According to the recent ‘All India Survey on Higher Education‘ (AISHE) 2023–24 report, Computer Engineering has emerged as the most preferred branch of engineering in India, recording the highest enrollment among all engineering specialisations. This trend reflects students’ growing interest in pursuing careers in software development, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and other digital technologies.
Computer Engineering leads in terms of enrollment among engineering branches; it is followed by Electronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Information Technology. The report reveals that a total of 4,633,868 students have enrolled in engineering and technology programs across undergraduate, postgraduate, integrated, MPhil, and PhD levels.
According to the report’s undergraduate pass-out data, 262,408 students graduated in Computer Engineering (CE) in 2023–24.
This trend is also evident in the number of graduating students. According to the report’s undergraduate pass-out data, 262,408 students graduated in Computer Engineering (CE) in 2023–24. This represents approximately one out of every three graduates in the engineering and technology sector, which saw a total of 833,808 graduates.
In comparison, 113,390 students graduated in Mechanical Engineering, followed by Electronics Engineering (111,242), Civil Engineering (88,839), and Electrical Engineering (72,062).
These findings reflect the shifting preferences of students alongside the expansion of India’s digital economy. While core engineering branches like Mechanical, Civil, and Electrical Engineering continue to account for a significant share of enrollments and graduates, the highest number of students is gravitating towards computing-related disciplines.
In premier engineering institutions, such as IITs, NITs, and various government and private engineering colleges, Computer Science and related branches are rapidly becoming the preferred choice among top-ranking candidates during admissions.
Analysis of undergraduate enrollment shows that engineering and technology are among the largest professional fields in higher education, with over 800,000 graduates each year; computer engineering is the most popular choice within this sector.
This shift in higher education reflects changes occurring in the labour market. LinkedIn’s ‘AI Labor Market Report 2026’ found that India recorded the world’s fastest growth in AI engineering hiring, with AI-related recruitment increasing by 59.5 percent year-on-year. Similarly, the World Economic Forum’s ‘Future of Jobs Report 2025’ identifies AI and machine learning specialists, big data specialists, and cybersecurity professionals among India’s fastest-growing professions leading up to 2030.
The recent AISHE report also highlights the continued expansion of technical education. Total enrollment in higher education reached a record 45 million students in 2023-24, while enrollment in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines crossed the 10-million mark, underscoring the steadily rising demand for technical and professional education.
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