Here is a list of professions, categorised alphatically giving a brief explanation about it. A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z
The
word itself comes from the Latin ingenerare, to create. Engineering
is "the application of mathematical and scientific principles
to practical ends, as in the design construction, and operation of
economical and efficient structures, equipment, and systems."
It's art and communication, politics and finance, modeling and simulation,
invention, approximation, measurement and estimation, and more. It's
a way to think about problems.
Engineers
apply the theories and principles of science and mathematics to solve
practical technical problems. Often their work is the link between
a scientific discovery and its application. They design machinery,
products, systems and processes. They also may develop and design
computer products and systems for control and automation of manufacturing,
business and management processes.
The construction of the modern world
today is all due to the advancement in science and technology, and
the field of engineering has lots to contribute in achieving the scientific
marvels of today. The purpose of engineering is to design and manufacture
the hardware of life. They design, manufacture, repair, modify, and
construct efficient and economical hardware of life.
Engineering has a role to play in almost
all the sectors of industry. With the dependence on IT growing all
around, qualified engineers specializing in IT and related areas are
required not only in the manufacturing sector but in large numbers
in the service sector as well. Demand for qualified engineers is therefore
there in almost all the sectors of industry. However, those with industry
specific engineering qualification like telecommunications, computers,
automobiles or technology specific qualifications such as ultrasonics,
vacuum technology, polymer technology etc have even a better scope.
Nowadays management courses have also become very popular with engineering
graduates. The added qualification provides them with a tremendous
advantage in the job market and they enter the industry not merely
as engineers but as technocrats, ready to take up production, sales
or marketing careers.
There are good opening for Engineers
in Government sector. Other than the Public Sector Enterprises like
BHEL, SAIL, NTPC etc., UPSC conducts an exclusive exam every year,
called Indian Engineering Service (IES), for recruitment of engineers
specializing in various fields, in organizations like the Railways,
CPWD, Military Engineering Service etc. Civil Service is also quite
a popular option with graduate engineers. Engineering subjects being
more scoring, they have an edge over students from other streams,
like humanities, in qualifying such exams. Management, Art and Design,
Consultancy are some of the related career options for an engineer.
The different areas in engineering are:
Civil Engineering: They are concerned with the planning, research, survey and construction of all kinds of buildings, roads, traffic, transportation systems, irrigation and power plants, water supply and sewage and disposal plants, ports and harbours, oil rigs etc.
Mechanical Engineering: Engineers here are concerned with all types of machinery and all aspects of their mechanism and functioning: the design, development, construction, production, installation and operations of all mechanical systems in industries. They are also responsible for maintenance and repair.
Electrical Engineering: In this area, the engineers' task comprises the design and development in audio and video communications systems and control equipment for the generation, transmission and distribution of electrical energy and telecommunication.
Chemical Engineering:Chemical engineers design, supervise, install and handle the operation of equipment, plants and works in which materials undergo physical changes. This could cover various fields of chemical technology in mineral based industries, petrochemical plants, synthetic fibres and even petrochemical refining plants
Electronics and Communications Engineering: Engineers in this field design, fabricate, maintain, supervise, and manufacture electronic equipment used in the entertainment media, hospitals, defence, computer industry and communications. They work with devices that use an extremely small amount of power. They work with micro-processors, fiber optics, television, radio and telecommunication.
Production and Industrial Engineering: Engineers working in this field aim at higher productivity by adopting integrated design and efficient planning and operative systems. The work involves design and installation of integrated systems of men and materials, equipment and processes for increasing the productivity of goods. These engineers are concerned with planning, measuring, and controlling all activities within an organization.
Computer Engineering: Computer engineers design the computer and its control systems and also develop software. They are engaged in building state-of-the-art equipment, supercomputers, multimedia machines, graphic terminals, inkjet machines and Pentium based machines.
Automobile Engineering: These engineers are concerned with the design, planning, manufacture, upkeep, repair, maintenance and upgradation of vehicles. The engineer designs new models keeping in mind the performance, cost, capacity and durability.
Telecommunications Engineering: The engineers in this area are concerned with establishing communications by means of telephones, telegraphs, radar, radio, television and teleprinters. Countries and continents are brought closer by fast emanating information carrying communications network.
Instrumentation Engineering: These engineers are responsible for the construction, design and maintenance of instruments of any industrial undertaking.
Mining Engineering: Mining engineers are responsible for locating natural reserves of minerals, petroleum and other useful natural products, and lay out plans, devices shafts, inclines and quarries for the safe extraction of these resources whether they are coal, petroleum, metallic or non-metallic minerals from within the earth. The safety measures have to be chalked out keeping in mind the worker's health, welfare and safety.
Aeronautical Engineering: The engineers in this field are concerned with aircraft and aircraft components. The main thrust in this is design and development, testing and operation, which even extends to space and satellite research. An aeronautical engineer needs to be physically fit.
Agriculture Engineering: Agriculture engineers apply engineering principles to all activities related to agriculture and horticulture. Improvement in agricultural farm machinery, farm structures, rural electrification, biogas, new technologies in the design and manufacture of agricultural products and also soil and water conservation are some of the jobs handled by an agricultural engineer. This basically implies looking after the smooth functioning and efficient increase in food productivity
Marine Engineering: Marine engineers are responsible for the safe running of all engines, boilers, refrigerating and sanitary equipment, deck machinery and steam connections of marine ships and the maintenance and repair of all marine machinery. This includes supervision of engine crew involved in operating the machines and checking for the smooth functioning of all steam engines, electric motors, propulsive engines etc.
Town and Country Planning: Town planners look after the optimal utilisation of land and plan a town or city's growth in an orderly and an aesthetic manner. The work necessitates conducting field surveys and analyses and formulating broad goals and development plans on the area.
Environmental Engineering: The engineers in this field apply theory and principles of environmental engineering to modify, test, and operate equipment and devices used in the prevention, control, and remediation of environmental pollution, including waste treatment and site remediation.
Highway Engineering: The engineers in this area plan, design, survey and construct all types of roads, bridges and structures that connect towns and cities in the country. This requires detailed drawings with complete diagrams for drainage systems, pavement foundations etc. The highway engineer also supervises work at the construction site, the quality of roads made, and finally ensures their proper maintenance.
Educational Qualification:
There are three different levels of engineering
courses available in the country. First are the degree courses offered
by institutes like IITs, BHU, BITS and RECs second are the diploma
courses offered by polytechnics and the third is training imparted
in different engineering trades by the Industrial Training Institutes
(ITI). Here we would be concerned only with the first level of engineering
courses i.e. degree courses.
Any candidate after successfully completing
10+2 with physics, chemistry and mathematics as subjects is eligible
for pursuing a degree course in engineering. These courses are of
4 years duration and admission in them is either on the basis of merit
i.e. marks obtained at 10+2 level or on the basis of selection through
entrance examination.
The branch of engineering is the second
most important determinant in shaping of a career. Those choosing
Computer Science, Electronics and Telecommunications would definitely
have an edge over others as on today. However it must be realized
that the more reputed the institute and more in demand the course
the tougher it would be to get admission. Getting into one of the
IITs, RECs or other good institutes like Roorkee Engineering College
would require good grounding in physics, chemistry and mathematics
and thorough preparation for the entrance examination.
In a recent survey, by a leading newsmagazine, the following have
been rated as the top 10 engineering institutes in the country.
IIT Powai (Mumbai)
IIT Chennai
IIT Delhi
IIT Kanpur
IIT Kharagpur
BITS Pilani
Delhi College of Engineering Delhi
Roorkee Engineering College, Roorkee
PSG Coimbatore
IIT Guwahati
Realizing the huge gap between demand
and supply for quality education in professional areas like engineering
and its limitations in establishing more institutes or providing more
funds to the existing ones government has permitted charging of capitation
fees for admissions and reserving seats for NRIs to many institutes.
There is also the Associate Membership
Examination (AMIE) of the Institute of Engineers that enables working
people in the private and public sector or Diploma Holders to acquire
a Bachelors’ Degree through distance learning for career advancement.
