The previous year saw over 500 students participating in the entrance exam for the three-year Diploma in Engineering program at Manmohan Memorial Polytechnic in Morang. There were a total of 48 available seats. However, this year, with only two days left until the deadline, the number of applicants has significantly decreased, with only 35 individuals applying for the same 48 seats.
Last year, the entrance exam for the three-year Diploma in Electrical Engineering had over five hundred candidates vying for the 48 available seats. However, this year, the number of applicants has dropped significantly to just 40.
As for the other programs offered by the polytechnic, such as the three-year diplomas in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Electronics Engineering, only half of the necessary number of students have applied for the entrance examination.
In previous years, managing the large number of students applying for the 48 available seats was a challenging task. The entrance exam used to attract over 500 candidates. However, this year, there has been a drastic change. Principal Pradeep Adhikari revealed that the number of applications received did not even reach the required quota. He emphasized that this situation is unprecedented in the one and a half decade history of the institution, marking the first time the institute has encountered such a crisis.
Officials hold the belief that the Council of Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) is gradually weakening the connection between education and industry demands. They accuse the CTEVT of not adequately developing the curriculum to produce the required skilled workforce and instead focusing on increasing enrollment without considering the industry's needs. Consequently, educational institutions in technical education find it challenging to attract students in accordance with the allocated quota.
In the past, when technical schools were limited in number, there was an abundance of exceptional students. However, the situation has changed now. The official points out that the introduction of technical subjects in regular educational institutions, from classes 9 to 12, has led to a decline in the number of students opting for diploma-level technical education. This shift has created a crisis for diploma-level programs.
The official further explains that the CTEVT has been distributing licenses to institutions without proper infrastructure, leading to distortions in the system. As a result, educational institutions with adequate infrastructure and resources have suffered, while subpar institutions have been allowed to operate, exacerbating the problem.
