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Choosing a career is one of
the most important decisions of your life. Find out more about what
it takes to pursue a career in the following fields.
 Engineering
Medicine
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Paramedical
Courses (Most
of the entrance examinations to these courses are held separately
from Medical entrance examinations.) |
Other
Courses
Engineers have served society in important
ways for thousands of years, enriching people's lives and raising
standards of living. Engineers built the world's first windmill;
opened the door to the Industrial Revolution; invented the steam
locomotive, the cotton gin, the telephone, the electric light, the
first successful gasoline-driven motor vehicle, the computer, wireless
communications, the fax machine and the Internet. As an engineer,
you can help shape a better world by using your skills to create
new devices, systems, products, and processes.
Engineering Entrance
Exams
Students can compete on an All India
basis for entrance into the Indian Institute of Technology (IITs),
Institute of Technology Banaras Hindu University (ITBHU, Varanasi),
Indian School of Mines (ISM, Dhanabad) and many other engineering
colleges including Regional Engineering Colleges (RECs). RECs have
their own rules and students with domicile in a particular state
are eligible. Out of state or non-domicile candidates are eligible
for payment seats. Postgraduate degrees ME/ M.Tech can be done directly
by opting for 5 years integrated courses after 10+2, which are offered
in a few premier institutes like the IITs, Indian Institute of Science,
Bangalore (IISc) etc.
After B.Tech, postgraduate courses with scholarships/
assistantships are open to students who have qualified in the Graduate
Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) or National Eligibility Test
(NET of UGC). Graduate Engineers, Associate members of the Institute
of Engineers, Postgraduate in Physics/ Chemistry/ Mathematics/ Statistics/
Computer Applicants can appear for GATE conducted by the IITs and
IISC, Bangalore jointly. Postgraduates can pursue research in centers
such as BARC, ISRO etc. Many graduate/postgraduate engineers opt
for government service. The Indian Engineering Services Examination
(IES) is conducted every year by the Union Public Service Commission
to select candidates to serve with Government Departments and Public
Sector units in Mechanical, Civil, Electrical, Electronics and Telecommunication
branches.
To get a diploma in different branches of engineering,
the Institute of Engineers, Institute of Telecommunication Engineers
and Institute of Aeronautical Engineers conducts examinations that
have been recognised as being equivalent to engineering degree courses.
Employment
Avenues
Aerospace engineers are employed
by Aircraft design and manufacturing companies. Employment in research
and development is offered by a number of organisations such as,
Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO), Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO), government laboratories and organisations concerned
with the aviation industry, i.e., Air India, Indian Air Lines etc.
Biomedical engineers
are researchers and they work in laboratories. Glass, cement, electronic,
ceramic, electrical industries employ ceramic engineers. Chemical
engineers work in industries such as paints, dyes, varnishes,
drugs, acids, petroleum, fertilizers, food and dairy products. They
may also work in textile, plastic, glass or rubber industry. Environmental
engineers are employed by industries dealing with recycled products
and waste management.
Electronic engineers are employed in industries
manufacturing electronic equipment, research and development. The
Energy engineers find opportunities in major industries and
organisations concerned with research and development as well as
design and manufacture of systems for economic and optimal exploration
of current energy technology, technology transfer, energy planning
and energy management. Metallurgical engineers are employed
in research laboratories, industries and plants that extract and
process metals like iron and steel, nickel, tin, copper, zinc, aluminium
and brass etc.
Employment opportunities also exist at Central and
State government departments of agriculture and agricultural engineering,
agro industries, minor irrigation corporation, agriculture machinery
manufacturing organisations, tea gardens, National Seeds Corporation,
Food Corporation of India, National Dairy Development Board, Dairy
and Food Industries, Nationalised Banks, Agricultural Financial
Organisations, Agricultural Reaseach Organisations etc.
| Indian Institute
of Technology (IIT) |
The Indian Institute of Technology, established by
the Government of India, provides engineering education on par with
international standards. The IITs were established as a result of
the dreams of our national leadership after independence. IITs are
institutes of national importance. They have been producing technical
experts of international caliber.
Career Prospects
Graduates from IITs receive the best
jobs the industry offers and this is one of the reasons why most
students aspire for entrance into the IITs. Within the country the
salary ranges from 2.4 lakhs to as high as 12.0 lakhs per annum.
The jobs one gets abroad pay as much as $62,000 per annum and often
other perks are offered in addition to the salaries. These figures
are based on periodicals published by companies.
Every IIT has a Placement Office. The Placement Office
is involved in securing placements for students passing out from
the IITs. The office works in close liaison with various industrial
establishments of both the private and the public sector. They conduct
campus interviews and select graduate and postgraduate students
from all disciplines. The Placement Office provides the infrastructural
facilities to conduct group discussions, tests and interviews. The
industries which approach the institute can be broadly categorised
as Engineering industries, Software Organisations, Information Technology
Companies, Manufacturing Organisations, Management Consulting Firms
and R & D laboratories of large corporations. The office starts
campus interviews sometime in July every year. Job offers, dates
of interviews, selection of candidates etc. are announced through
the placement office notice board. The office does not compel students
to accept any job offers nor does it recommend any particular student
to the industry. The entire procedure is purely voluntary and the
placement office serves to merely bridge the gap between an aspirant
and the prospective employer.
The Placement Office helps students to plan their
careers by providing information about the industries that approach
the institute. Advice is given on how students can go about securing
coveted positions in prestigious organisations. Students are provided
with booklets that not only list the industries coming for campus-interviews
but also a number of other details like career-opportunities, growth
potential, terms and conditions that each industry offers.
A committee comprising of representatives of students
from the undergraduate and postgraduate engineering streams and
the science streams assists the Placement Office. Student members
are closely involved in implementing these policy decisions. Over
the years, based on feedback from the student representatives, a
system has been evolved wherein each student is allowed one firm
job and one 'dream' job. Hence, IIT provides its students a plethora
of avenues to launch their careers.
Disciplines
IITs offer specialisation in
a variety of disciplines as given in the table below. ITBHU and
ISM have been included in the table below because these autonomous
institutes provide admissions based on the IIT JEE results.
In addition to the bachelor's degree,
the IITs offer numerous courses for those seeking to pursue postgraduate
studies. The numerous disciplines offered for M.Tech. courses are
enumerated in the table below.
Disciplines of Engineering
Engineering offers specialisation
in a number of fields. In this section, you will find a description
of the work that engineers do in these different areas and where
they can find employment. The work of an engineer varies according
to the branch of engineering he/she pursues. In fact, there are
more than 25 branches in engineering today.
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1.
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Aerospace / Aeronautical Engineering |
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Aerospace engineering
encompasses the fields of aeronautical and astronautical (spacecraft)
engineering. Aerospace engineers are concerned with the design,
analysis, construction, development, testing and manufacture
of commercial and military aircraft, missiles and spacecraft.
The study of aerospace engineering offers specialisation in
aerodynamics, thermodynamics, propulsion, structures, celestial
machines, acoustics and guidance and control systems. They
may also specialise in aerospace products such as commercial
transport, helicopters, spacecraft or rockets. The course
encompasses study of fluid dynamics, material science, structural
analysis propulsion and electronics.
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2.
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Agricultural Engineering
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Agricultural engineering deals with design
and development of farm implements and machinery, production,
processing, transportation and storage of agricultural commodities.
Agricultural engineers also work in planning, design and construction
of farm buildings. Agricultural engineering involves sales,
servicing, repairing and installation of farm machinery.
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3.
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Automobile Engineering
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Automobile engineering is concerned
with the design, development, repair and manufacture of automobiles.
However, the need for automobile engineers is growing with
the expansion of the industry, entry of foreign players and
the ever-increasing demand for vehicles.
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4.
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Biomedical Engineering
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Biomedical engineering
is a branch of engineering that developed after 1945 as a
new technology allowing the application of engineering principles
to biology. The products invented by biomedical engineers
have revolutionised the field of medicine. A few examples
include the creation of artificial organs such as the heart,
prosthetics (artificial limbs), use of lasers in surgery,
cryosurgery and ultrasonics and the use of computers and thermography
in diagnosis. Biomedical engineers are highly proficient scientists
who use the principles of engineering and life sciences to
conduct research on the biological aspects of human and animal
life.
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5.
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Ceramic Engineering
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Ceramic engineers deal with
inorganic and non-metallic material having industrial applications.
Ceramics include all non-metallic and inorganic materials
that require high temperatures in their processing. Industrial
ceramics are used mainly in mechanical engineering and electrical/electronics
engineering applications. Ceramic engineers carry out research
and design machinery and processing methods to develop new
ceramic materials and products. They work with highly advanced
materials such as high strength silicon carbides, nitrides
and zirconias.
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Chemical Engineering
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Chemical engineers apply the principles of
chemistry and engineering to solve problems in production
of chemicals and chemical products. There is a difference
between chemical engineering and chemical technology. Chemical
engineering is concerned with the design, construction, installation
and operation of plants and equipment for the manufacture
of chemical products. Chemical technology opens up job opportunities
in multiple areas such as petroleum refining, food processing
and agricultural products, synthetic food, coal, mineral based
industries and prevention and control of environmental engineering.
The study and training in chemical engineering cuts across
several fields as they find application of physics, chemistry,
mathematics, mechanical, electrical, engineering in their
work. Some chemical engineers specialise in, pollution control,
production of products such as, automotive plastics and chlorine
bleach, to name a few.
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Civil Engineering
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Civil engineering is the oldest branch of engineering
and incorporates the design and construction of roads, airports,
tunnels, bridges, water supply and sewage systems, dams, harbours,
railroad systems, docks, power supply systems, buildings and
even nuclear power plants. Civil Engineering offers areas
of specialisation such as, structural engineering, highway
engineering and water management. Oil Rigs, multi-storeyed
car parks or office blocks are planned and designed by structural
engineers to ensure that the structural framework of the building
is strong enough to take the load for which the structure
is meant. It is also designed to withstand heat, cold and
tremors. Highway engineers are involved is assessing, planning
rebuilding road networks, one way systems, traffic lights,
lanes, parking spaces etc. Water management engineers specialise
in water supply, sewerage systems and pollution control. Civil
engineers work mainly on construction sites.
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Computer Engineering
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Computer engineering is a broad
field, incorporating concepts from both electrical/electronics
engineering and computer science, leading to the design, implementation,
and application of digital processing systems as general purpose
computers and as components in larger systems. Computer engineering
addresses the concepts and methodologies needed for the design,
analysis, interfacing, and utilisation of hardware and software
digital systems. Possible careers in computer engineering
range from custom VLSI circuit design to the development of
operating systems for disk controllers.
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9.
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Environmental Engineering
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Environmental engineering concerns itself with
the task of protecting the quality of the human environment,
including air and water. This discipline encompasses a wide
ranging subjects - from the oceans depths where marine resources
must be preserved to the depletion of ozone layers in the
upper atmosphere, which posses a threat to life on earth.
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10.
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Engineering Physics
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Engineering Physics deals with the theory and
experimental aspects of modern physics. It orients the study
towards developing skills that will be useful in technological
applications. In addition, the study of special areas of solid-state
electronics, cryogenics, materials science, laser technology
and applied nuclear science are included. This course is useful
for students who intend to do higher studies in physics, take
up higher studies in engineering or branch out after graduation
into industrial research and development programmes.
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Electrical Engineering
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Electrical engineers are concerned with the generation,
distribution and use of electrical power. Electrical engineers
work with equipment that produce and distribute electricity
such as, generators, transmission lines, transformers, lighting
and wiring in buildings. They design electric motors, machinery
and ignition systems that are required by automobiles, aircraft
and all kinds of motorised vehicles and equipment. In fact,
electrical engineers are involved in the practical application
of electrical energy.
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Electronics Engineering
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Electronics can be considered
as an offshoot of electrical engineering. Its roots are distinguished
from the high power electrical systems because they deal with
only low power generation. Electronic engineers are concerned
with electronic components, integrated circuits and microprocessors.
Electronics applications are used for transistors, semiconductor
diodes and microchips. Microprocessors store the arithmetic
and logic function of computers and are used extensively in
electronic control of automobiles, personal computers, telephones,
microwave ovens, telecommunication systems etc.
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Energy Engineering
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This branch of engineering
is concerned with the use, production, distribution, conversion
and conservation of energy. This multidisciplinary branch
covers an adequate appreciation of renewable and conventional
energy, the relative importance of various energy resources
and the technology for their economic exploitation. It involves
understanding of the basic energy conversion processes and
the development and design of devices based on these processes.
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Industrial Engineering
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Industrial engineers work mainly in manufacturing
or in industrial production. They are also called Manufacturing
engineers. Industrial engineers plan the most effective ways
for an organisation to use people, material, information,
energy and machines. They are the bridge between management
and operations. They work to increase productivity through
the management of people and methods of business organisation.
Industrial engineers use mathematical analysis methods, such
as operations research and design data processing systems
to solve organisational and production related problems most
efficiently. They also develop management control systems
to assist in financial planning, cost analysis, production
planning and control systems for the physical distribution
of goods and services. They also take care of choosing machinery
and equipment, industrial layout, organisation of assembly
line, quality control, distribution and inventory control.
Many industrial engineers move into management positions because
the work is closely related.
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Instrumentation/Production
Engineering
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An Instrumentation engineer
designs, constructs and maintains instruments and instrumentation
units. Instrumentation engineers play an important role in
industrial processes. Special instrumentation systems for
investigation during research, industrial demands for better
quality products and increased productivity stresses the need
for such specialists.
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Marine Engineering
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Marine engineers are trained
in the construction of sailing vessels. They design ships
along with naval architects. The job of running, maintenance
and repair of engine rooms of sailing vessels, both merchant
and naval, is also carried out by marine engineers. Marine
engineers work on offshore projects and in underwater energy
exploration projects.
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Mechanical Engineering
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Mechanical engineers are concerned with production,
transmission and use of mechanical power and heat. Mechanical
engineering is the largest branch of the engineering industry
extending across many interdisciplinary interdependent specialties.
It is concerned with the design, operation and maintenance
of machines, their components, machine tools, manufacturing
systems and processes, components of thermal power stations,
solar energy, air conditioning, refrigeration and industrial
engineering. Mechanical engineers involve themselves in the
study of fundamental and applied aspects of these areas as
well.
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Metallurgical and Materials
Engineering
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Metallurgical and Material engineers develop
new types of metal alloys which are used for special purposes.
Metallurgical engineers work in chemical extraction and physical,
or mechanical process metallurgy. Chemical metallurgists are
concerned with extracting, refining and creating alloys from
ores. Physical metallurgists are concerned with the study
of nature, structure and physical properties of metals and
their alloys. They also study the methods of converting refined
metals into final products. Mechanical metallurgists develop
and improve metal working processes such as, casting, forging,
rolling and drawing. Materials engineers develop materials
as per required specifications. Material engineers also test
and evaluate materials and develop new materials such as,
the composite materials now being used in aircraft.
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Mining Engineering
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Mining engineers find, extract and prepare
minerals used in manufacturing industries. They design open
pit and underground mines, supervise the construction of mine
shafts and tunnels in underground operations and devise methods
for transporting minerals to processing plants. Mining engineers
often work with geologists and metallurgical engineers to
locate and appraise new ore deposits. Others develop new mining
equipment or direct mineral processing operations. They may
also work in land reclamation projects to solve problems related
to water and air pollution.
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Microelectronics Engineering
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Microelectronics engineers are involved in
the design, development, fabrication and testing of new electronic
circuitry. Modern electronic circuits are built on printed
circuit or hybrid boards carrying the latest in chip technology.
Microelectronics engineers undertaking the logic design often
work together with the software engineers who write the software.
This process needs careful planning to decide which function
will be achieved through the hardware.
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Nuclear Engineering
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Nuclear engineers conduct research on nuclear
energy and radiation. They design, develop, monitor and operate
nuclear power plants used to generate electricity and power.
They may work on the nuclear fuel cycle that includes production,
handling and use of nuclear fuel and the safe disposal of
waste produced by nuclear energy and on fusion energy.
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Telecommunications Engineering
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This branch of engineering deals with communication
systems like cables, radio, satellite communications, television,
radar and navigational communication equipment. All types
of information and transmission networks are handled by telecommunication
engineers and each is a specialised field of work.
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