What is Electrical Engineering?
From the lights that brighten our houses to the gadgets we rely on a daily basis, the force behind them is electricity. Electricity is a woven part of our modern daily lives, giving power to every device that makes our lives easier, from providing light to our home appliances, cooking our food on electric stoves, operating microwaves, charging our entertainment devices, and even being very important for businesses and industries. Overall, electricity enhances our quality of life by providing comfort and convenience. Without electricity, our day would not be able to begin or end.
Electrical engineering is a branch of engineering that contributes to the global connection of electricity. It is an area of study that focuses on electricity, electromagnetics, and electronics. Trained electrical engineers are expected to understand and develop electronic devices and equipment, as well as concepts of electricity and circuits.
Electrical engineers are usually recruited for projects such as large-scale power plants, the development of renewable energy systems, the design of circuits, advanced medical devices, the operation or manufacture of industrial machinery, electrical motors, ignition systems for automobiles, aircraft, and spacecraft, among others.
What is Electrical Engineering?
Electrical engineering is one of the disciplines in engineering that focuses on the study of physics, mechanics, optics, and related mathematics. Concepts such as electrical circuits, digital and analog circuits, communication systems, electromagnetism, and power systems are supposedly to be learned in electrical engineering.
Aspirants who are aspiring to pursue a career in electrical engineering can opt for an undergraduate degree such as B.tech or B.E. after 10+2 from top colleges after securing the required scores in JEE Main and Advanced.
Gradually, interested candidates can even pursue postgraduate degrees from top IITs and NITs in electrical engineering by securing a GATE score.
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Electrical Engineering – Courses
Electrical engineering is an ever-evolving field that showcases advancements in technology and requires strong fundamentals in mathematics, physics, and engineering principles. Along with these, critical thinking and creativity are must-have skills.
There are several top institutions in India offering courses in electrical engineering at various levels:
- Indian Institute of Technology (IIT): IITs are the top engineering institutes offering various engineering courses such as undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral degrees in electrical engineering.
- National Institutes on Technology (NITs): NITs are highly esteemed for offering technical education and also offering undergraduate and postgraduate programs in electrical engineering.
- Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIITs): IIITs offer undergraduate and postgraduate programs in information technology, and they also involve programs related to electrical engineering.
- Government Engineering Colleges: There are several state and central government colleges offering courses in electrical engineering.
- Private Engineering Colleges: There are numerous private engineering colleges across the nation offering degrees and programs in electrical engineering, each with a different fee structure in comparison to government colleges.
It is very important to look at the courses offered by the institutes, the faculty panel, the fee structure, accreditation, placement opportunities, and many other factors before enrolling in any of the institutes.
Electrical Engineering – Eligibility
Aspirants looking to grow in the electrical engineering field have numerous options to pursue. The eligibility criteria are required at every level mentioned below:
- Diploma: Minimum 50% marks are required in class 10th and a qualifying score in the diploma entrance examination. The diploma is a 3-year course.
- Undergraduate degree: A minimum of 50% overall in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics PCM or Physics, Chemistry, and Biology PCB disciplines from an accredited school, institution, or its equivalent. Joint Entrance Examination – JEE Main is the widely recognized entrance examination for the undergraduate engineering degree. Aspirants scoring the qualifying marks are eligible for undergraduate programs, including electrical engineering. A B.Tech. in engineering is a 4-year course.
- Postgraduate degree: An undergraduate B.Tech. degree is a must for pursuing a postgraduate degree. Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering GATE is the widely recognized examination for admission to a postgraduate engineering degree. Aspirants scoring the qualifying scores are eligible for M.Tech. in engineering, including electrical engineering. M.Tech. in engineering is a 2-year course.
- Doctoral degree: A postgraduate degree in engineering (M.Tech.) is a must for pursuing a PhD. A PhD is a 3–6-year course.
Electrical Engineering – Syllabus
Electrical engineering requires both theoretical and practical knowledge in electrical subjects such as power engineering, electronics, telecommunications, control systems, signal processing, and many more. It deals with the generation, transmission, distribution, and utilization of electrical energy. Moreover, electrical engineers also work on designing and implementing electronic circuits, devices, and systems, ensuring they meet the desired specifications and standards.
The curriculum for an undergraduate degree requires strong knowledge in mathematics, physics, and engineering disciplines. The course includes:
- Circuit Analysis: Fundamentals of electrical circuits, network theorems, and analysis techniques.
- Electronics: Study of semiconductor devices, operational amplifiers, digital logic circuits, and analog electronic circuits.
- Electromagnetics: Understanding electromagnetic fields, Maxwell’s equations, transmission lines, and electromagnetic wave propagation.
- Power Systems: Principles of electrical power generation, transmission, distribution, and utilization.
- Control Systems: Introduction to feedback control systems, stability analysis, and controller design.
- Signal Processing: Techniques for analyzing and processing signals, including filtering, modulation, and spectral analysis.
The above curriculum is a brief overview of the concepts and may vary depending on the institutes and specializations.
*It is advisable to check the website of institutes before enrolling as the syllabus may vary.
Electrical Engineering – Branches
Electrical engineering usually consists of the study of electronic engineering or electrical engineering, but it can easily be divided into sub-disciplines. Common electrical engineering sub-disciplines consist of:
- Control Engineering: Control engineering is concerned with designing the systems and devices to work in a desired manner. The systems and devices include aerospace flight control systems, automotive, manufacturing, robotics, process control, and more.
- Electronics Engineering: Electronic engineering is concerned with working with electronic circuits, systems, and devices. Devices such as televisions, computers, radar systems, gaming devices, and more.
- Computer Engineering: Computer engineering is concerned with computers, as is clear from its name. Designing the software systems and hardware devices such as desktops and laptops. It consists of both electronic engineering and computer science.
- Instrumentation Engineering: Instrumentation engineering is concerned with the design of instruments that are used for measuring flow, pressure, and temperature.
- Micro and Nanoelectronics Engineering: This sub-discipline is concerned with the design and fabrication of electronic devices at a small scale. The engineers work with electronic circuits such as transistors, integrated circuits, and diodes, which build devices like smartphones, computers, and sensors.
- Power and Energy Engineering: Power and energy engineering is concerned with the distribution of electricity and the design of electric motors, generators, and transformers.
Electrical Engineering – Top Colleges
As we talked about above, there are numerous institutes and colleges that offer programs in electrical engineering. Top IITs, NITs, and government colleges have passed out the brightest students in engineering including electrical engineering. Down below are some top colleges list for overview:
- VIT Vellore
- IIT Bombay
- IT Kharagpur
- IIT Delhi
- IIT Hyderabad
- IIT Madras
- IIT Kanpur
- IIT Guwahati
- IIT Roorkee
- Birla Institute of Technology And Science–Pilani (BITS–Pilani)
- IIT BHU
- NIT Warangal
- Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad
- Jadavpur University
- National Institute of Technology Rourkela
- SRM University Chennai
- NIT Trichy
- Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology
- Jamia Millia Islamia
- Indian Institute of Science (IISC)
Electrical Engineering – Careers
Electrical engineering is a highly competitive field, offering immense opportunities in the government as well as the private sector. Government exams like the Engineering Services Examination (ESE) and the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) are the gateways for engineers, including electrical engineers. The qualifying scores in these exams offer jobs at PSUs such as BHEL, PGCIL, NTPC, ONGC, Indian Railways, Defense services, state electricity boards, and research organizations such as ISRO and DRDO. Electrical engineers can pursue a career in teaching and research at top institutes like IITs, NITs, and several engineering colleges.
In the private sector, electrical engineers have diverse career opportunities. Roles spanning telecommunications, IT, renewable energy, manufacturing, and beyond. Electrical engineers use their knowledge and skills in designing and innovating new technologies, such as developing new devices, and smartphones, and enhancing renewable systems. Job profiles like electrical engineer, electronics engineer, instrumentation engineer, power electronics engineer, design engineer, project engineer, aeronautical engineer, and more as such in private sectors. Salary ranging from 4 lakhs is a starting and it goes more based on the profile and the company.
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FAQs
1. What is the career path of an electrical engineer?
Ans. The electrical engineer career path typically involves profiles such as electrical engineer, design engineer, and project engineer and it gradually grows with career advancements.
2. What are the opportunities for electrical engineering?
Ans. There are immense opportunities for electrical engineers in private sectors for job profiles like electrical engineer, design engineers for industries such as telecommunications, IT, and more. In government sectors, electrical engineers can get recruited in various PSUs through scoring in GATE exam held annually.
3. What is the exam for electrical engineering in India?
Ans. Joint Entrance Exam – JEE Main is the widely recognized undergraduate program for engineering including electrical engineering.
4. Is electrical engineering a good salary?
Ans. An average salary of electrical engineers is 4 lakhs and can exceed depending on the career advancement.
5. What are the 3 main branches of electrical engineering?
Ans. The three main branches of electrical engineering are power communications, electronics, and electrical systems.
6. Is electrical engineering hard?
Ans. Electrical engineering can be a challenging engineering discipline due to complex concepts. But the students’ interest and dedication play a crucial role in deciding the difficulty and ease of the subject.
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