Career in Engineering

Engineering Career Options

Engineering as a s Career has attracted students in India in a big way and a large number of aspirants taking the engineering exams are testimony to this fact. Engineering is a multi-disciplined field with new disciplines and branches being added with the advancement of science and technology.

Though a large number of students appear of different engineering exams like JEE Main (previously AIEEE), JEE Advanced (previously IIT-JEE), BITSAT and VITEEE, but not many are aware about the various career options that engineering as a profession offers. The basic engineering disciplines include Mechanical, Chemical, Civil, Electrical and aerospace engineering.

With the development of technology new engineering disciplines like biotechnology, computer, automobile engineering and genetic engineering have gained immense popularity among students. Here is a compilation of the wide array of career options that the field of engineering has to offer

Pros and Cons of being an Engineer

Pros

• Irrespective of trends in the markets, engineers are always in demand especially those in electrical, civil, mechanical and computer
• Growth opportunities as India is an open economy with multinationals opening their offices in India
• Indian engineers are good in their logical and mathematical skills. Their demand is always high in the US and other foreign countries

Cons

• Demanding career as one might have to stay for long hours in the office till they fix the problem.
• One might have to stay away from home for projects that require onsite engineer
• Though all good institutes have campus placements, yet not all engineers are well placed
• Today, MBA has almost become synonymous with engineering. Most engineers opt for MBA after engineering and therefore demand for engineers without an MBA has dropped sharply

Perks

Entry level engineers from reputed institutes can expect a good pay package starting at Rs 30, 000.  However, salaries vary form industry to industry. A mid-level engineer can earn anything between Rs 50, 000 to Rs 60, 000. If you are armed with an MBA from a reputed institutes, your perks can reach any limit. It can even reach Rs1.5 lakh per month for an MBA from a reputed institute.

Engineering Entrance Exams:

• IIT - JEE
• AIEEE
• NATA
• VITEEE
• BITS Pilani

Engineering Exam Syllabus

Physics: physics and measurement, laws of motion, work, energy and power, properties of solids and liquids, kinetic theory of gases, electrostatics, current electricity, experimental skills

Mathematics: sets, relations and functions, complex numbers and quadratic equations, matrices and determinants, mathematical induction, differential equation

Chemistry: states of matter, chemical bonding and molecular structure, covalent bonding, quantum mechanical approach to covalent bonding, chemical thermodynamics, solutions, chemical kinetics, classificaton of elements and periodicity in properties, organic compounds, chemistry in everyday life chemicals in medicine, principles related to practical chemistry

Engineering Colleges in India

• Indian Institutes of Technology
• National Institutes of Technology
• Indian Institutes of Information Technology

FAQs

Is B.Tech different from BE?

There is no difference between B.Tech and BE. Universities offering other degrees along with engineering awarded students with a BE (Bachelor of Engineering) degree and institutes constituted for only Engineering studies named their degree as B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology).

What are the different disciplines in engineering?

There are various disciplines in engineering. Many new areas are being added as well. Some of the important and popular engineering branches in India are :

• Civil
• Mechanical
• Chemical
• Electrical
• Electronics and Telecommunications
• Computer
• Aeronautical
• Optical
• Industrial
• Bio medical engineering
• Mining
• Nuclear
• Marine
• Materials engineering
• Textile engineering

Do I have to appear for separate entrance exam for IITs and other engineering colleges?

IITs conduct their own examination for admission to various IITs all over India. For admission to other engineering colleges and institutes, AIEEE is the most important examination. Most of the states also conduct their own engineering exams. Several individual institutes like BITS Pilani, VITEE and JNTU conduct their own examinations.

Is there a minimum eligibility criteria for appearing in the engineering entrance exams?

Candidates appearing for IIT examination must secure at least 60% at the 10 2 to be eligible for the IIT entrance examination. The minimum eligibility criteria for AIEEE is 50% at the 10 2 level.

Can I get a good job with a B.Tech degree or is MBA compulsory?

Yes you can get a good job after completing your B.Tech. Most of the reputed institutes like IITs and BITs Pilani have their own campus placement. However, with the increase in competition, it is better to have higher qualification like M.Tech. If you want to work at the managerial level, an MBA degree will surely aid the process.