Higher Education Minister P Palaniappan said of the total 5,980 seats available in polytechnic colleges across the state, only 3,804 seats were filled and 2,176 seats were still lying vacant this academic year.
Replying to R Doraikkannu (Papanasam), who wanted a new polytechnic college for his constituency, during question hour, the Minister said students were interested in joining arts and science colleges than in engineering and polytechnic colleges.
A total of 499 polytechnic colleges are functioning in Tamil Nadu with 41 of them run by the government, 34 aided, 404 self-financed and remaining offering diploma courses.