Build a career in Railway Engineering
The history of engineering education in India goes back to the colonial times when the first school of engineering started from a tent which is today established as IIT Roorkee. It is interesting enough to know how much scope liberalisation has given to both engineering and education as separate as well as one entity. But the history of how India got its first engineering college is even more intriguing.
A Brief History of Engineering in India
During the 1800s, India was witnessing many development projects under British rule. However, there was not enough manpower. After the Agra famine of 1837-1838, the East India Company decided to build an irrigation system in the Meerut to Allahabad zone. That led to the beginning of training locals in the field of civil engineering. In 1845, during the construction of the Ganges canal, Lieutenant Baird Smith of the Bengal Engineers was in charge of training candidates at Saharanpur in civil engineering, and in 1846, the first engineering college began in a tent in Saharanpur, which was later shifted to Roorkee.
The journey that began there was later escalated in the post-independence and post-war development eras. In 1951, Jawaharlal Nehru launched the Indian Institution of Technology. IITs were launched with the motto of cultivating trained professionals in the fields of science and engineering to drive the social and economic development of the newly independent India. Today, India has a total of 23 IITs and they are all declared as Institutes of National Importance.
What engineering branches can you pursue?
It is hard to wrap the unceasing branches of engineering in a short listicle. But to cover some, below are a few.
- Electronics and instrumentation engineering
- Civil engineering
- Instrumentation and control
- Automation and robotics
- Petroleum engineering
- Transportation engineering
- Computer science and engineering
- Biotechnology engineering
There are many other branches and sub-branches of engineering that haven’t made it in this list. In recent years, the branch of engineering that has gained momentum is railway engineering.
What is railway engineering?
Railway engineering is a sub-branch of civil engineering. This engineering discipline is concerned with the design, construction, and operation of railway systems. Construction, maintenance, logistics, and operations are a few of the technical and non-technical railway engineering job opportunities that one can pursue. Railways offer huge employment opportunities, and since the private-public partnership projects have increased, the job scope is expected to grow bigger.
How to pursue railway engineering education?
You can start as early as after 10th grade to study railway engineering. Depending on the railway engineering job opportunities that you are seeking or the courses you want to pursue, you can select institutions across the country and the world.
Certification courses
Certification courses can be both online or offline and do not require you to appear for any entrance exams. They are short-term courses offered by various institutes across India and the globe. They cover various railway engineering job profiles and domains, which makes them viable for working professionals too.
Some of the certification courses that you can consider are:
- Professional Certificate in Railway Engineering
- Railway/Metro Traction Designing
- Certificate Course In Metro Rail Technology
You can pursue certification courses after completion of 10th or 12th grade from an accredited institute. However, some certification courses might require a graduate degree or equivalent qualification.
Diploma Programs
Diploma or post diploma courses are beneficial as they can be covered over a short span of time and you can join the professional sector right after your completion.
Some of the top diploma course in railway engineering are:
- Bachelor Degree Qualification Experience
- Diploma in Transport Economics and Management
- POST GRADUATE DIPLOMA In Rail & Metro Technology (PG-DRM)
Your eligibility for admission depends on the merit list and your performance in the entrance exams of the respective institutions.
Bachelor's Courses
Railway engineering bachelor courses can focus on specialisation over various domains like transportation, infrastructure, supply chain management, etc. The span of these courses is between 3-4 years.
Some of the bachelor’s courses in railway engineering are:
- BBA Transportation Management
- B.Tech. in Rail Infrastructure Engineering
- B.Tech. in Rail Systems & Communication Engineering
The eligibility criteria is a minimum of 50% marks in 12th grade from a recognized board. For some courses, there is a requirement of commerce/mathematics as a subject in 12th grade.
The eligibility criteria also depends on your performance on the following entrance exams:
- JEE Main
- JEE Advanced
- BITSAT (Birla Institute of Technology and Science Admission Test)
- VITEEE (Vellore Institute of Technology Engineering Entrance Exam)
Master’s Course
The Master's course in railway engineering can help you secure high post job opportunities. They can be academically extensive but are usually covered over a span of 1-2 years.
Some of the master's courses in railway engineering are:
- MBA in Transportation Management
- MSc in Railway Systems Engineering & Integration
Admissions are based on your performance on the entrance test. For the above two courses, the entrance test is NRTI PG, which is followed by an interview. The collective score determines your admission status.
How to get a job on the Indian Railways?
It is considered to be a prestigious opportunity to secure a job with the Indian Railways. The job prospects that you are looking at involve train engineer or locomotive engineer, system engineer, personnel service, protection force, traffic service, etc.
To secure a job with Indian Railways, you can be a graduate or a postgraduate in any engineering field, depending on the job profiles. Along with that, you also need to pass the entrance exams for the respective job posts.
Railways hold a lot of importance for the wholesome development of a country. They also provide many employment opportunities. With the evolution in the global education system, it is possible to pursue a systematic and strategic academic qualification to secure a job in the railway sector. BTEC opens doors to diverse career opportunities for learners and provides them with real-life skills to meet industry demands.
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