Mangaluru: Higher Education Minister M.C. Sudhakar announced on Friday that the Karnataka government is preparing to cap student intake for computer science and allied engineering programs. The decision stems from a growing mismatch between the number of graduates produced and the availability of jobs in an increasingly volatile technology market.
Minister's Remarks at Lab Inauguration
Sudhakar was speaking after inaugurating the Mphasis AI and Robotics Lab at The Sahyadri College of Engineering and Management, launched in association with the Mphasis Foundation. He noted that student preference has shifted sharply toward computer science-linked courses, largely driven by expectations of higher salary packages. Meanwhile, traditional branches such as civil, mechanical, and automobile engineering have seen declining demand. The minister expressed concern that many institutions have rapidly expanded multiple programs carrying computer science labels, often with overlapping curricula, leading to thousands of seats in some private colleges and universities.
Employment Uncertainty and AI Disruption
Linking the proposed cap to employment uncertainty, the minister pointed to disruption from artificial intelligence and a broader slowdown that has affected hiring and triggered layoffs globally. He stated that the state cannot allow unchecked expansion that could leave large numbers of graduates without jobs.
Committee and Regulatory Framework
To operationalize the policy, the government has constituted a committee led by Prof. Sowmyanarayanan Sadagopan, former head of the International Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore (IIIT-B). The panel includes members from the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, academia, and industry, along with representation from Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU). Based on the committee's recommendations, the government has framed rules and issued a government order to regulate future expansion.
Under the proposed framework, new engineering colleges would be permitted to start with an intake of 60 students per specialty. Over four years, a single computer science-related course could expand to a maximum intake of 180. Institutions will be allowed to offer up to five computer science-related courses, but with an overall ceiling of 900 seats across those programs.
Quality Benchmarks and Accreditation
Further expansion will be tied to quality benchmarks. If an institution seeks to increase intake beyond 180 after four years, it will need National Board of Accreditation (NBA) accreditation. Only after securing accreditation would it be allowed to add 60 seats in a year, followed by another 60 the next year, up to a maximum of 300 per course. Even then, the combined cap of 900 seats across computer science-related programs would remain in place.
For institutions that already have very large intakes, Sudhakar said the government intends to enforce compliance through a transition period. Colleges will be required to obtain NBA accreditation within two years, failing which the state will cut sanctioned seats. He acknowledged that the government anticipates legal challenges but plans to proceed.
Faculty and Infrastructure Constraints
Sudhakar also cited constraints in faculty availability and infrastructure, arguing that rapid seat expansion strains student-teacher ratios and classroom capacity, and risks diluting academic quality. He added that the committee has recommended curriculum changes to integrate AI and emerging technologies into core branches such as mechanical, electrical, and civil engineering, as part of an effort to strengthen traditional disciplines while regulating computer science intake.
