What's Actually Happening to Engineering Graduates in 2025
This isn't pessimism. These are numbers published by AICTE, LinkedIn India, and IIT placement reports. If you're going to invest 4 years and 5–20 lakh rupees into an engineering degree, you deserve to see the full picture.
Why the Formula Worked — and Why It Broke
The "Science → Engineering → IT Job → Settled Life" formula was genuinely effective from 1990 to 2015. India's IT boom created millions of entry-level software jobs. Engineering colleges multiplied to feed that demand. The formula had logic behind it.
Three things broke it simultaneously: India started producing far more engineers than the market could absorb, AI began replacing entry-level IT tasks, and companies started demanding specialization — not generic degrees. The formula is not bending. It is broken.
Who Should Still Do Engineering — and Who Should Think Harder
Engineering is not a bad choice. It's a bad default. Here's how to tell the difference for your situation:
- ✓ Strong academic track record + top institution — If you're in the top 5% and going to NIT, IIIT, or a strong private college (BITS, Manipal, VIT) in CS, AI, Electrical, or Mechanical with real lab infrastructure — this is still a powerful path.
- ✓ Genuine interest + plan to go deep — If you're curious about how things are built, love problem-solving, and plan to specialize (not just collect a degree), engineering gives you a structured foundation.
- ⚠ Average marks + average college — If you're likely to land in a mid-tier private college paying 8–15 lakh for a degree that places students at 3.5–5 LPA, you need to seriously compare this against other pathways. The ROI calculation often doesn't work.
- ⚠ Doing it because "what else will I do" — This is the most dangerous reason. There are 20+ high-growth careers in healthcare, design, law, environmental science, and creative fields that have far better demand-supply ratios right now.
High-Demand Careers Most Families Aren't Considering
Many careers have dramatically better demand-supply ratios than engineering right now — and they don't require a JEE rank. A few that Anshul covers in this series:
Engineering vs. 15+ Alternatives — The Full Breakdown
I'm putting together a detailed comparison: salary data, demand outlook, and honest pathway clarity for each alternative. No brochure language. When it's ready, the WhatsApp community gets it first.
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More Ways to Navigate Your Career
Resources Anshul has built for students and parents who want real guidance — not generic advice.