Polytechnic Course: Details, Fees & Career Options

Introduction to Polytechnic Course

The population of young people in the age bracket of 15 to 24 is roughly 24 crores. India has the advantage of the largest active and agile workforce. The industry needs a skilled workforce despite the transformation brought in by the technological advancements in A.I. & ML. Polytechnic courses equip thousands of students with engineering skills to cater to the industry's needs.

The Directorate General of Training (DGT) in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship is the apex body for developing and coordinating programs relating to vocational training, including Women's Vocational Training. DGT also ensures to implement, regulate and increase the scope of training of apprentices under the Apprentices Act of 1961.

There are 33 National Skill Training Institute (NSTIs) and three extension centers across the country, of which 19 are NSTIs (Women). Out of 18 Institutes for Training of Trainers (IToTs)- 6 are of State Govt. and 12 are Private.

The details about the National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) and Institutes for Training of Trainers (IToTs) are given in Table- A below:

Table-A: Details About NSTI & IToTs

What is Polytechnic? 

In common parlance, a polytechnic course is called a Diploma course. Students also seek to know How many years in Polytechnic? Students need to be aware that the Polytechnic Diploma course is of three years duration. It can be pursued after completing the 10th standard. 

Students can pursue Polytechnic programmes after 12th grade as well. Polytechnic courses play a pivotal role in community development by working as a reservoir of knowledge. 

Polytechnics cater to the industrial demand for a skilled workforce. The students generally ask about Polytechnic courses after the 10th. How many years? It is a 3-year programme. Polytechnic courses can be pursued after 12th grade as well. In that case, the answer to the query Polytechnic courses after 10th How many years? It is 2+3, i.e., five years.

For pursuing a polytechnic, a few mandatory subjects like Mathematics and Science are required to apply for a diploma in Engineering. The candidates who seek to know What is Polytechnic?- are informed that the Candidates who earned a Polytechnic Diploma are entitled to enroll directly in the second year of B. Tech (Bachelor of Technology) or B. E. (Bachelor of Engineering).

The question that emerges in the minds of aspiring students is: What is Polytechnic? Students can pursue Polytechnic courses after the 10th. What is Polytechnic? can best be understood by looking at the Polytechnic subjects list, which includes topics related to the following branches:- Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Information Technology, Computer Engineering, Instrumentation Engineering, and Automobile Engineering.

Polytechnic subjects in the First Year are common for all engineering courses. After gaining the fundamental knowledge of the Polytechnic subjects in the first year, the students get an in-depth understanding of the specialized fields as per the Polytechnic course opted for by them.

Diploma In Mechanical Engineering: The three-year academic program imparts in-depth learning of the Polytechnic subjects list of Mechanical Engineering involving topics such as- thermodynamics, the theory of machine, working of the machine, physics, engineering graphics, etc. After completing this course, a candidate is eligible to seek lateral entry in the second year of the relevant B.E. or B.Tech course.

Three years are required to complete the electrical engineering diploma programme, which focuses on topics including transformers, energy generation and transmission, and electric circuits. 

Electrical engineers may pursue a Master’s Degree in fields such as  Large Scale Integrated Circuits after completing this course. Also, lateral entry is available for B.Tech or B.E. Electronics or Electrical Engineering courses.

Diploma In Civil Engineering: The Polytechnic subjects list includes - the construction and maintenance of buildings and other physical structures like roads, dams, bridges, canals, etc. After completing this course, a candidate can pursue a B.Tech programme by seeking lateral entry into the second year of a relevant B.Tech or B.E. course. 

Students, on successfully completing the Diploma course, draw a good salary which may range from Rs. 1 -4 lakhs per annum.

Admissions to polytechnic courses are through entrance examinations held by the State boards of technical education. The procedure for applying for admission to Polytechnic courses may vary from institute to institute.

The Government Polytechnic Colleges charge a nominal fee of around 2 to 5 thousand annually. In contrast, Private Polytechnic Colleges have relatively higher fees, ranging from about Rs. 10,000 to 30,000 per Year.

Minimum marks to get Government College in Polytechnic in the State of Uttar Pradesh are in the entrance examination- UP Polytechnic JEECUP  are in the range as under:-

• Minimum marks to get Government College in Polytechnic for General Category Candidates- 79.00

• Minimum marks to get Government College in Polytechnic for OBC category candidates- 74.00

• Minimum marks to contact Government College in Polytechnic for S.C. category Candidates- 67.5

• Minimum marks to get Government College in Polytechnic for S.T. category Candidates- 60.25

• Minimum marks to get Government College in Polytechnic for EWS Candidate- 72.00

UP Polytechnic JEECUP is a state-level examination for candidates seeking admission in the government and private polytechnic colleges of Uttar Pradesh. 

Government Polytechnic College, Purasawalkam, Chennai 

​Government Polytechnic College, Purasawalkam, Chennai, was established by the State Government of Tamil Nadu to cater to the needs of students who aim to upgrade their technical skills at an affordable cost.

Government Polytechnic College, Purasawalkam, Chennai, is a coeducational Government Polytechnic College offering three high-tech diploma courses: Mechatronics Engineering, Information Technology, and Computer Engineering.

Polytechnic subjects in the First Year, i.e., the syllabi for the First two Semesters, are common to all Engineering Branches.

Syllabus for 3rd Semester onwards- Diploma in Electronics (Robotics) Engineering/Mechatronics is given in Table-B below:​

Table-B: Syllabus for 3rd Semester Onwards for the Polytechnic Course

Per shift intake in each Polytechnic course is 60. The Government Polytechnic College, Purasawalkam, Chennai, conducts two shifts.

Description of the Polytechnic Course

1. Full Time (3 years)

The Course for the Full Time Diploma in Engineering is of three academic years, consisting of 6 semesters, and the First Year is common to all Engineering Branches.

2. Sandwich (3½ years)

The Sandwich Diploma in Engineering Course shall extend over three and a half academic years, consisting of 7 semesters*, and the First Year is common to all Engineering Branches. Students engage in six months to a year of industrial training throughout their fourth and seventh semesters. An industrial training examination will be conducted after every six months of industrial training.

3. Part-Time (4 years)

The course for the Part Time Diploma in Engineering shall extend throughout 4

academic years containing eight semesters*, the subjects of 3-year full-time diploma

courses being regrouped for academic convenience.

* Each Semester will have 16 weeks duration of study with 35 hrs. /Week for Regular

Diploma Courses and 18 hrs. / Week for Part-Time Diploma Course.

The minimum and maximum period for completion of Diploma Courses are as given.

Table-C: Minimum and Maximum Period Allowed for Polytechnic Course

Table-D: Government Polytechnic Fees

Eligibility Criteria Polytechnic Course

Eligibility For 1st Year

Candidates who pass the Xth Standard or equivalent examinations from a recognized Board with Mathematics and Science as subjects are eligible for admission into polytechnic colleges and particular institutions (aside from a few unique courses). 

In contrast, candidates who pass the XII Standard or equivalent examinations only are eligible for admission into institutions for hotel management and catering technology. There is no minimum age requirement to enroll in a diploma programme.

Lateral Entry Admissions

For Lateral Entry into the Second Year (III Semester) of the three-year diploma courses, the candidates must have passed the Higher Secondary Examination (Academic or Vocational) of 10 plus 2 pattern, with the following conditions :

(i) Academic Stream candidates should have compulsorily studied Maths, Physics & Chemistry at 10 + 2 level

(ii) Vocational Stream candidates should have studied either Maths or Physics Chemistry as one of the subjects of study along with the related Vocational Subject (Theory & Practical) at 10 + 2 level. Their intake is restricted to 20% (10% for Academic + 10% for Vocational) of the sanctioned information of the I-Year Diploma Courses. The candidates from Tamil Nadu State are only eligible to apply for lateral entry admissions in Government & Government - Aided Institutions. There is no age limit for admission. Usually, Notification is given for general admission into Government Institutions in leading dailies at the time of publication of +2 results of Tamil Nadu, and the last date for receipt of such applications will be fixed somewhere in the last week of May / first week of June. Applications must be submitted to the institutions before the deadline to be accepted.

Government Polytechnic College, Purasawalkam, Chennai, stipulates the following guidelines regarding pursuing the diploma courses:

1. Students can only be promoted to the second year if they have studied and written the first-year examinations.

2. In case a student fails the Examination, they can continue studies up to the third year because they have met the prescribed 80% of attendance of the total number of working hours during the semester/year. Attendance and observed good conduct.

3. For a pass in the Board Examination, students must secure a minimum of 40% marks in theory papers and 50% in practicals.

State governments or Union Territory Administrations have administrative and financial control over Industrial Training Institutes. DGT has the primary role of formulating policy, norms, standards, and procedures concerning developing vocational programmes at the national level. 

Training of instructors and trade testing is also under the DGT. The administrative and financial control of the Government and Private Industrial Training Institutes is with the State Governments/ Union Territories Administrations.

The duration of the programmes for skill upgradation remains from 6 Months to 2 years.

There is a massive demand for apprentices both in the private and public sectors. The organizations which employ many apprentices are - the Ministry of Railways, Bharat Heavy Electricals, Bharat Electronics, ONGC, Private companies in the Automobile Sectors, etc. 

It is the mandate of the National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT) that all Instructors are to be certified. There is a need for around 90,000 instructors.

Under the Crafts Instructor Training Scheme, there are 11,556 seats in 34 trades (27 Engg & 7 Non-Engg.) Similarly, under the Advanced Vocational Training Scheme, there are 12 disciplines, and around 40,000 seats are provided. 

The  Craftsmen Training Courses are offered by all the NSTI(W) Training Of Trainers & Assessors, a Short Term Training is imparted in collaboration with NSDC/ JSS. Advanced (Vocational) Diploma courses are offered by t 16 NSTIs in association with IBM.

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India, runs a Scheme of Community Development Through Polytechnics (CDTP) wherein various community sections get trained and enable themselves to obtain gainful employment. 

The duration of the vocational programmes ranges from three to six months. The Polytechnics offer these programmes on their premises and through their extension centers. There are no fees to pay, age restrictions, or educational requirements for trainees under this programme. A recurring grant of up to Rs. 17.00 lakh per Polytechnic per annum is provided by the Central Government.

Polytechnic jobs: After completing the three-year Diploma course, the candidates have bright prospects of getting Polytechnic employment in the market. 

Equipped with the technical skills and understanding, the candidates get employed as:- Product Developers, Service Engineers, Assistant Designers, Analysts, Junior Engineers, Executives, Lab Assistants at college, etc.

By undertaking the Polytechnic jobs, the candidates make good money initially in the range of Rs.10,000 to 25,000 per month, and by gaining experience, they get a quantum jump in salary.

Polytechnic jobs are in large numbers in Government organizations/PSUs. The leading organizations where the candidates of the Polytechnic course, after successful completion, are generally placed in various capacities such as Indian Railways, Indian Army, BHEL, Airport Authority of India, Power Grid Corporation, and Hydel Departments. Gas Authority of India Limited, Oil & Natural Gas Corporation, Defence Research and Development Organization, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, National Thermal, Central Public Work Departments.

Conclusion of Polytechnic Course

Polytechnic courses after 10th grade are a good option to get in-depth knowledge and skills in various disciplines of engineering. Through the Polytechnic courses, the students save considerable time by two years as they become eligible to pursue the Polytechnic courses after passing 10th grade. Students after 12th grade can also seek admission in the Polytechnic courses.

The in-depth study of the engineering fields helps students equip themselves with the requisite skills required for discharging the roles of Supervisors/ Junior Engineers etc., in various industries.

The able Management of Distance Pathshala takes the lead in reaching out to aspiring students interested in enrolling themselves in Online and Distance Learning programmes offered by the Higher Educational Institutes(HEIs)  across the length and breadth of the country. 

The seasoned Counsellors of Distance Pathshala nurture students by rendering timely, personalized guidance.  Students must avail the free of cost guidance from the educational experts of the Distance Pathshala.

FAQs of Polytechnic Course