Engineering

What is Engineering?

Engineering is a science involving designing, building and usage of machines, engines and structures. Pursuing an engineering degree is a popular career option in India. With the economy opening up over the last two decades, the steady growth of industries in the last few years, as well as the addition of streams within engineering, students may have a variety of career choices.

Engineering education

In order to secure admission to an engineering college, it is mandatory for you to have passed the 10+2 with subjects like physics, chemistry and mathematics. According to the new format introduced by the government, you must undertake the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE Main) exams in order to secure admission to an undergraduate course in the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs) and other centrally funded institutions. The entrance exam was formerly called the All India Engineering Entrance Exam (AIEEE) and was used for admissions to NITs and other centrally funded institutions. IITs conducted the IIT-JEE. If you clear the JEE Main, you must then appear for the JEE (Advanced) exam, which can give you the chance to get admission into select colleges in the country. Apart from these tests, top institutes such as Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology (NSIT), Delhi College of Engineering (DCE) and Birla Institute conduct their own entrance exams separately. The importance of scoring well in the class 12 exam is evident, as about 40 percent weight age is generally given to it during admissions. The undergraduate engineering course is usually eight semesters, or four years, after which a student receives a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) in the specified field chosen. Students looking to pursue a master's course in any chosen stream must either have a B.Tech. Degree in the same field, or else have a specialized degree course such as a Bachelor's in Physics, Maths, Chemistry or Computers.

Specialization

While the first and second year of your bachelor's course will likely have common studies, you need to opt for a specialization after the completion of a few semesters. This is a decisive step, as not only can you gain in-depth knowledge in your chosen stream, your stream may determine career growth and the companies that could hire you.

Besides conventional courses such as mechanical, computers, chemical and civil engineering, newer fields are coming up that may increase opportunities for students pursuing engineering. These include applied mechanics, biotechnology, nanotechnology, instrumentation, metallurgical engineering, marine engineering and material science. Most courses necessitate minimum aggregate marks in class 12, with slightly higher scores in two or more subjects depending on the course. For instance, a course in computer engineering would likely require higher scores in mathematics and computers. You must check the websites of prospective engineering colleges for information before applying.

Engineering careers

The beauty of engineering is that it could not only open up avenues in diverse domains, but the remuneration could also be good. You can choose to do a master's degree in your chosen field, through which you may earn the degree of Master of Technology (M.Tech.). Many students also prefer doing the B.Tech. In India and then pursuing the Master of Science (M.Sc.) abroad. This may not only provide good exposure, but can also provide the chance of better prospects. Alternatively, other career options among students include pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) or pursuing government employment by appearing for the requisite exams. Hence, a degree in engineering can open up multiple career avenues for students.