Demand for MBA, MCA & MTech courses declining in Karnataka

Bengaluru: The demand for MBA, MCA and MTech courses in the state is declining every year, with at least 50% of the seats going vacant after the completion of all rounds of counselling by the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA).

Compared to 2024, the number of unfilled seats increased this year. This year, a total of 38,418 seats were available for all three courses put together. In this, 19,771 seats were left vacant. This number was 15,670 in 2024.

Considering the number of vacancies after two rounds of counselling this year, KEA conducted a third round of counselling for the first time, but it did not help in filling the seats. “This year, even the number of available seats increased compared to last year. There were a total of 38,418 seats available as against the 36,648 seats in 2024,” said an official of KEA.

According to experts, this is mainly because of delayed counselling. “Though the PGCET was conducted three months ago, the counselling was held in October. But by then, the private universities had completed the admissions by conducting their own entrance tests,” an expert said.

Some experts said that the interests of students have also changed. “Most students are looking for the option of getting employed after a graduate course by having some industry-needed skills,” said a principal of a private college that offers MBA and MCA courses.

However, KEA officials clarified that the delay in conducting counselling was not because of it. “It was because the seat matrix reached us late,” they mentioned.