IITs, tech institutes asked to close courses with vacant seats

All centrally-funded technical institutions including the prestigious IITs have been asked by the HRD Ministry to close down the branches and courses which have got less takers in past three years.
The ministry has also asked the institutions to introduce new courses and disciplines after analysing market opportunity, employability and requirement of higher education.
This information was shared by Minister of State for HRD, Mahendra Nath Pandey in response to a written question in the Rajya Sabha.
"All Centrally Funded Technical Institutions (CFTIs), which are participating in joint counsellings have been asked to review the position of vacant seats in the last three years and to revise the number of seats in each discipline after considering employment opportunities, national requirements, available infrastructure and scope for future," the minister said.

"New courses and disciplines may be introduced only after analysing market opportunity, employability and requirement of higher education/research/entrepreneurship. CFTIs may also consider closure of some disciplines or keep them in abeyance for a few years after following the due process," he said.