A total of 58 engineering and technical colleges across India were closed during the 2025-26 academic year, according to the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). However, students already enrolled in these institutions will be allowed to complete their courses.
An AICTE official told PTI that the colleges have been granted progressive closure, which means they will not be allowed to admit new first-year students for the academic year. Existing students, however, can continue their studies until they complete their degree programmes.
Among the states, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra recorded the highest number of closures, with 12 colleges each. They were followed by Madhya Pradesh (8), Telangana (4) and Punjab (4).
The AICTE data also showed that three colleges each were closed in Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan. Two colleges each were shut in Gujarat, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, while Haryana, Odisha, Uttarakhand and West Bengal recorded one closure each.
Out of the 58 institutions, three were government-aided, while the remaining colleges were privately managed.
The AICTE official also told PTI that more than 950 engineering and technical courses offered by colleges across the country were discontinued during the same period.
The technical education regulator explained that progressive closure allows currently enrolled students to complete their education, while complete closure means the institution is shut entirely and students are shifted to other colleges.
According to AICTE, colleges may be closed for several reasons, including low student admissions, shortage of qualified faculty, failure to meet infrastructure requirements, and non-compliance with the council’s norms.
AICTE is the national regulator for technical education in India and oversees courses in engineering, architecture, management, pharmacy and other technical disciplines, ensuring that institutions maintain the required academic and infrastructure standards.
