We consider some peculiarities in the evolution of Russian engineering education as it underwent two radical paradigmal transformations during the past century, especially from the viewpoint of restrictions that inhibited access to higher education (HE). The driving forces of this evolution are revealed and some negative results are shown. While the former restrictions are gone, the new ones emerged as regards quality education which in part is related to the general degradation of engineering HE, in part to the stratification of the population. The new limitations can be overcome only within advanced corporations involved in innovation.