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| An engineering class in progress at ITER College in Bhubaneswar. Telegraph picture |
Bhubaneswar, Aug. 24: Mechanical engineering seems to be the most sought-after stream among spring techies with nearly 40 per cent of them opting for it.
According to the data available with Odisha Joint Entrance Examination (OJEE) authorities about 5,448 students opted for mechanical engineering during this admission season. A total of 7,420 chose electrical and electronic engineering, while 2,560 opted for civil engineering. Around 3,537 preferred to join computer science in the 99 engineering colleges in the state.
“Mechanical engineering has remained the most popular choice for students across the state irrespective of colleges,” said OJEE secretary Priyabrata Sahoo.
“Students are opting for core engineering subjects such as mechanical and electrical as these are upcoming sectors with ample job opportunities. The trend has been similar for the past couple of years now,” said Binod Dash, secretary, Odisha Private Engineering Colleges’ Association. The biggest advantage in choosing a core subject, however, lies with the multiple job opportunities. Besides being eligible for the jobs in their core areas, students could also apply for IT jobs, said a promoter of an engineering college. “The trend started after software firms began recruiting irrespective of branches. Today software firms that go for campus recruitments take students from mechanical, electrical and civil departments,” said a senior official at KIIT University.
Students are generally under the impression that they would get into lucrative IT jobs even if they do not take software engineering. Instead, they pursue the course of their choice.
At the end of the term, most engineering students from electrical, mechanical and even from civil branches accept offer letters from IT companies choosing to settle for IT jobs. This has been a usual trend in most colleges. However, there are exceptions.
In colleges such as College of Engineering and Technology, students prefer to wait for jobs from their core field.
“The IT glamour has weaned. Our students pick up jobs from their core fields which gives them a chance to make use the education gathered during the four years of their study even if it offers them a comparatively lower salary,” said S.K. Pradhan, placement officer of College of Engineering and Technology.