The number of closed engineering colleges in India continues to grow, with 58 engineering and technical institutions closing during the 2025-26 academic year. The closures span several states, led by Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, and reflects a pattern the regulator says is linked to low student admissions, faculty shortages and failure to meet prescribed standards.The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), the country’s technical education regulator, has approved what it calls “progressive closure” for these institutions. This means that they are not allowed to admit first-year students for the academic year, but students who are already enrolled will be able to complete their courses.“A total of 58 engineering and technical colleges have been progressively closed during 2025-26. The progressive closure means that the institute cannot admit students for the first year during the academic year for which the progressive closure is granted. However, the existing students will continue,” said a senior AICTE official. PTI.
What does progressive closure mean?
Unlike full closure, progressive closure does not close an institution immediately. Instead, admissions are stopped for new students while existing batches continue until they graduate.According to AICTE, complete closure is different because the courses are discontinued altogether and the affected students are shifted to other institutions.The regulator said it follows this approach to avoid disrupting the education of students who are already pursuing their degrees.
Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra recorded the highest closures
The closures were spread across several states, with Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra recording the highest number at 12 institutions each.
| State | Colleges 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 |
Among the 58 institutions, only three were aided by the government, while the remaining colleges were privately funded, according to information shared with PTI.
In addition, more than 950 courses have been interrupted
The closures also affected academic programs offered by technical institutions.“More than 950 courses offered in technical and engineering colleges across the country have also been closed during the period,” the AICTE official said. PTI.Discontinuation of courses adds to the decreased number of programs available at some institutions, particularly where admissions have been low in subsequent years.
Why AICTE orders closed
According to AICTE, institutions can be closed for many reasons, including low student engagement, inability to maintain the required number of faculty members and failure to comply with infrastructure and operational requirements.The regulator oversees technical education in institutions of engineering, architecture, management and pharmacy, and is responsible for maintaining academic standards and regulating approval.The latest closures suggest that many institutions continue to face challenges in attracting students and meeting regulatory requirements. While the colleges approved for progressive closure will continue to teach their existing batches, they will no longer admit new students, gradually bringing their operations to an end, PTI reports.
