Private engineering colleges born out of the information technology boom are being forced to fall back on “core subjects” to fill empty classrooms with the downturn robbing IT degrees of their lustre.

Over 2,500 IT seats in private engineering colleges are lying vacant this admission season, prompting several institutes to write to the West Bengal University of Technology and the All India Council for Technical Education for permission to introduce courses in electrical, mechanical, civil, chemical and metallurgical engineering.

“The downturn has affected demand for IT professionals to the extent that we even contemplated shutting down our department. But we understand this is a phase that won’t last long. For now, we are focusing on courses other than IT,” said a senior official of the Camellia Group of Colleges in the city.

A senior official of the state higher education department confirmed that many institutes had sought permission to start courses in core engineering. “The logic is that the increase in their overall intake of students from the next academic session will compensate for the vacant seats in the IT department,” he added.

The decline in demand for IT started last year but most institutions have felt the impact this academic session.

“Private engineering colleges depend entirely on tuition fees. So if too many seats in IT remain vacant, they don’t have a choice but to fill the classrooms by starting courses in core subjects,” said Dhurjhoti Banerjee, the director of Mallabhum Institute of Technology and assistant secretary of the Association of Owners of Private Engineering Colleges.

For students, courses in core subjects such as civil, electrical, mechanical and chemical engineering are safe bets, if not as lucrative as IT. “Employment opportunities are being created in the infrastructure and manufacturing sectors, and that has brought core engineering back in demand,” said a student who took up mechanical engineering this year despite his heart being in IT.

Some colleges planning to start courses in core subjects next year might, however, be refused permission because they lack the requisite infrastructure and faculty.

“A section of private institutes want to start courses in core subjects only because they are worried about low enrolment for IT. We will approve proposals if an institute meets all the criteria for such courses,” said Syed Rafiqul Islam, the registrar of the West Bengal University of Technology.