B.Tech in Civil Engineering: Course, Admission, Syllabus, Scope and Salary

B.Tech in Civil Engineering is a 4 year undergraduate engineering program which includes the study of material science, structural designs, construction materials & management. A civil engineer is responsible for planning, designing and supervising the construction of facilities essential to modern life like bridges, highways, offshore buildings, colleges & schools, airports, dams, water facilities and sewage systems. They also improve existing infrastructure that has been neglected and help to preserve the environment by assisting in the cleaning up of pollution and devising new ways to reduce future pollution of water, air and land.

B.Tech in Civil Engineering: Course Highlights

For some time B.Tech civil engineering has been overshadowed due to the sudden boom in the electronic and software industry, however, with India’s growing economy and lagging infrastructure it is evident that India needs skilled and qualified civil engineers to make sure that infrastructure doesn't slow down the economy.

The subjects for graduation degree of B.Tech in civil engineering are mentioned below:

• Engineering mechanics

• Engineering mathematics

• Soil mechanics

• Fluid mechanics

• Hydrology

• Hydraulic mechanics

• Water resource engineering

• Strength of materials

• RCC

• Prestressed concrete

• Structural analysis

• Transportation

• Construction Materials

• Construction management

• Environmental engineering

• Steel structures

• Surveying

How to get Admission in B.Tech Civil Engineering?

Just like admission in any other engineering undergraduate course, admission for B.Tech in civil engineering has three ways :

• Entrance exams: Selections in most colleges are done through entrance exams such as JEE Main, JEE Advanced, BITSAT, SRMJEEE, VITEEE, SITEEE, AMUEEE, etc. These exams are conducted by different institutional bodies. JEE Main & Advanced are conducted by NTA (National Test Agency) while other entrance exams are regulated by their respective institutes.

• Direct Entry for Diploma Students: In some colleges students with a diploma in civil engineering can apply for direct admission, however, for major colleges like IITs and NITs.

• Direct Admission: Many private colleges also conduct direct admission on just basis of academic qualification or donation.

After qualifying for the entrance exam, candidates are allotted seats through counselling which is regulated by the respective authorities of these institutes.

Top Entrance Exams for B.Tech in Civil Engineering

Most colleges offering admission in B.Tech civil engineering program conduct national or university level engineering entrance exams. Few B.Tech. civil engineering colleges also conduct their own entrance exams. Mentioned below are some top exams which engineering aspirants should consider to appear to get admission for B.Tech in civil engineering.

JEE Main (Joint Entrance Examination Main)

The national undergraduate engineering entrance exam JEE Main is one of the most popular and well known exams in India. It is a means to get admission in the top engineering institutes of India. The NTA (National Test agency) holds the exam in two sessions - January and April. This entrance exam is the gateway to NITs, IIITs and a screening test for the IITs which are the best colleges for pursuing B.Tech in civil engineering.

JEE Advanced (Joint Entrance Examination Advanced)

As the second phase of JEE, JEE Advanced is not just the most popular but also one of the most important exams for students. Only a handful of students are deemed eligible for this exam. The students compete for seats in 23 IITs (Indian Institute of Technology) and IISc Bangalore (Indian Institute of Science). The seats are distributed on the basis of AIR (All India Rank) achieved by students.

BITSAT (Birla Institute of Technology and Science Admission Test)

BITSAT is conducted in three states Pilani, Hyderabad and Goa by BITS (Birla Institute of Technology and Science). It is considered to be one of the most competitive engineering entrance exams which makes the admission rate highly low. It provides a good faculty and many opportunities for students who want to pursue a B.Tech. civil engineering course.

SRMJEEE (Sri Ramaswamy Memorial Joint Engineering Entrance Examination)

Organized by SRM Institute of Science and Technology, more than 2 lakh candidates per year appear for SRM Joint Engineering Entrance Exam. The top rank holders of central & state board-examinations and the top 1000 IIT JEE rank holders are considered eligible for direct admission. SRM is one of the best institutes to pursue B.Tech in civil engineering course.

COMEDK UGET (Consortium of Medical, Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka Undergraduate Entrance Test)

COMEDK UGET is a university-level exam conducted by the Consortium of Medical, Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka. An intermediate student from any state can appear for this exam as long as they are eligible.

B.Tech in Civil Engineering Eligibility Criteria

The B.Tech civil engineering eligibility criteria is mentioned below:

• Candidates must have passed Class 12 with Science stream or its equivalent from any recognized board

• The qualifying examination should be with Physics, Maths, Chemistry and an extra subject of the students choice.

• Candidates must have 50% marks in their aggregate percentage

• Reserved categories such as SC/ ST have relaxation upto 5%

Candidates must have these above mentioned credentials to meet the B.Tech. civil engineering eligibility criteria. The eligibility criteria might slightly differ from college to college. Some colleges also offer scholarships to students.

Top Institutes/Colleges for B.Tech in Civil Engineering

There are numerous institutes that offer B.Tech in civil engineering, however, choosing a good one is as important for your career as choosing your stream. Mentioned below are some of the top institutes which offer this course:

• IIT Kharagpur (Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur)

• IIT Delhi (Indian Institute of Technology Delhi)

• IIT Hyderabad ((Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad)

• NIT Trichy (National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli)

• Delhi Technological University New Delhi (DTU)

• College of Engineering Pune

• Dr. BR Ambedkar National Institute of Technology

• Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur

• PES (People’s Education Society) University Bangalore

• Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT)

The B.Tech. civil engineering fees slightly varies from institute to institute. Before getting into the admission process candidates must always do thorough research on colleges and institutes. Average range of B.Tech. civil engineering fees is around 3 - 7 lakhs (Public Institutes) and 6 - 14 lakhs (Private Institutes).

B.Tech in Civil Engineering : Career Prospects

Civil engineers are generally hired by construction firms, municipal bodies, defence forces development boards, state government, local government and federal government. Their job profiles range from structural engineers to a lecturer/professor. Civil engineers find work not just in the construction industry, but also in other industries such as oil and energy, transportation, petroleum, environmental, power and electric utilities etc where infrastructure projects and construction facilities are involved. With the economy and population growing at a speeding rate India is going through an unprecedented need for qualified civil engineers which signifies a bright and good future for civil engineers. Mentioned below are some of the job profiles that civil engineers land into after graduation.

• Structural engineer: They plan, design, and supervise the constructions of infrastructural projects like buildings, bridges, and so on. They also take care of the existing infrastructure.

• Geotechnical engineer: The prime responsibility of geotechnical engineers is to create projects and find solutions to the problems that are related to geology. They focus on how structures built by civil engineers, such as buildings, bridges and tunnels, interface with earth (including soil and rock). They also design and plan for slopes, retaining walls.

• Site engineer: They are responsible for supervising material and people working at the site. They also provide security, safety and proper health measurements for the people working at the construction site. They are part of the site management team.

• Construction engineer: The main job of construction engineer includes - to plan, supervise and direct large construction projects. They operate as leader and middleman on infrastructure projects and ensure everything about the project is going according to the plan.

• Transportation engineer: These engineers design, plan and maintain everyday facilities ranging from streets and highways to projects such as ship ports, airports, mass transit systems.

• Environmental engineer: To protect fragile resources and use them efficiently the skills of environmental engineers are in high demand. They translate physical, chemical and biological processes into systems to remove pollutants from water and destroy toxic substances.

Vital Qualities for Civil Engineer

• Leadership skills

• Good time management

• Problem solving skills

• Team player

• Capability to visualise

• Organizational skills

B.Tech in Civil Engineering : Salary Trends

The salary of civil engineers differs from individual to individual depending upon their capabilities, skill and tenure. The salaries also vary for every job profile. The more experienced and skilful a civil engineer is the more salary they are paid. From office to field, the job profiles for civil engineers are very vast and innovative. Enclosed below are some figures and not actual percentages, please treat them as references.

A few decades ago, civil engineering was the most sought after course among Indian students, however, in the past decade, it has been overlooked due to the rapid boost in the IT industry and now after some time its back in demand. The companies are recruiting skilled civil engineers who can help them create good infrastructure and contribute to the growth of their company. This resurgence of civil engineering is the result of India’s growing economy with its lagging infrastructure. Being a B.Tech. civil engineer graduate you can work for a private construction company or you can also work for government bodies.

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