IRRELEVENT ENGINEERING

IRRELEVENT ENGINEERING 

Joining in Engineering!

Dr  Sunil Jejit HR L&T

Just because I am holding a senior position in HR with L&T , I have been getting many requests from my relatives, friends,  acquaintances, to help their sons or daughters ,who have freshly passed out from engineering college, to get  job in L&T. The number of requests are huge. So many fresh  engineers are unemployed, I could hardly helped only few of them to get job in L&T or in some other companies where I have contacts. I feel bad to say NO to many of the requests or for those whom I can't help. They get disappointed. I can understand.

Parents invest their life time earned money just to see their sons or daughters getting degree in engineering. They think that jobs are easily available for engineers. After interviewing many of them , I can't even tell them  that your son or daughter do not even have minimum required technical knowledge. Getting first class or distinction has become so easy without having fundamental knowledge of engineering. It's high time for parents to stop running behind engineering degrees. 

USA produces around 1 lakh Engineers per year for a $ 16 Trillion Economy. 

India produces 15 lakhs Engineers for a $ 2 Trillion Economy. 

The earlier mass recruiting sector was Manufacturing. It used to recruit from the core branches like Electrical Mechanical, Civil etc. But, Manufacturing is relatively stagnant at 17% of the GDP. So the core branch placements have become very difficult. 

The more recent mass recruiter was the IT sector. It grew from scratch to almost 5% of the GDP in a short time. IT Employed millions of engineers. 

Now, IT is also saturating. Only good, skilled IT Engineers are in demand. 

If you look at the sectoral composition of Indian economy, most of the sectors do not need engineers. Tourism is 10% of the GDP, does not require engineers. Financial sector, Trade, Hotels and Restaurants do not require engineers. Requirement of engineers in Health, education, Agriculture is also negligible. 

More than 50% of the GDP has no role for Engineers. Still most of Indian youth are becoming Engineers. The situation is not sustainable . 

Demand is low while supply is high. Over and above this, skill level of an average engineer is poor, almost its non-existent in many cases. If we leave aside the top 100–200 colleges, most fresh engineers have no idea of what they studied. Ask a fresh mechanical engineer, can s/he design a simple frame? 

Today the situation is that most engineers are working in a field that has no connection to what they have studied in the college. This is a waste of resources. 

Engineering degree does not come cheap. It costs about 10-15 lakhs. For poor parents, it’s a huge burden. When their son / daughter is not able to secure a job, they are devastated. 

For the nation, you can calculate the loss. Leave around 1 lakh engineers that NASSCOM says are employable. The rest 14 lakhs have each wasted 10 lakhs of fees. That totals to around $ 20 Billion. Almost equal to the Government’s spending on healthcare. Over this, there is loss of human capital. 

India need to re-plan the whole engineering education system. Government need to  cut down on the number of colleges and improve the quality in the rest. 

Also students should explore other career options than everyone becoming Engineers. 

When it comes to education, a multitude of options are available today! From Aviation, to Hotel Management, Short Term Programs to big movie production courses , Data science, cyber security, Information Security, Cloud Technology Designing, Indian Armed Forces, Animation and VFX, Digital Marketing, Film Making, Technology Courses like SQL, PHP, Big Data, C, C++, etc. and much more! 

For a majority of courses like these, there are entrance exams too, such as the NATA, CEED, NID entrance, NIFT entrance, NDA entrance, MBA Entrance, Hotel Management entrance, CET, NEET and many more! Here, the right training goes a long way in getting your child admission to their dream institute! Do you know what are the top career Tracks of 2018 other than  engineering ?? See the following list.

1. Animation, VFX and Multimedia

2. Fashion Design, Event Management and Interior decoration.

3. Aeronautical and Aviation

4.  Film making, Script Writing and Acting.

5. Engineering computer, IT, cloud and data science.

6. Networking, information security.

7. Beauty, Modelling and Cosmetology

8. Fitness, dietitian and nutritionist

9. Foreign languages.

10. Music and Dance.

STD 12Th - STRATEGIES FOR STUDENTS

09 June 2018
Vishwas P Pitke
vishwas.pitke@thirdvibration.com
vishwas.pitke@gmail.com
10Th results in Maharashtra are declared and it has been found that 60,000
students of various boards (SSC, CBSE, ICSE) secured more than 90%
aggregate marks. This encourages them to dream about their higher
expectations of getting great marks in 12Th STD and various entrance
exams (like MHTCET, BITSAT, Manipal, VITEEE, IIT-JEE, Etc.,) and their
parents admit them by paying lacs of rupees’ fees for their private coaching
classes.
However, after 2 years, it has been found that only 10 students (Yes only
10 students and not 10% students) could able to get more than 190 marks
out of 200 in this year’s MHTCET. Only 2889 students were able to secure
more than or equal to 150 marks (means 75%). That means only 5% of
those 60,000 so called bright students could able to secure just 75% marks
in 12Th Entrance exams.
How and why this happens? Who allows this to happen? The answer is
huge multibillion private coaching classes lobby is behind all this
phenomenon. If only genuine students will get good marks in 10Th STD,

then number aspiring students going for classes with a hope to crack IIT-
JEE, MHTCET and all other exams will get drastically reduced and that is

what they do not want. Hence, in 10Th STD, marks are distributed liberally
to most of these mediocre students so that private coaching classes will
flourish and these are easy goats to get slaughtered after exactly 2 years in
their 12Th STD to face reality.
This must be understood by students and parents. I have observed this
phenomenon for last 5 years and stating my observations as below about
various strategies adopted by students to ensure their place in the sun-

TYPE – I
My niece was/is brilliant student and she got 4Th STD Maharashtra state
middle School merit scholarship, 7Th STD Maharashtra State high school
scholarship, National Merit Scholarship for all her next studies still she
keeps studying. She secured her place in 10Th STD SSC board ranking.
She is brilliant and hard worker both. However instead of choosing
Engineering or medicine she declared in 10Th STD only that she will appear
only for entrance test of IISER (Indian Institute of Science Education and
Research) and accordingly she got admission in the same at IISER Bhopal
campus. She never appeared for any other entrance test and kept sharp
focus only on IISER and 12Th STD exams. She got excellent marks in 12Th
STD PCM and that was her fall back mechanism so that if she would have
lost IISER she could have secured her admission for B.Sc. and M.Sc.
courses in good and reputed science colleges. Her father and mother were
upset as she could have easily secured admission through MHTCET or any
other entrance exams in some reputed or good engineering colleges but
my niece was pretty adamant not to entertain them. She is happy today.
IISER degree can propel her anywhere in the world in scientific research in
fundamental and also applied science. She got what she wanted. I liked her
strategy.
TYPE-II
My son is brilliant but not hard worker. He believes in smart work. He
missed his 4Th STD and 7Th STD state merit scholarship by 2 to 4 marks.
Never bothered for the same. He got 90% marks in SSC. However, he is
practical oriented and innovative. He was awarded Homi Bhabha Young
Scientists Award by Marathi Vidnyan Parishad, Mumbai in 6Th STD and his
project was discussed in reputed Marathi newspaper Lokasatta. At the age
of 16, he built his own gaming desktop by designing all its specification and
using the same since then. His friends approached him and for them too he
built the desktop. His mathematics teacher asked him to build the desktop
for them. When I purchased my first 53 Inches 3-D smart Samsung TV,
installation team of Samsung first time learned it from my son about how to
integrate the various features of such TV with internet and external control
which in fact Samsung team should have been done for us as we were
their customers. He believes in smart work and not hard work and asked
me a frightening question that what is the point in studying 12Th STD for
securing more than 60% marks in PCM and 50% in aggregate? This is

because no one gives you admission even if you secure 100% marks in
PCM or aggregate in 12Th STD if your MHTCET or any other entrance
score is not high enough. So why to focus on 12Th STD study at all for more
than 60% PCM marks?
He was fully dedicated to secure his admission in Vellore Institute of
Technology for B. Tech. Computer Science and Engineering (CSE)Course
Core branch. He focused only on VIT engineering entrance exam (VITEEE)
and secured his admission in VIT Merit list at their Bhopal campus. He
secured just enough and necessary marks in 12Th STD as required by VIT.
He is happy today. VIT is supposed to be the best institute among all
private engineering institutes (BIT, MIT, etc.,) and their syllabus is far better
than even IITs and NITs. My son was not at all interested in even MHTCET
and never appeared for any other entrance exams other than VITEEE. He
Got what he wanted.
I never liked his strategy as he never developed any fall back mechanism
like my niece. It’s like going on war with just 1 deadly arrow in your quiver
against a huge army to win the war. If you win, you will be the hero
remembered forever. However, if you lose, you will be zero and will be
remembered as a fool forever. I feel extremely lucky that he got whatever
he wanted. This is a gamble and I do not suggest any student to adopt
such strategy. At least secure good marks in 12Th STD to get for other
courses and/or at least study for one more entrance exam.
He was so adamant to go to VIT and that too only for CSE that he was not
at all interested in securing his admission for any other course in VIT or
securing his CSE course in any other engineering colleges like NIT, IIT,
BIT, MIT, etc., He was ready to take drop for a year to appear for next
year’s VITEEE to get his CSE. Thank God that it never happened and
today we are relieved parents. I do not recommend any student to adopt
such gambling strategy.
According to my son, no student can focus on any of these entrance exams
unless they finish their 12Th STD board exam and they get only 2 months’
period after 12Th exam to study for other entrance exams. Naturally that
much study is not enough. Hence, once a student takes drop, he gets full
12 months for study of those entrance exams and he cracks at least 1
entrance exam for himself. However, that means loss of at least 1 year. If
you are not going for any IIT-JEE coaching classes since your 8Th STD, do

not try to appear for IIT-JEE. It is waste to time. You must be extremely
hard working mugger since your child hood to crack IIT. Now a day you do
not require intelligence to crack this exam.
TYPE-III
Most of the friends of my son who got good marks in 10Th STD decided for
IIT-JEE coaching and MHTCET, BIT and MIT. They got good marks in
12Th STD but could not crack any of these entrance exams and are not
getting desired engineering course. Their 12Th STD marks are of no use to
them and all these students are now frustrated and demoralized. Their
parents are in shock. These students wanted to hit many targets at a time
and missed all at a time.
TYPE-IV
One of my sister’s son was studious. He got more than 85% marks in 12Th
STD but could not get good score in MHTCET and any other entrance
exams. Finally, he selected whatever he got through MHTCET in Pune
Institute of Computer Technology (PICT) for the course which was not his
first choice.
TYPE-V
These students focus only on IIT-JEE as they do not think any other
institute is better than IITs. I know 2 of our family friend’s boys. One of the
boys could not crack IITs. One of them cracked IIT but could not get 50%
score in PCM for 12Th STD. Hence could not enter in IITs. Both reappeared
for IIT for next year and selected IIT Guwahati or whatever they got after 1
year.
TYPE-VI
These are super students. They secure excellent marks in every entrance
tests and get anything anywhere. If at all such breed is there, wherever it
is there, it is very rare. If you happened to be the parent of such rare
breed, you are on cloud 9 forever. One of my childhood friend’s son
secured 1000 All India Rank in IIT (in 2014) but he decided to go to UK in
Cambridge for learning Computer Science after 12Th STD on UK
scholarship.

My observations and Suggestions
a) If you are not getting focused coaching classes of IIT-JEE from your
8
Th STD or if you are not staying in Kota, Rajasthan, there are very
thin chances for you to crack IIT for getting your desired course in
reputed IIT. Does it worth it? A student focusing on IIT cannot do
anything in any other entrance exams (Except BIT-Pilani up to some
extent). This is because type and pattern of every exam is different
even though syllabus is more or less same. If you have limited focus
to get admission in any IITs for any available course (Like IIT
Pandharpur, IIT Ichalakaranji, IIT Fagawara, IIT- Bijapur and where
ever they get enough land) then it is OK. Now a day they are going to
add 20 more IITs hence I have suggested these names. Enjoy.
b) If your dream is to be an IITan in any case, then go for any available
engineering course in any available obscure IIT and enjoy.
c) For all sane students, it is advisable to understand their own actual
capabilities instead of dreaming undeservingly high. Select your
course after considering your own abilities. Forget 10Th STD marks
and ask yourself who you are.
d) For all sane students, it is wise to forget IIT-JEE and focus on any
other entrance exam and study hard for just one entrance exam. You
must be extremely hard working mugger since your child hood to
crack IIT-JEE. Now a day you do not require intelligence to crack
this exam.
e) If you are interested in engineering and medical courses only then
there is no need to secure extremely good marks in 12Th STD as they
lead you nowhere. Just focus on securing cutting marks as decided
by my son. However, you need to score very good marks in 12 STD if
you are interested in science courses and other such courses.
f) Try to develop fall back mechanism by preparing for at least 1 more
entrance exam.

g) In extreme case, take drop and study full 1 year for entrance exam of
your choices (Except IIT-JEE) and you will get whatever you want in
next year. However, this means loss of 1 full year for you. Keep your
moral high and self-respect intact during this period. Remember that
no student can focus on any of these entrance exams unless they
finish their 12Th STD board exam and they get only 2 months’ period
after 12Th exam to study for other entrance exams. Naturally that
much study is not enough. Hence, once a student takes drop, he gets
full 12 months for study of those entrance exams and he cracks at
least 1 entrance exam for himself.
h) Indian students must select educational course as per their passion
and aptitude and must strive to get admission in reputed school.
Student must strive to get admission for desired course and if they
are not getting that in the best school then they should select second
best school for the same course but there is no point in getting your
choice in mediocre school.
i) Nationwide there must be 1 and only 1 engineering and medical
entrance exam so that students need not have to prepare for so
many diverse exams. Ministry of education must consider this very
seriously. Even 12Th STD syllabus must be uniform across the nation.
Once students are ranked through such single exam, in every state
80% seats must be kept exclusively for the students of the same
state. Remaining 20% seats must be divided among rest of the
states.

j) It is easy to get admission for graduate engineering courses in UK
and Germany. Engineering courses are offered in English language
in Germany. In Germany, tuition fees are waived and annual
expenses per student in Germany is no more than INR 5,00,000/-
(Only Five Lacs Indian rupees)
k) One of our family friends admitted his son for MBBS course in
Russia. There are good options for our 12Th STD students for getting
MBBS degree from various east European countries at cheap and
affordable costs. Same is true in case of graduate engineering
courses also.

l) Once student finishes his basic engineering graduation course,
student from any institute of India (private colleges, donation
colleges, etc.,) is having equal chances to go for their post graduate
courses in foreign university and loses nothing in his life. My aunt’s
son finished his engineering graduation course from Sinhagad
College of Engineering, Pune (private college) and went to US for his
MS course. I know many students from Sanjivani college of
engineering of Kopargaon near Shirdee (Maharashtra) who are
finishing their post graduate courses from European universities.
Once you enter in job, no one asks the name of your college.
m) Irrespective of all above, I always respect only those students
who secured consistently good marks in 10Th and 12Th STD and
secured their place in reputed Indian institutions, on their own
merit by scoring good marks, in the very first attempt only,
without paying any donations. After all, only such students keep
reputation and pride of their institution, family and nation on
high rise. I am proud to be one of those students of my days.