AI job fears push IIT aspirants towards core engineering branches
Concerns over artificial intelligence-led job losses in the IT sector appear to be influencing IIT aspirants, with many top-ranked students shifting preference from Computer Science to core engineering branches.
Hyderabad: Fears of artificial intelligence impacting the software and IT industry, with thousands of skilled professionals being laid off every quarter, appear to be driving students’ preference while joining the premier Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).
While the Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) programme continues to dominate the admissions to premier IITs, the Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) 2026 data revealed a shift in the preference of the IIT aspirants.
This year’s first-round of JoSAA seat allotment revealed that an increasing number of top-ranked students in the JEE Advanced have opted for the core engineering branches at premier IITs.
At the IIT Delhi, the opening rank (the best rank at which a student got a seat) for Civil Engineering improved from 3,030 in 2025 to 179 in 2026, while it jumped from 2,666 to 385 at the IIT Bombay. Similarly, opening ranks improved in the mechanical engineering branch from 490 to 380 at IIT Bombay, 1,156 to 861 at IIT Delhi and 762 to 543 at IIT Madras.
According to Osmania University Vice Chancellor and senior Civil Engineering professor Kumar Molugaram, slowly the trend is again shifting towards the core engineering branches like the civil.
“Some students choose civil out of their passion for the branch but a few opt for it, giving preference to the premier IITs. However, the trend is slowly shifting. Given the kind of infrastructure from tunnels, flyovers to high-rise buildings being developed using the latest technology in the country, civil engineers have good scope,” he added.
TG EAPCET 2026 convener and JNTU-Hyderabad Mechanical Engineering department senior faculty Prof. Vijaya Kumar Reddy said mechanical engineering today has gone beyond traditional manufacturing, with adequate opportunities available in design, automation, materials and thermal systems.
“There are ample opportunities in the mechanical engineering field as the industries are looking for engineers who can reduce costs, improve efficiency and develop innovative products. Not just in IITs admissions, a similar trend is expected in the upcoming TG EAPCET admission counselling,” he said.
Meanwhile, students who received a seat in the first round have to complete online reporting and pay the tuition fee by June 26 (5 pm).
The second round seat allocation is scheduled for June 30 and the third round seat allocation is scheduled for July 6. The fifth and final round seat allocation for IITs/IISc is on July 16 and the last date for payment is July 20.
