a day ago
Drop in ITI admissions as job prospects shrink; students opt for new age skills
Pune: Govt-run industrial training institutes across Maharashtra have witnessed a sharp decline in applications this year, reflecting a growing concern among students over shrinking job opportunities in vocational trades.
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According to the directorate of vocational education and training (DVET), the number of applications for centralised ITI admissions for the academic year 2025-26 dropped to 1,67,996 from 1,96,048 in 2024-25 and 2,18,697 in 2023-24. The downward trend has been consistent since 2018-19 when applications were above 3 lakh.
Interestingly, the number of high-scoring students opting for ITIs also decreased. This year, only 22 students, who scored between 95% and 99.99% in their Secondary School Certificate exam, took admission in ITIs, while 541 students with above 90% chose this route.
In comparison, more than 1,200 students, who scored more than 90%, opted for ITIs in 2024.
"The job market for traditional trades has slowed down, and many industries are preferring multi-skilled or tech-oriented candidates. This has directly impacted the perception and popularity of ITI courses among meritorious students," an official from DVET said.
Region-wise data shows that Pune has the highest intake capacity with 28,276 seats across 190 ITIs, followed closely by Nashik with 28,640 seats.
Despite the availability of seats, many remain vacant due to the reduced interest.
While many top scorers have shifted focus to junior colleges and emerging professional courses, some students still choose ITIs for specialised skills. Shubham Jadhav, a 92% scorer from Nashik, said, "I chose an ITI because I wanted to learn electric vehicle maintenance and smart automation systems. I believe these new-age courses can open different career paths for me rather than just chasing traditional degrees.
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Officials have expressed concern that if the trend continues, the very purpose of skill-based vocational education might get diluted, further affecting the state's skilled workforce pipeline.
