Life of an Engineer

Before I “Get Set Go..” with this blog, let me tell you all that I’m an Electrical Engineer by profession, alumnus of NIT/REC Durgapur. I know that this introduction of mine will certainly not add great value to my existence, as engineers are found in abundance in this part of the world. But I must also tell you this makeover was not all that simple….at least for me. It was nearly 2 years of travail to get into college and 4 years of slog thereafter. “College life was fun” – as most of us say is not all that funny. It’s the attitude with which we sail through it makes all the difference.

8 semesters, 40 odd papers, 30 odd Vivas and almost 100 tests & class tests…..can it be facile..? not really.! But I did it as all do it. It was a proud feeling & why it shouldn’t be? Especially when all eyes are on you…your family, friends', kith and keen’s. Getting job in campus selection made it real special for me. The company was a market leader in my stream. It couldn’t have been better. That was by far one of the most euphoric moments in my life. With a great zeal I was ushering into next phase of my life – The professional life. Although, I was well conversant with the fact that I was not any “Scientist” in the making who will be making “Rockets” and thereby I never reckoned to do different things…. but yes, doing things differently.
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.......It has now been nearly 30 months since then. And it is now that I have realized that all my engineering studies are going down the drain. It wouldn't be exaggeration if I say that I’m utilizing even 1% of all that we studied in those 4 years. While going for campus selection, these companies set very high standards by short listing only toppers followed by a decent technical test & personal interview. But when it comes to work, they virtually deny us to apply our brain. Work has barely got any relevance to college learning. At this node, I must also confess that I have, at times regretted the moments when I decided to pursue my carrier as an engineer. Any streetwise guy can manage to work as a proxy for us. Why to exploit Engineers then..??

Well, this opens the room for discussion – Is there a problem with institutes who teach us or the industries who hire us? Who is at fault? Whoever it may be, we are the Victims.

But, when one goes down to the micro-level to investigate both the bodies, it can be realized that, on one hand curriculum in our college is well structured with contemporary updates and on the other hand, Industries too offer a decent training programs to the fresh entrants. Where lies the problem then..? May be the quality of college education and the Industry’s training modules, although contemporary, are not at par with each other. May be both run in parallel, but are not complementary.

In my opinion, we need to have a greater degree of interface between both these bodies. Organizing discussion forums by involving the students and the alumni will certainly prove to be advantageous. Prevailing scenario demands objective based learning and it can’t be achieved without involving its arch-members.

The trend although incipient, but has begun already. One has to wait and watch what’s up the sleeve for our future engineers.