AI anxiety reshapes admissions in Telugu States

HEMA SINGULURI & KIRANMAI TUTIKA   I hyderabad / AMARAVATI

The engineering admission season across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh is witnessing an unusual slowdown, particularly in traditional software courses, as fears over Artificial Intelligence (AI), weak placements, and uncertainty in the IT sector reshape student and parent choices.

For years, Computer Science Engineering (CSE) was seen as the safest path to stable, high-paying jobs for middle-class families in the Telugu states. Parents spent lakhs on engineering seats hoping their children would land software jobs in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, or abroad.

But the mood has shifted over the last couple of years.

Parents are now hesitant to invest heavily in engineering education amid fears that AI could reduce entry-level coding jobs. Layoffs in global technology firms, slower campus hiring, and falling placement numbers in several colleges have further deepened concerns.

The impact is visible not only in engineering colleges but also in Hyderabad’s Ameerpet, long regarded as India’s largest software training hub. Training institutes there say student footfall has reduced compared to previous years.

Phani, Manager at Naresh i Technologies in Ameerpet, said admissions have dipped slightly this season. “Parents are misunderstanding the role AI will play in the software industry. AI development is inevitable, but it will not replace everything. Humans will still manage AI systems,” he said.

He added that many families are confusing short-term online certification courses with structured industry-oriented training programs.

Students say parental pressure regarding course selection has increased sharply due to the growing obsession with AI-related fields. Rupesh G, a student in Ameerpet, said many parents now insist on “future-safe” courses such as AI, Machine Learning, Data Science, Cybersecurity, and Cloud Computing.

“Parents are worried about rapid AI growth, making it difficult to convince them about the importance of foundational software courses,” he said.

Social media trends are also influencing decisions, with families rushing toward AI-branded courses without fully understanding industry needs.

The changing mindset is visible in Andhra Pradesh too, where families are questioning whether expensive private engineering seats still guarantee jobs. Many are closely examining placement records before admissions, while some students are considering colleges in Bengaluru instead.

B. Sreenivas, Camp Officer for TGCET EAPCET Admissions, said AI is more likely to replace repetitive coding work rather than eliminate software careers entirely. However, placement concerns are affecting parental confidence.

“In many colleges, only limited numbers of students are securing placements in top companies. Naturally, parents are becoming cautious,” he said.

He added that colleges are under pressure to revise syllabi and introduce AI-related learning across disciplines.

Experts say the era of guaranteed software jobs may be fading, with future opportunities depending more on specialization, practical skills, and adaptability to rapidly changing technologies.