Overview
Ask any student from science stream, ‘How to become an Engineer?” and the unanimous answer that you will get is B.Tech programme. In the recent past, B.Tech course has become synonymous with an engineering degree and anyone who wants to become an engineer takes up B.Tech programme in the field of their choice. However, this is merely a common understanding of the programme and there is much more to explore as far as B.Tech courses are concerned.
If you are a prospective science stream student who is planning to take B.Tech course at the graduation level, there are many other aspects that you need to know and understand. Below, you will find all the relevant information about B.Tech as a course option including, admission process, eligibility and top colleges.
What does B.Tech course cover?
The B.Tech programme is a 4 year professional engineering programme that primarily focuses on teaching both, the theoretical as well as the practical skill-based training of engineering students. But, as the name suggests, it is a technology centric programme which is more focused on the application and skill based study. To put it simply, the programme lays emphasis upon skill oriented learning and practical training of the students. Therefore, industrial visits and internships are also a compulsory component of B.Tech programmes in India.
B.Tech – Eligibility Criteria
B.Tech is an undergraduate level professional engineering programme. Therefore, the eligibility required to seek admission to B.Tech programme is clearing Class 12 or 10+2 from science stream. Students who have taken PCM group or the Physics Chemistry and Mathematics as compulsory subjects are preferred for the programme.
There is also a lateral entry scheme to B.Tech programme that is offered to students holding a Diploma degree in engineering domains. Students who have joined Diploma programmes after Class 10 or Class 12 in technical trades can seek admission to B.Tech programmes offered by engineering colleges in India.
What is B.Tech Course?
B.Tech stands for Bachelor of Technology. It is an undergraduate level programme that is pursued by science stream students after the completion of Class 12 Science. The four year programme is offered by engineering colleges across India including top colleges such as IITs and NITs. Many technology schools also use the term B.E or Bachelor of Engineering for the professional engineering undergraduate programmes. However, as far as India is concerned, only the nomenclature of the programme is different while the syllabus and teaching pedagogy is the same for both the programmes.
B.Tech – Admission Process
Engineering is one of the most popular career options in India. The competition to get admission to top engineering colleges in India for B.Tech programme is fierce. Therefore, to screen the students as per their merit, admission to B.Tech programmes are granted on the basis of students’ performance in engineering entrance tests. Popular engineering entrance tests like JEE Main, JEE Advanced, BITSAT, AP EMCET test students on basics of engineering, in line with the Class 12 syllabus. And based on their performance, students are shortlisted for counselling and further screening process prior to the admission to B.Tech programmes.
B.Tech Entrance Exams
Every year, nearly 11 lakh engineering aspirants take up engineering entrance exams in the country. There are different types of engineering entrance exams i.e.
National Level Engineering Entrance Exams
National level Engineering Exams the eligibility exams that are conducted to screen engineering aspirants for admission to All-India level Engineering institutes. Many private and state-level institutes also accept score and rank of the national level engineering entrance exam as part of their admission process. The two key national level engineering entrance exams are:
JEE Main – Joint Entrance Examination - Main
JEE Main is a national level engineering entrance exam. It is a screening test for students who are seeking admission to B.Tech programmes at IITs, NITs and other top engineering colleges in India. It also acts as an eligibility test for JEE Advanced – the second stage of Joint Entrance Exam, which tests students for admission to premier tech schools i.e. the IITs.
JEE Advanced – Joint Entrance Exam – Advanced
JEE Advanced is the second stage screening test for students who are seeking admission to premier technology schools and engineering colleges of India i.e. IITs. The top 2,24,000 students from JEE Main exam are eligible to take up JEE Advanced exam.
State Level Engineering Entrance Exams
Similarly, many states also conduct state-level engineering entrance exams / entrance exam for admission to professional courses offered by state funded government colleges and institutes. Some private institutes and colleges also accept scores of the state-level entrance exam as part of the admission process. There are many state-level engineering entrance exams which are conducted to screen students for admission to B.Tech programmes. For example:
WBJEE – West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination
WBJEE is a state-level entrance exam that is conducted by the West Bengal Joint Entrance Examinations Board (WBJEEB). It is an engineering entrance exam through which students are screened for admission to professional undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in Engineering, Technology, Architecture and Pharmacy in Government colleges and universities aided by the West Bengal Government.
UPSEE - Uttar Pradesh State Entrance Examination
Conducted by the Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University, UPSEE is a state-level engineering entrance exam for students of Uttar Pradesh. The test is an eligibility test for students, especially engineering aspirants, seeking admission to professional courses offered by institutes, universities and colleges affiliated to the AKTU. Apart from government aided colleges, several private engineering colleges also accept UPSEE score for admission to B.Tech programmes.
Institute Specific Engineering Entrance Exams
When it comes to admission to B.Tech programmes, there are several private institutes and engineering colleges that conduct their own entrance tests to screen students for admission. These institute-specific exams are conducted by the respective institute and it grants admission to students to different affiliated colleges and the different courses offered by them.
BITSAT - Birla Institute of Technology and Science Admission Test
BITSAT is an institute specific engineering entrance exam which is conducted by the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani. BITSAT is a must appear engineering entrance exam for students who are seeking admission to B.Tech programmes at the BITS Pilani and its allied campuses at Goa and Hyderabad.
VITEEE – VIT Engineering Entrance Examination
Conducted by the Vellore Institute of Technology, the VITEEE is another institute specific engineering entrance exam that enables engineering aspirants to seek admission to B.Tech programmes offered at VIT, Vellore and VIT Chennai.
B.Tech vs B.E
Globally, graduate level professional engineering courses are classified into two variants i.e. B.Tech / Bachelor of Technology and B.E. / Bachelor of Engineering. Globally, B.E programmes are more theoretical in nature while B.Tech programmes tend to more practical and skill driven. However, in India, the majority of engineering programmes are termed as B.Tech and even those who follow the nomenclature of B.E have the same syllabus and curriculum.
Top B.Tech Colleges in India
The top 10 colleges offering B.Tech courses in India as per MHRD’s NIRF based Engineering ranking include:
- Indian Institute of Technology, Madras
- Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay
- Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur
- Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi
- Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur
- Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee
- Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad
- Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar
- Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar-Rupnagar
- Indian Institute of Technology, Patna
B.Tech Specialization options
Engineering is an ever evolving domain that has several existing branches and sub-disciplines. On top of that, new specialization options also keep on emerging with the development of new technologies. The key among them include:
Chemical Engineering
Bio-molecular Engineering
Material Engineering
Molecular engineering
Process engineering
Corrosion engineering
Civil Engineering
Environmental engineering
Geotechnical engineering
Structural engineering
Transport engineering
Water resources engineering
Electrical engineering
Electronic engineering
Computer engineering
Power engineering
Optical engineering
Mechanical engineering
Acoustical engineering
Manufacturing engineering
Optomechanical engineering
Thermal engineering
Sports engineering
Vehicle engineering
Power plant engineering
Energy engineering
Interdisciplinary engineering specializations
Aerospace engineering
Agricultural engineering
Applied engineering
Biomedical engineering
Biomedical nanoengineering
Biological engineering
Building services engineering
Energy engineering
Railway engineering
Industrial engineering
Mechatronics engineering
Engineering management
Military engineering
Nanoengineering
Nuclear engineering
Petroleum engineering
Project engineering
Software engineering
Systems engineering
Textile engineering
These are just a few of the main engineering specializations that are popular in India. But, thanks to the evolving nature of the engineering domain, many new engineering specializations have also emerged in which B.Tech programmes are offered in India.
After B.Tech
Another question that students are faced with while deciding to pursue B.Tech for their graduation is the question ‘what after B.Tech’. B.Tech being a professional course offers students both the options i.e. either to go for further studies or opt for a job. So, let’s look at both these aspects in detail below:
Further Studies
M.Tech / M.E
As far as further studies is concerned, the next step for students after completing their B.Tech is go for M.Tech or M.E, both of which are postgraduate level professional degree programme offered by engineering colleges in India. M.Tech stands for Master of Technology, whereas M.E stands for Master of Engineering.
Just like B.Tech, students will have to opt for a specialization option for M.Tech programme during which they will dwell deeper in the respective discipline and gain the necessary knowledge and garner the expertise to excel in the field. In order to get selected to M.Tech programmes offered by top engineering colleges in India such as IITs and NITs, students have to appear for GATE – Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering.
MBA
The most preferred study option for most of the engineering graduates after their B.Tech programme is to opt for MBA to earn a management degree. Engineering graduates generally opt for take up a job through campus placements to garner work experience. And after a few years, they take up MBA / PDGM programme. In order to join top MBA colleges, students have to appear for CAT, XAT, MAT, CMAT or other popular MBA entrance exams.
Career Prospects
Being a professional course, B.Tech also opens up several career opportunities for the students after the completion of the programme. The among them are:
Campus Placements
All engineering colleges have a dedicated placement cell that work towards getting the engineering graduates placed in reputed organizations. Generally, after B.Tech, students are hired by private companies for entry-level job roles in technical fields. Students, who take up jobs through campus placements, generally do so, in order to gain the relevant experience in their field before further studies.
PSU Jobs
After B.Tech students can also take up technical jobs in Public Sector Undertakings through the GATE / Graduate Aptitude Test for Engineering. Many PSUs hire B.Tech students for entry-level jobs based upon their GATE score. A few PSUs such as CII, ISRO and BARC also conduct their own exams to screen B.Tech students for entry level jobs.
Engineering Services Exam
Engineering Services Exam is a national level screening test conducted by the UPSC / the Union Public Service Commission. The exam is the right choice for B.Tech students who aspire for government jobs in different sectors such as Defence, PWD, Railways etc. While the ESE exam pattern and syllabus is quite similar, it also has a non-technical component and three-stage screening process, which makes it a tough exam to crack.
Private Companies
For students who do not want to opt for campus placements, they can also apply to different private companies for a job, after completing their B.Tech programme. Students can also take up employability tests such as AMCAT and eLitmus in order to prove their technical prowess and improve their chances of being selected for the job. After joining private companies in entry-level technical roles, students can gain the necessary knowledge and experience to earn promotions to rise the ranks of the corporate ladder.