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It was the beginning of 1990’s when Bachelor’s in Engineering became first choice of Indian students, in earlier days of engineering era mechanical engineering and civil engineering emerged as greater fields offering country-wide employment in government and industrial sector. During mid 1990s, being an engineer use to be an ideal career choice and it came with job security and commendable reputation in the society. In early 2000s India witnessed world wide “dot-com” boom, increasing reach of internet captured all the attention thereby shuttling the career opportunities as software engineer and hardware engineer. Requirement of engineers in internet industry was so massive that it mushroomed thousands of engineering colleges in India between 2001- 2010, where during early 2000s, getting a seat for Bachelor’s in Technology concentrated at computer sciences and electronic sciences was next to impossible. In 2005-2008, obsession for Bachelor’s in Technology degree was at such high peak that not just IITs or NITs but local colleges were session booked and flourishing widely. Later on, engineering colleges spread all across the country district to district and during early 2010s nearly 90% of all recognized colleges were eligible to offer Bachelor’s in Technology degree. As per reports, India is the largest producer of engineers where more than 1.5 million engineers are produced annually. Reports also highlight that in 2011 more than 80% of approved private engineering colleges lacked in technically advanced infrastructure and experienced faculties. The engineering graduates thus produced from such colleges lacked in skills and knowledge. Since engineers were not up to the required standards, unemployment among engineering graduates spread like termite. Software and technical giants of the world as well as Indian technical giants which initially saw India as hub of cheap technical labour and who offered employment to millions of engineers started to curb and move towards other south Asian countries. Nowadays, most of the engineering graduates are either unemployed or took a master’s degree in business management and got consumed in sales or management sector. Under employment scared budding engineers and most switched their field of studies.
Bigger questions remain same, engineering is relevant or not for twenty first century? The answer to this question is quite complex, one can divide higher education into three categories viz- a) vocational: that teaches you a skill and you can earn a living by it, b) non technical: that improves your subject knowledge, allows you to see boarder picture, allows you to build a career in academics mostly, and c) technical education: that trains you in specific direction and prepares your career in particular dimension.
Specific to the domain of chemical sciences or chemistry, students who wish to have a career further in life can opt for non-technical education like B.Sc followed by M.Sc in chemistry/pharma-chemistry/bio-chemistry. Although the scope to get a decent job through non technical window is very narrow and limited to low level laboratory assistant jobs, a post-graduate in chemistry can improve his/her career either by going for Ph.D through CSIR-NET from reputed university or by B.Ed if he/she wish to be a teacher, whereas those who want to join industry as QC/QA/Production chemist must go for specialized MBA program to ensure career growth. As per discussion with Human Resource Manager at a top pharma company at SIDCUL Selaqui, Dehradun, industries are hiring post graduates at 80k-1.2L per year package that grows to 5-6L per year after 10+ years of experience. To aim for high package, specialized MBA (like MBA in production chain management/ supply chain management/pharma sales etc.) is a recommended qualification that will offer timely growth and wider opportunities.
It is undeniable that twenty first is all about technology, one can only master technology through technical education. Though Bachelor’s in Technology concentrated in computer sciences, electrical, mechanical or civil has become obsolete but new fields have emerged one of which is Bachelor’s in Technology concentrated in chemical sciences. Recent trend highlight that B.Tech in chemical sciences offers better industrial opportunities than B.Sc & M.Sc. Top chemical companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers are consuming chemical engineers with handsome salary package. As per discussion with Human Resource Manager at a top pharma company at SIDCUL Haridwar, chemical engineers are better trained and more efficient, they are capable to handle strong calculative work.
Hence, one may conclude that B.Tech chemical engineering is future!
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