scored a perfect 100 percentile in the Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics (PMC) group of the MHT CET. Among them, 18 students have qualified for the prestigious JEE Advanced examination, making them eligible for admission into India's premier Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). As a result, the pressure now shifts to students scoring between 90 and 99.99 percentiles, who will face fierce competition for admission into highly sought-after courses like computer engineering, artificial intelligence and machine learning, internet of things, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence and data science (AI-DS). 'Several top-performing students have stated that although they had initially considered MHT CET and JEE as parallel options, their strong JEE Advanced scores ultimately influenced their decision to pursue admissions in IITs instead. This pattern is expected to slightly ease the pressure on state colleges but heighten competition among those just below the top percentile ranks,' said a senior official from the state CET cell on condition of anonymity. The growing appeal of engineering as a career choice over the last two years has been reflected in rising participation numbers. As per the information given by the state CET Cell, this year, 1,22,663 students in the PCM group were deemed eligible for the CET. Interestingly, there is a significant spike in students scoring within the 70 to 80 percentile range, with 5,798 more students in this bracket than last year. The popularity of engineering admissions in the state has been at a record high, with 1,49,078 students admitted last year, one of the highest in the past seven years. In fact, 20,000 additional seats were created last year, raising the total to 1,80,170 seats. Despite the increase, nearly all seats were filled, demonstrating the field's sustained demand. While deans of several engineering colleges have confirmed that this year, computer engineering will likely witness the fiercest competition, followed closely by other courses. 'I scored 98.7 percentile in the CET and was hopeful about securing a seat in computer engineering at one of the top colleges in Pune. But seeing the rise in high scorers this year, I know the competition will be tougher. I've already started preparing a strong preference list and exploring backup options too. The increasing demand for AI and cybersecurity courses makes it even more critical to make quick and informed choices,' said Rishabh Deshmukh, a student.
