Bengaluru: Govt Tool Room and Training Centres across the state have seen a sharp surge in admissions over the past five years. At the same time, they have been struggling with even higher dropouts. The gap between enrolments and graduates widened almost three times in 2025-26 academic year. In 2020-21, GTTC admitted 2,080 students but only 1,215 of them graduated, a completion rate of nearly. By 2025-26, admissions jumped to 5,941, but only 1,608 students managed to pass out so far, pushing the completion rate down to just 27%. Officials said most of the students who enrol are from middle and lower middle-class backgrounds. Despite consistently high placement rates and growing industrial demand for resources, student interest remains muted, they added. This raises questions about awareness, outreach, and public perception of technical and vocational education.On high rate of dropout, GTTC managing director Dinesh Kumar Y K said, “In some cases, candidates discontinue courses owing to their economic situation”, while low awareness about centres and job prospects of courses they offer remain one of the major reasons. “With a large chunk of students from rural areas, where access to information and awareness is limited, enrolment and retention continue to be uphill battles. We are ramping up outreach through schools, ITIs, and social media, and introducing industry-aligned training in AI, mechatronics, and robotics,” he said. “Low semester fee also often backfires by creating a perception that GTTC courses lack quality, prompting some students to drop out and join other institutions. The situation is further compounded by stiff competition from other institutions offering similar courses, but they are popular in the industry. This makes it difficult for GTTC to carve out a distinct identity,” Dinesh said. “Another reason is dropout among female candidates, since most women in rural areas marry early,” he added. Dinesh said while rising gap between enrolments and graduates is a challenge, overall employability is a positive sign. The centres have consistently achieved 100% placements over the past five years, data shows. “We are also continuously upgrading training infrastructure, adding new departments, and working closely with industry. The demand for skilled manpower remains high, and we are confident of sustaining 100% placements,” he added. He said GTTC is addressing preference for traditional degrees by showcasing how vocational training leads to high-paying jobs. “We’re updating the curriculum, offering bilingual content, holding industry visits, and improving hostel and transport facilities for rural students,” he said. Box: Why so many drop out Academic Yr: 2025-26 Admissions: 5,941 Dropouts: 4,333Graduates: 1,608 * Low semester fees of Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 create a perception that courses lack quality * Lack of awareness, especially in rural areas, about GTTC, courses it offers, and job prospects * Competition from other institutions that offer comparable courses and are popular Box: What is GTTC GTTC was established in 1972 as a joint venture between Karnataka and Denmark govts, to meet growing demand for skilled manpower in precision toolmaking and manufacturing technology. Starting with its first centre in Bengaluru, GTTC has now expanded to over 30 centres across Karnataka. The institute offers training, R&D, production, and consultancy services to support industrial development and emerging sectors.Table 1: GTTC admissions over the yearsYearAdmissionsPassed OutPlacements2025-265,9411,608–2024-253,7071,4871,4872023-242,6821,3891,3892022-232,5901,3171,3172021-222,5601,4081,4082020-212,0801,2151,215
