Enquiries on AI and Data Science courses remain top in Coimbatore colleges

Coimbatore: Computer science-related courses are the most sought-after courses this academic year in arts and science colleges and engineering colleges in the district.Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Science are gaining traction in arts and science colleges. Officials from a leading educational group at Saravanampatti said more than 80% of student admission enquiries have been for AI and Data Science courses. Around 60% of enquiries were also directed toward other computer science-related programmes. In comparison, traditional branches such as textile and civil engineering have seen lower interests. At the same time, mechanical engineering and electronics and communication engineering (ECE) have recorded a noticeable revival after nearly five years. Reflecting this shift, the institution is currently running six sections in AI and Data Science and has added two more sections in ECE and one in mechanical engineering. College administrators said students are making course choices largely based on employment opportunities and prevailing industry trends. KPR Institute of Engineering and Technology principal Dr R Devipriya said student preferences differ by background. According to her, urban students are showing more interest in core engineering disciplines such as ECE, mechanical engineering and biomedical engineering. Rural students, however, are leaning more toward AI and Data Science and AI and Machine Learning programmes. She said the college has introduced an ECE programme with specialization in Very Large-Scale Integration and industry automation this year in response to rising demand from the electronics industry. Sri Ramakrishna College of Arts and Science principal and secretary Prof Dr B L Shivakumar said more than 10 programmes linked to computer science, including AI and Data Science, AI and Machine Learning, and AI with Data Analytics, are drawing strong student interest. B Com with ACCA has also attracted considerable enquiries. Prof Shivakumar said the popularity of AI and machine learning has prompted the institution to consider launching more AI-focused programmes. Institutions are also partnering with IT companies to improve curriculum quality and faculty expertise. Sri Ramakrishna Engineering College principal A Soundarajan said demand for core engineering branches such as ECE, mechanical engineering and Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) has risen by 25% to 35% this year.He said students increasingly prefer programmes that combine core engineering with emerging areas such as AI and Cyber Security. In such programmes, students begin allied specialization courses from the third year and graduate with knowledge in both the core branch and the emerging technology field. Amid rising demand, concerns over affordability remain. Parent R Jayanthi alleged that in some private institutions, parents are being asked to pay between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 20 lakh at the time of admission, including donation and first-year tuition fees. She also said hostel charges have increased sharply, ranging from Rs 80,000 to Rs 1.30 lakh annually depending on the facilities.She called for strict intervention by the higher education department to regulate excessive donations and educational fees.