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The field of Mechanical Engineering has seen an unprecedented rise in interest not only in terms of the vast avenues of exploration it offers but also when it comes to the lucrative career opportunities across a myriad of industries. Mechanical engineers work alongside specialists and experts from varied fields of Automation Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Robotics and Instrumentation and Control Engineering, amongst others. In particular, building a career in this field involves working across a diverse range of processes such as ideation, creation, production, testing and installation of mechanical systems used in a range of devices and systems.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Course Level | Undergraduate |
| Duration | 4 Years |
| Examination Type | Semester |
| Admission Process | Entrance Exam |
| Course Fee | INR 1 – 15 Lakhs |
| Average Salary | INR 2 – 7 Lakhs |
| Top Career Prospects | Mechanical Engineer, Design Engineer, Assistant Mechanical Engineer, Purchase and Quality Control Executive |
| Top Recruiters | BMW, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, Tata Motors, Toshiba, GE Global Research |
This Blog Includes:
What is Mechanical Engineering?
Technically speaking, mechanical engineering is the application of engineering ideas and problem-solving methods to the design, production, and sale of anything. The principles of motion, energy, and force are used by mechanical engineers to examine their work and make sure that designs operate in a cost-effective manner while being safe, effective, and reliable.
The work of mechanical engineers is important. This is so because professions focus on developing technology to satisfy human requirements. A mechanical engineer has probably contributed in some manner to almost every good or service in modern life in order to benefit humanity.
Skills Required
The solving of problems is the core of engineering. With this as its fundamental requirement, it also calls for applied creativity, a practical comprehension of the tasks involved, as well as strong interpersonal skills including networking, leadership, and conflict management. A mechanical engineer is fully formed by their ability to interact with people, ideas, data, and economics, which is only one aspect of the process.
Entrance Exams
| Popular Engineering Entrance Exams | |
|---|---|
| JEE Main | JEE Advanced |
| SRMJEEE | BITSAT |
| VITEEE | KIITEEE |
Syllabus
| Semester 1 | Semester 2 |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | Modern Biology |
| Electrical Sciences | Introduction to Computing |
| Mathematics – I | Mathematics – II |
| Physics – I | Engineering Mechanics |
| Chemistry Laboratory | Physics – II |
| Workshop /Physics Laboratory | Computing Laboratory |
| Engineering Drawing | Basic Electronics Laboratory |
| Physical Training – I | Physics Laboratory/Workshop |
| [NCC/NSO/NSS] | Physical Training – II |
| [NCC/NSO/NSS] | |
| Semester 3 | Semester 4 |
| Mathematics-III | Fluid Mechanics – I |
| Thermodynamics | Manufacturing Technology – I |
| Solid Mechanics – I | Solid Mechanics – II |
| Engineering Materials | Kinematics of Machinery |
| HSS Elective – I | HSS Elective – II |
| Machine Drawing | Workshop – II |
| Physical Training – III | Mechanical Lab – I |
| NCC/NSO/NSS | Physical Training – IV |
| NCC/NSO/NSS | |
| Semester 5 | Semester 6 |
| Fluid Mechanics – II | Applied Thermodynamics – I |
| Manufacturing Technology – II | Machine Design |
| Dynamics of Machinery | Mechanical Measurements |
| Design of Machine Elements | Heat and Mass Transfer |
| Electrical Machines | Control Systems |
| HSS Elective – III | Mechanical Lab – III |
| Mechanical Lab – II | |
| Semester 7 | Semester 8 |
| Summer Training (PP/NP) | Industrial Engineering and Operation Research |
| Applied Thermodynamics – II | Dept Elective – III |
| Dept Elective – I | Dept Elective – IV |
| Dept Elective – II | HSS Elective – IV |
| Open Elective – I | Project- II |
| Mechanical Lab IV | |
| Project- I |
Top Colleges in India
- Indian Institute of Technology, Madras
- Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi
- Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay
- Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur
- Lovely Professional University
Top Colleges Abroad
The following are the top colleges abroad to study mechanical engineering:
Coursework & Training
Before diving into the specifics of a career in Mechanical Engineering, it is important to give you an overview of the offered degree programs and what they entail. By far, the most popular courses include a Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering, a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering along with a BEng degree. Typically, the Mechanical Engineering syllabus is highly multidisciplinary with topics covering fundamental basics of Engineering, Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry as well as advanced subjects like heat transfer, engineering product design, Mechatronics Engineering, management and so forth. Courses at the best Mechanical Engineering Colleges also provide innumerable opportunities for research activities, workshops, industrial placements, etc to encourage a multidimensional manner of growth.
Eligibility Criteria
To successfully pursue a career in mechanical engineering, it is essential for one to have professional qualifications. Thus, having a degree in the field of mechanical engineering or any other related field has become a necessity. To help you out with the requirements for the same, given below are the eligibility criteria for pursuing education in mechanical engineering-
- For UG Courses: Formal education of 10+2 with science stream subjects from a recognised institution
- For PG Courses: A degree like BTech or BE in Mechanical Engineering with a minimum 3.0 GPA or its equivalent
- Candidates need to qualify GRE to seek admission in postgraduate courses of this field
- A good score in English language proficiency exams like IELTS, TOEFL, etc
- LOR and SOP
To pursue the same in India, here are the requirements-
- Candidate must have qualified class 12th examination with at least 55% off marks from PCM background
- For Masters courses, applicants must have qualified UG level courses with at least 50% marks along with the
Career Pathways
Graduates of Mechanical Engineering can venture either into traditional industries of manufacturing, systems, production or design and can otherwise choose to go through the academic route by going for a PhD after BTech thus becoming researchers at universities and organisations. Further, after a few years of industry experience, individuals can also acquire advanced degrees such as an MBA, or Master of Management Studies to enter senior-level roles. Let’s take a look at some of the major career pathways in this field.
Automotive Engineer
Automation Engineering has expanded into a full-fledged domain in itself with the introduction of advanced computerised tools and techniques and the need to make vehicles adaptable to human comfort levels. After studying Mechanical Engineering, you can opt to work in this field in the areas of design, production and development of vehicles and handling responsibilities of improving systems of exhaust, hydraulics, aerodynamics, and emissions as well as take care of financial and cost management.
Aerospace Engineer
Working as an aerospace engineer, you can expect to work in the creation and improvement of designs and mechanical systems of aircraft, satellites, weapon systems, missiles, etc. Further, one can choose to specialise in specific components of an aircraft as well. Aerospace engineers also work in investigation of aircraft mishaps and accidents. To build a career in mechanical engineering in this field, a combination of both an advanced degree as well as some years of industry experience is needed.
Also Read: Aerospace Engineering Colleges
Manufacturing Systems Engineer
The process and systems of manufacturing across several industries offer individuals a wide variety of opportunities to make a career in Mechanical Engineering. Common tasks may include, overseeing quality of raw materials, efficient production lines, wastage of materials and a host of other responsibilities.
Engineering Consultant
Typically considered a senior role in Management, engineering consultants are in charge of large scale projects which involve heavy use of both core engineering and managerial skills. They regularly liaison with designers, health and safety experts, manufacturers, production engineers and quality engineers to ensure timely and satisfactory completion of projects. An MBA in Project Management is highly recommended for those wanting to opt for this career profile after Mechanical Engineering.
Nuclear Engineer
Serving as a nuclear engineer, you will work in designing and maintenance of nuclear power plants in order to maintain efficiency and stability. In addition to that, tasks may include overseeing compliance with health, and safety regulatory standards, and solving operational problems, and environmental concerns, among others. Nuclear engineers also frequently liaison with govt. officials and power management professionals to ensure the proper functioning of nuclear power plants.
More Options
Along with the above-mentioned pathways, options to make a career in Mechanical Engineering do not just end there. A few more have been stated below.
- CAD Technician
- Instrumentation & Control Engineer
- Maintenance Engineer
- Technical Sales Engineer
- Production Manager
Major Employment Sectors
Once you have successfully completed a program in this field, you may attain a full time job in the below mentioned employment sectors-
- Automotive Industries
- Aerospace Industries
- Manufacturing Industries
- Construction and Building Services
- Energy Utilities
- Biomedical Industries
- Engineering consultancies
- Government Agencies
Top Recruiters
To find good job opportunities for starting a career in Mechanical Engineering, mentioned below are some of the top organisations you can target-
- Tata Group
- Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited
- Honda Siel Car Division
- Larsen and Toubro
- National Aluminium Company Ltd.
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- BOSCH India
- Siemens
- Thermex
- Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited
- Godrej Group
- Thyssen Group
Average Salary
The salary you will be able to make up in this field will depend upon your qualification as well as the amount of industry experience you have. Here are the basic salaries of the common job profiles belonging to this sector-
| Job Profiles | Initial Level Salary | Mediocre Level Salary | Senior Level Salary |
| Automotive Engineer | 4,00,000 | 5,20,000 | 8,20,000 |
| Aerospace Engineer | 6,75,000 | 8,50,000 | 20,00,000 |
| Mechanical Engineer | 3,00,000 | 5,50,000 | 8,00,000 |
| Maintenance Engineer | 2,50,000 | 4,50,000 | 5,00,000 |
| Contracting Civil Engineer | 3,00,000 | 5,50,000 | 7,00,000 |
| Control and Instrumentation Engineer | 3,00,000 | 4,50,000 | 10,00,000 |
FAQs
Once mechanical engineers focus on their major, they can expect to find courses in design, manufacturing, mechanics, thermodynamics, and materials.
Yes. A mechanical engineering degree can lead to careers in many fields, including manufacturing and aerospace. These careers provide strong annual salaries.
Mechanical engineering is quite challenging. In fact, mechanical engineering is regarded as one of the most challenging degrees due to the numerous challenging math and science courses, advanced technical lectures, numerous lab sessions, and in-depth study of a wide range of topics that are required.
Employment of mechanical engineers is projected to grow 7 percent from 2020 to 2030, about as fast as the average for all occupations. About 20,200 openings for mechanical engineers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
While the interest across engineering branches is on the rise and the options of a career are also simultaneously expanding, it is important for students to realise that choosing a field that accentuates their skills and interests is of paramount importance. The AI tool at Leverage Edu is curated to help you pick a career choice based on personalised algorithmic mapping of abilities so that you can take an informed decision towards a rewarding career.
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