Higher Education Options for Engineering Graduates

Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is an all-India examination administered and conducted jointly by the Indian Institute of Science and seven Indian Institutes of Technology on behalf of the National Coordinating Board - GATE, Department of Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India. GATE is conducted through the constitution of eight zones.

Admission to postgraduate programmes with MHRD and some other government scholarship or assistantship at engineering colleges in the country is based on GATE. GATE qualified candidates with Bachelor's degree in Engineering,  Technology and Architecture are eligible for Master programmes in these disciplines.  GATE qualified candidates are also eligible for the award of Junior Research Fellowship in CSIR Laboratories and CSIR sponsored projects. Some government organizations prescribe GATE qualification as a requirement for applying to the post of a Scientist / Engineer. Validity of GATE score is for one year.

GATE is conducted throughout India in 147 cities. It is conducted in the following engineering disciplines: Aerospace Engg., Aeronautical Engg., Agricultural Engg., Applied Mechanics, Architecture, Planning Automobile Engg, Biochemical Engg., Biomedical Engg., Biotechnology, Ceramic & Glass Technology, Chemical Engg., Chemical Technology, Civil/Civil & Environmental/Structural Engg., Computer Science & Engg./Technology, Control and Instrumentation, Electrical Engg., Electro-Chemical Engg., Electronics & Comm./Electronics Engg./Comm. Engg./Telecommunication Engg., Energy Engg., Environmental Engg., Food Technology/Food Processing Engg., Industrial Engg., Industrial Management, Information Technology, Instrumentation/ Electronics/Control Instrumentation & Process Control, Manufacturing Engg., Mechanical Engg., Mechatronics, Medical Instrumentation, Metallurgical Engg., Mineral Engg./Mineral Dressing, Mining Engg./Technology, Mining & Machinery, Naval Architecture/Marine Engg., Oil Technology, Paint Technology, Petro-Chemical Engg., Petroleum Engg./Technology, Plastic Technology, Polymer Technology/Science, Production Engg./Production & Management, Production & Industrial Engg., Rubber Technology, Textile Engineering & Fibre Science.

Joint Management Entrance Test JMET:  It is held around mid December for two year full time post graduate programme in management. Currently IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras, and IIT Roorkee offer Programmes in Management. Some NITs also use JMET merit list for admission to their management programmes.

Joint Entrance Screening Test (JEST) is conducted annually throughout India at several centres  for admissions to doctoral programme in physics in various premier research institutes. Certain courses and opportunities in these premier institutes are now being offered to those who have a degree in engineering and technology but have an aptitude for scientific research.

Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) Mumbai,  National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) Pune, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) Pune, Institute of Physics, Bhubaneshwar, Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) Ahmedabad, Harish Chandra Research Institute, Allahabad, Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) Bangalore, Indian Institute of Geomagnetism (IIG) Mumbai, Raman Research Institute, Bangalore, Satyendra Nath Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Kolkata and Aryabhatta Research Institute of  Observational Sciences (ARIES) Nainital are among the institutes which admit scholars through JEST.

One year Orientation Course for Engineering Graduates and Science Post-Graduates  (OCES) conducted at BARC Training Schools. Successful Trainees will be posted  as scientific officers in one of the following DAE units: 

a) Atomic Minerals Directorate of Exploration & Research (AMDER), Hyderabad
b) Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC),Mumbai
c) Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd (BHAVINI), Kalpakkam
d) Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology (BRIT), Mumbai
e) Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT), Indore
f) Heavy Water Board (HWB), Mumbai
g) Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam
h) Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC), Hyderabad
i) Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL), Mumbai
j) Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre (VECC), Kolkata.

Successful completion of course work at the Training School will entitle trainees to Post-Graduate Diploma of Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI), a Deemed University. This could also earn them credits towards M.Tech/M.Phil/Ph.D of HBNI provided their performance is above a specified threshold.

Two-year DAE Graduate Fellowship Scheme for Engineering Graduates   (DGFS). Under this scheme, Engineering Graduates and Physics Post-Graduates who are selected for the Training School programme and who also have secured admission for M.Tech. in an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)  are paid stipend and tuition fee to study for M.Tech. degree. After successful completion of one-year course work at IIT, fellows undertake project work, which is assigned and supervised jointly by a DAE and an IIT guide. On successful completion of M.Tech., they are posted as Scientific Officers in DAE. The DGFS fellows are enrolled and posted in one of the following units of DAE:

a)      BARC, Mumbai b) RRCAT, Indore c) IGCAR, Kalpakkam d) NPCIL, Mumbai .

Selection to OCES/DGFS is a two-step process: screening to short-list candidates followed by interview of the short-listed candidates. 

Screening for the Engineering disciplines is based on two alternative methods:

(a) Cut-off GATE Score is 340 or more for short-listing candidates for interview.

(b) Written Test: It is conducted in each of the seven Engineering disciplines of Mechanical, Chemical, Metallurgical, Civil, Electrical, Electronics, computer, Instrumentation, Engineering physics, and food technology for short-listing candidates for interview.  The written test is held in May.

National Certification Examination for Energy Manager/Energy Auditor

Any post graduate, graduate or diploma engineer can sit for National Certification Examination being conducted annually for Energy Manager by National Productivity Council under the aegis of Bureau of Energy Efficiency. The minimum qualification for appearing in Energy Auditor examination is a graduate or post graduate degree in engineering.

National Doctoral Fellowship

The All India Council for Technical Education, (AICTE) has introduced National Doctoral Fellowship Scheme from 2002-2003.  Under this scheme Fifty (50) Doctoral Fellowships are offered every year to selected candidates in emerging areas / disciplines of Technical Education by AICTE to pursue Doctoral programme.

Early Faculty Induction Program

This program aims at attracting bright young students in AICTE approved institutions to take teaching  as their career.