Thiruvananthapuram: Around 23,000 BTech seats are lying vacant at the engineering colleges under the Kerala Technological University this year with no students turning up for these seats. Last year, the number of vacant seats was 24,000, while the scenario has improved this time.

Out of the total 51,000 seats, students have joined in 28,000 seats. Last year, this figure was 27,000. There aren’t enough students to study MTech courses as well. Once the registration process for students gets completed, the university will get to know the exact numbers.

A large number of seats in the arts and science colleges also are lying vacant now. A large chunk of Keralite students are going abroad or to other states for higher studies. Even when there aren’t enough students to study in the merit seats of self-financing colleges, the condition of management seats is beyond description. Certain managements are attracting students by lowering fees.

Without enough students, self-financing colleges are finding the going tough due to a dip in their revenue. They are facing a situation where they can’t employ good teachers or give decent wages to them. Experts point out that since the syllabus of the degree courses in the state is not that good, the students don’t get employable skills despite completing the courses. The students are forced to desert the state since job opportunities within the state are fewer. Most of the students try to study abroad and secure a job there.