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O P Goel, retired Director General, CPWD and past president, Institution of Engineers (India) talks about the profession, then and now.
What is the scope in civil engineering today?
Since pre-civilisation days, civil engineering has been the basis of all human development. Once, primitive man wanted to cross a stream. He found an uprooted tree and put it across the stream. That became the world's first bridge. In the Mughal era, huge constructions were done, such as the Taj Mahal. In Egypt, the pyramids were built. Then, there was no concept of cost and time. Today, we are worried about time and cost. Today, in the world at large, take any sector, be it infrastructure, services, tourism, the basics have to provided by civil engineers — roads, bridges, ports, power plants, dams, fertiliser plants, nuclear plants, schools... Take any sector of development, it’s based on civil engineering… Huge investments are available under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission... Industries are being set up. New refineries, too.
The need for civil engineering and civil engineers is paramount. In fact, we are not able to provide the number of (quality) civil engineers required by government departments, contractors and consultants.
Many companies have advertised to recruit civil engineers from other countries. This paradox has emerged because these professionals were not duly compensated. In the last 25 years, the student intake in civil engineering reduced. And after civil engineering, people migrated to other countries or moved to IT or management. Civil engineering was not glamorous because of the pay disparity and thus bright students didn’t take it up. IEI is trying to improve the situation by upgrading diploma-holders and others with informal education, to become associate members of IEI (AMIE), which is equivalent to graduation.
What about the pay packages?
Pay packages have slightly improved. A good civil engineer can earn about Rs 20,000-Rs 25,000 a month.
Author: Rahat Bano
New Delhi, 9 Sep. 2009
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