`Pick your choices for engineering with a plan for the future and acquire skills'

Times of India Pune dated 13 June 2017.

Expert Speak- Prof. Durgesh C Mangeshkar, Director, IITians Prashikshan Kendra

“June and July are a nail-biting phase for aspirants trying to select the best engineering college or branch. A wide range of options can confuse students and parents alike. Professional advice, counseling and tips can help.

Students must refer to the official websites of the entrance exams and corresponding centralized admission procedure (CAP). They should read the brochures carefully to understand the rules and nuances of admission, to avoid mistakes and confusion while filling forms.

Documents like domicile certificate, proof of nationality, caste certificate, income documents of parents in case of OBC-NCL & EBC categories, std XII and entrance exams mark sheets should be kept ready as they need to be submitted during the counseling rounds.

How to prioritize an engineering college or a certain branch is a common confusion among aspirants. Taking into account the medium-term plans of the student after graduation can help find a better solution to this one. If heshe intends to do MBA or pursue civil services, college brand may be given preference over engineering branch. If research, academia, job or business is the goal, then the branch of engineering must be preferred over college. Fundamentally, there are only two branches of engineering viz.mechanical and electrical. The fields like civil, metallurgical & materials, production, manufacturing, chemical etc. are all derived from mechanical engineering. On the other hand, computers, electronics & telecommunications, energy etc. are derived from electrical engineering.

It is advisable to pursue a broad-based branch at an undergraduate level and take up specialization for higher studies as the student knows his inclinations by then.

The AICTE's national ranking framework report can help with college preferences.

Students who have scored well in national exams like JEE and BITSAT must opt for studying on a national campus. Besides bright academic exposure, they can get to socially interact with students from across the nation. This enhances EQ and shapes their personality holistically. Even if it is a local college, a student must work towards his communication skills, enhance his knowledge of IT and economics to become a more employable engineer.”