Maharashtra colleges see low enrolment in MBA, engineering courses for working professionals

The low uptake raises important questions about whether conventional degree formats designed for working professionals are sufficiently aligned with the needs of today’s workforce. Professionals increasingly require programmes that offer flexibility, clear career value, industry relevance and admission processes compatible with full-time employment.

For higher-education institutions, the numbers highlight the importance of using demand analysis before launching or expanding programmes. Curriculum relevance, weekend or hybrid delivery, employer partnerships, recognition of workplace learning and simplified administrative requirements could become increasingly important in attracting employed learners. The experience also shows that demand is not uniform: some specialised engineering programmes at VJTI achieved full enrolment, suggesting that programmes closely connected to identifiable industry needs can still succeed. Institutions may therefore need to evaluate programme-level outcomes rather than treating working-professional education as a single category, using enrolment, learner feedback, employer participation and career outcomes to redesign offerings around genuine workforce demand.