Selection of an engineering institution: Students perceptions of choice characteristics and suitability under the COVID-19 pandemic

COVID19 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 COVID19. 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. 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 institutional characteristics and the suitability of EI during the COVID19 pandemic across students characteristics. 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 COVID19. At the micro level, multiple relationships were noted between EI characteristics and the suitability of EI under the pandemic across students characteristics. The study has successfully demonstrated how choice characteristics can be executed to regulate the suitability of EI under the COVID19 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.