Stick to conventional streams at the undergraduate level, follow your passion in your Masters was the unanimous view from experts at The HinduEducation Plus counselling session for engineering aspirants here on Thursday.
Specialisations can wait till post-graduation; at the undergraduate level, they could narrow down job opportunities, experts said as they fielded questions on niche areas like Telematics, Production Engineering and Aviation Engineering among others.
“Choose a conventional engineering course and build core competence. Specialize only in your PG. Do not go for a specialized course at the undergraduate level, unless you have the intention of pursuing a career in the same,” said N.L.N. Reddy, a professor at CBIT.
D. Vijay Kishore from the Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University (JNAFAU) offered similar views when he advised an aspirant to choose mechanical engineering at the undergraduate level, before opting for aeronautical or aerospace engineering during post-graduation.
On the prospects for engineering students, Mr. Reddy said the five Es — Energy, Education, Environment, Entertainment, and Entrepreneurship — held immense opportunities.
The IT question
The ubiquitous question about Information Technology too was answered in the same vein. Students were advised to opt for core engineering subjects that would enable them to continue in the same field or switch to a career in IT — software firms do not insist that recruits possess a background in IT. However, if one were to choose IT in their under-graduation, one would have forfeited the choice of a career in another field.
Keys to success
The panellists urged students to pursue their passion and excel in whichever stream they chose. Being in the top 10 or 15 percent of the class, and ensuring zero backlogs were the keys to success, they said. The event drew hundreds of students, who, along with their parents, thronged the Indira Priyadarshini Auditorium at Public Gardens, and got their doubts cleared on the choice of streams, options available, and course of careers. Each student was also provided an Education Plus handbook containing information on an array of career options and a seat matrix for students to figure out their options as per their Eamcet rank.
Kicking off the session, The Hindu ’s Chief of Bureau S. Nagesh Kumar said the endeavour, which began in 2004, had reached its 10 successful year. The Hindu as the icon of credible, truthful and committed journalism had endeavoured to bring together experts and students through the workshop.
Principal of the J.B. Institute of Engineering and Technology (JBIET) K.V.J. Rao, professors V. Ushasri and G. Srinivasulu from JBEIT, OU College of Engineering placement officer Uma Maheshwar Rao from Osmania University College of Engineering and former director of Drug Control Administration M. Venkat Reddy were the other panellists.
Participants also won gifts through a draw of lots. The prizes, which were sponsored by Kamal Watch Company, included a special gift for a woman student, a wristwatch worth Rs.6,000, which was won by K. Swathi. Sagar Madha, Siddharth Gopakumar, Praphul, Sai Manohar Rao, K. Naga Abhishek Reddy, Anusri and S.K. Supriya also won prizes. The event was sponsored by JBIET.
