Osmania University, JNTU-H plan four-year evening engineering programmes for professionals

Evening BE and BTech programmes for working professionals in Telangana may be extended from three to four years to reduce academic pressure and improve work-study balance. Universities are also preparing to conduct an entrance examination for admissions from this academic year.

Hyderabad: Evening undergraduate engineering programmes for working professionals may soon be extended from three to four years. This move is aimed at reducing academic pressure and helping professionals better manage their work and studies. However, there will be no change in the fee structure of these programmes.

The move by Osmania University and Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU)-Hyderabad follows representations from working professionals who sought an extension of the programme duration to better balance their work and academics.

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Presently, the programme mandates the completion of four subjects per semester. Following the extension of the programme duration, the number of subjects per semester is expected to be reduced to three.

“The AICTE has mandated a minimum of three years for working professionals to complete their UG engineering. In view of representations from professionals, we are planning to change the programme duration from three to four years. We will shortly announce the decision,” a senior official said.

The All India Council for Technical Education had launched the evening BE/BTech programmes for diploma holders in engineering who are working professionals and will be admitted to second-year UG engineering programmes. Classes will be conducted from 6 pm to 9 pm on weekdays and throughout the day on weekends.

Further, commencing this year, an entrance examination will be conducted for admissions to the evening BE/BTech programmes. The entrance test, which will be on the lines of the Telangana Engineering Common Entrance Test (TG ECET), will be held in OMR-based mode. The 100-mark examination will have 90 per cent questions from the respective subject and 10 per cent questions from mathematics.

An admission notification will be issued by Osmania University in about a week. Eleven colleges – Osmania University College of Engineering, Abdul Kalam Institute of Technological Sciences, AnuBose Institute of Technology, Jayaprakash Narayan College of Engineering, MGIT, Siddhartha Institute of Engineering and Technology, St Peter’s Engineering College, VNR Vignana Jyothi Institute of Engineering and Technology, MVSR, Methodist College of Engineering and Technology, and Stanley College of Engineering and Technology for Women – are offering evening BE/BTech programmes.

Programmes on offer are civil engineering, computer science and engineering, electrical engineering, electronics and communication engineering, mechanical engineering, and metallurgical engineering. Around 500 seats are expected to be available for admissions during the academic year 2026-27.