Selection of an engineering institution: Students’ perceptions of choice
characteristics and suitability under the COVID-19 pandemic
Abstract
Background:
COVID-19 has impacted Indian engineering institutions (EIs) enormously.
It has tightened its knot around EIs that forced their previous
half-shut shades completely down to prevent the risk of spreading
COVID-19. In such a situation, fetching new enrollments on EI campuses
is a difficult and challenging task, as students’ behavior and family
preferences have changed drastically due to mental stress and emotions
attached to them. Historically, during crisis situations, institutions
have struggled to return to the normal track. Consequently, it becomes a
prerequisite to examine the choice characteristics influencing the
selection of EI during the COVID-19 pandemic to make it ‘normal’ for
‘new’ enrollments.
The purpose of this study is to critically examine choice
characteristics that affect students’ choice for EI and consequently to
explore relationships between institutions’ characteristics and the
suitability of EI during the COVID-19 pandemic across students’
characteristics. Quantitative research, conducted through a
self-reported survey composed of a closed-ended structured
questionnaire, was purposefully incorporated into the students who
recently were enrolled in EIs (batch years 2020-2021) belonging to the
North Maharashtra region of India.
Results:
The findings of this study revealed dissimilarities across students’
characteristics regarding the suitability of EIs under pandemic
conditions. Regression analysis revealed that EI characteristics such as
proximity, image and reputation, quality education and curriculum
delivery have significantly contributed to suitability under COVID-19.
At the micro level, multiple relationships were noted between EI
characteristics and the suitability of EI under the pandemic across
students’ characteristics.
Conclusion:
Bringing ‘normality’ to ‘new’ enrollments totally depends on EI’s
resilience in meeting the needs of diversity in the COVID-19 pandemic
situation, which repositions themselves to govern student-centric
strategies instituted for the overall suitability of EI under pandemic
conditions. The study has successfully demonstrated how choice
characteristics can be executed to regulate the ‘suitability’ of EI
under the COVID-19 pandemic for the inclusion of diversity. It is useful
for policy makers and academicians to reposition EIs that fetch
diversity during the pandemic. This study is the first to provide
insights into the performance of choice characteristics and their
relationship with the suitability of EIs under a pandemic and can be a
yardstick in administering new enrollments.