The number of engineering colleges to be closed in India continues to grow, with 58 engineering colleges closing in the academic year 2025-26. The shutdown takes several countries, led by Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, showing an approach that the regulator says is linked to low school admissions, school shortages and failure to meet mandates.The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), the country’s technical education regulator, has approved what he calls the “excessive closure” of these institutions. This means that they will not be allowed to admit first-year students in the academic year, but students who have already registered will be able to complete their studies.“A total of 58 engineering and technology colleges have been closed in phases during 2025-2026. The phased closure means that the school will not admit students for the first year in the academic year in which the phased closure is offered. However, the existing students will continue,” said the AICTE official. PTI.
Meaning of progressive closure
Unlike a full shutdown, a partial shutdown does not immediately shut down the organization. Instead, admissions are suspended for new students while existing classes continue until they graduate.According to AICTE, total closure is different because courses are discontinued altogether and the affected students are transferred to other institutes.The administrator said he is following this procedure to avoid disrupting the education of students who are already pursuing their degrees.
Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra record the most shutdowns
The shutdown spread across several states, with Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra posting the highest number of workers in 12 unions each.
| Countries | Colleges were closed |
|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | 12 |
| Maharashtra | 12 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 8 |
| Telangana | 4 |
| Punjab | 4 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 3 |
| Rajasthan | 3 |
| Gujarat | 2 |
| Karnataka | 2 |
| Tamil Nadu | 2 |
| Haryana | 1 |
| Odisha | 1 |
| Uttarakhand | 1 |
| West Bengal | 1 |
Of the 58 schools, only three were government-aided, while the remaining colleges received private funding, according to information shared with PTI.
More than 950 studies were also abandoned
The closure has also affected educational programs offered by professional institutions.“More than 950 courses offered in technical and engineering colleges across the country have also been closed during this period,” said an AICTE official. PTI.Dropping these courses adds to the shortage of programs available at other schools, especially those where admissions have been low for several years in a row.
Why AICTE orders closure
According to AICTE, institutions can be closed for several reasons, including under-feeding, failure to maintain the required number of faculty members and failure to meet the requirements and operational requirements.The director oversees professional education in engineering, construction, management and pharmacy, and is responsible for maintaining academic standards and regulating accreditation.The recent closures show that many institutions continue to face challenges in attracting students and meeting legal requirements. Although the colleges approved for partial closure will continue to teach their existing classes, they will no longer admit new students, and complete their work, PTI reports.