Electrical engineering is a broad field of engineering which deals with the science and technology involving electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism, to design, construct, and maintain products, services, and information systems. Electrical engineering is the historical name for what is now called electrical, electronics, and computer engineering.This branch of engineering covers traditional areas like generation, distribution and transmission of electricity as well as new age applications in electronics ranging from telecommunications to computers and micro processors. Thus most courses combine electrical and electronic systems. The course is closely linked with computation and neural systems, applied physics, computer science and applied dynamic systems.
Students of electrical engineering are offered both theoretical and practical knowledge in a wide variety of subjects, including wireless systems, quantum electronics, modern optics, solid state materials and devices, power electronics, control theory; signal processing, data compression and communications etc. There are many more new age developments including Neuro Fuzzy approaches for Engineering system applications, biomedical instrumentation, Analysis of digital systems etc.
Making a career in Electrical engineering will be challenging as well as rewarding. There are tremendous career prospects in this field in India as well as in other developed countries across the world.
Courses & Eligibility
An aspirant for electrical engineering should start his/her academic career in Science at intermediate level i.e. plus two (with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics). After completion of class 12th or plus two in science stream one has to sit for entrance examination conducted both at national and state level (e.g. IITJEE, AIEEE, BITSAT etc.). After qualifying the entrance exam he/she would take up BE/BTech in Electrical engineering which is of four years duration.
One can also go for Diploma program after completion of his/her class 10th. Here he/she will be recognized with the status of a junior engineer.
One, who still wants to study further after completing BE/BTech, can pursue MTech program offered by Indian Institutes of Technology and few other engineering colleges in the country.
Individuals with interests in research areas can pursue PhD after his/her post graduation studies for carrying out research works.
AMIE Associate Memberships of the Institution of Engineers also offers courses in Electrical engineering which is equivalent to BE/BTech provided by other institutes/universities.
Career Prospects
Electrical Engineering is an exploding field. Job prospects for electrical engineers are quite good. Electrical engineers are required to develop, design, manufacture, test, evaluate, market, sell and manage electrical and electronic systems.
In India, fresh graduates can find jobs both in public and private sector. However the private companies provide good salary as compared to the government ones. Among the largest employers of electrical engineers are computer, telecommunications and consumer electronics companies.
Apart from making professional career, one can also do research work in this field by joining research labs and institutes. Teaching career is also rewarding. One can join an engineering college/university as a full time or part time lecturer/professor.
Pay-Package
The average starting monthly salary of electrical engineering graduates in India ranges between Rs. 15,000 – Rs.25, 000. The pay-package in foreign countries is much higher as compared to India. Fresh graduates from elite technological institutions like Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs) and Birla Institute of Technology get more remuneration as compared to others.
Institutes/Universities
Almost all engineering colleges in the country offer BE/BTech in electrical engineering. The pioneer institutes are the Indian Institutes of Technology, Birla institute of Technology, National Institutes of Technology, Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), College of Engineering and Technology (Anna University) and several other engineering colleges.