Chennai, Oct 17:
The Higher Education Department has directed Anna University to identify engineering colleges with poor academic performance and initiate appropriate action to ensure that students are not disadvantaged by inadequate educational standards.
Anna University has begun steps to identify institutions with consistently poor examination results. However, university sources said the institution could not directly order colleges to close, as that decision rests with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
An earlier analysis found that 24 engineering colleges had recorded no successful candidates in Anna University semester examinations over four years, from November-December 2021 to November-December 2025. A total of 2,425 students from these institutions had appeared for the examinations during the period, but none had passed.
The analysis also found that 177 colleges had fewer than 50 students clearing examinations over the four years, raising concerns about academic standards and students’ ability to complete their courses within the prescribed period.
Tamil Nadu has 418 engineering colleges with a sanctioned intake of 2,53,806 seats. Of these, 1,99,775 seats were filled through counselling in 2026. Only 35 colleges recorded full admissions, while 24 filled less than 10 per cent of their sanctioned seats.
Educationists have called for institutions with poor results and low student intake to be assessed for adequate infrastructure, teaching facilities and academic standards before they admit students through counselling. The department’s latest directive is expected to lead to closer scrutiny of the institutions concerned.