Less than half of the seats on offer filled after second round of TNEA 2026 counselling

After the second round of the Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions (TNEA) 2026 counselling, less than 45% of the total available seats have been filled, according to data released by TNEA authorities. This marks a 4.5% decrease in seat allotment compared to the same stage last year. Career counsellors report that Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) and Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE) continue to be the most preferred streams, while core engineering streams like Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) and Mechanical Engineering have seen a slight increase in preference this year.

Institutions located near urban centers, such as Coimbatore and Chennai, remain popular among students due to their stronger industry connections and internship opportunities. However, the process remains challenging for rural students, with many only securing allotments during the second round despite high cut-off marks. Autonomous colleges have seen a higher preference, with over 80% of their seats filled by the end of the second round, while non-autonomous colleges have filled less than 20%.

Constituent colleges of Anna University have experienced a significant drop in intake, down over 10% compared to last year, likely due to underwhelming pass percentages and inadequate campus placement support. As of now, seven institutions have filled their entire intake, while more than 20 colleges have yet to fill a single seat.

The portal for the third round of counselling has been opened, and it will close on August 19 at 5 p.m.