Last Updated on July 27, 2023 by Vishnu Nambiar
IC Engineering stands for Instrumentation and Control Engineering. In this article, we will see important details related to B.E./B.Tech. IC Engineering course. Details covered in this article are- basic course detail, scope of this program, important subjects and topics that students will come across, job opportunities available after finishing the course, salary details and eligibility criteria.
B.E./B.Tech. IC Engineering course is a Bachelor’s Degree Undergraduate Level program. Let us start off by dealing with the basic course details in the next section-
B.E./B.Tech. IC Engineering: Basic course details
B.E./B.Tech. IC Engineering program is a 4 years long Undergraduate Level course. The 4 years’ duration is divided into 8 semesters, with each semester lasting a period of 6 months.
In each semester, different sets of subjects are introduced. Some subjects may be recurring ones, appearing in more than one semester. The first two semesters will contain common Engineering subjects only.
Along with theoretical part, practical lab sessions also play a crucial part, when it comes to this B.E./B.Tech program.
The field of IC is closely related to creating and maintaining Control systems, control processes, automated systems, calibration of automated systems etc. It h got elements of electronics engineering, bit of software and programming, electrical systems, robotics, mechatronics engineering etc in it.
Okay, let us take an example. Have you been to a car manufacturing factory? Well, for many of us, going there in person is not a very easy task. Still, many of us have seen on TV about how a car is assembled, part by part, automatically by machines that have been programmed to perform specific tasks. Such a system works perfectly due to the control system managing it and the calibration done to this system. IC Engineering is all about planning, developing and maintaining such systems.
And as mentioned above, important elements that this Engineering branch makes use of are- hydraulics, programming, sensors, electronics control systems, microprocessors, microcontrollers etc.
Not only are such systems used in Car manufacturing units. These days, a good number of manufacturing units use automated systems to deal with manufacturing processes. This is mainly due to the increased productivity that these systems bring in with them!
IC Engineers are also responsible for developing new control systems technology through Research and Development work also. If you are interested in knowing more about the nature of IC Engineering, the next section will be of help to you. Over there, I’ve mentioned important subjects that students will come across in this Bachelor’s Degree program. By taking a look at those subjects and topics, one may get a general idea about what the course is like and what it is all about.
B.E./B.Tech. IC Engineering: Important subjects
As mentioned before, the first two semesters contains only common set of Engineering subjects. Workshop session is also present in first year. Here are some important 1st year subjects-
- Engineering Mathematics
- Engineering Physics
- Engineering Graphics
- Elements of Electrical Engineering
- Elements of Mechanical Engineering
- Mechanics of Solids
- Environmental Science
- Elements of Civil Engineering
- Basics of Computer Programming
- Workshop (Practical)
From third semester onward, subjects focusing on IC field will be introduced. Here are some such subjects that will come up from 3rd semester onward-
- Basic Electronics (Introduction)
- Circuits and Networks
- Electrical Systems and Machines
- Logic Design
- Simulation and Design Tools
- Microprocessors
- Control Theory
- Transducers
- Advanced Electronics
- Microcontrollers
- Sensors and Digital Signals
- Control Systems (Industrial)
- Process Control
- Industrial Control Systems
- Industrial Measurement
- Digital Communication
- Instrumentation Measurement
- Design of Control Systems
- Automation Controller
- Digital Signals
- Programming Automation Controllers and Systems
- Motion Control
Those were some important subjects present in IC Engineering program. Some of the above mentioned subjects are recurring ones. There are elective subjects also present, which varies from one University to another.
The last two semesters also have project work involved in it. Practical lab sessions associated with some subjects also play a key role and holds much importance.
Let us talk about eligibility criteria now-
Eligibility Criteria
To pursue B.E./B.Tech. Instrumentation and Control Engineering, a student must have completed 12th Science stream schooling with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics subjects from a recognized Board. To take part in the professional courses admission process, a student must also have appeared for state and/or national level entrance examination also.
Courses to pursue after B.E./B.Tech IC Engineering
Number of technical as well as management course are available in front of IC Engineering graduates. The most popular choice is M.E./M.Tech. IC Engineering program that lasts 2 years. Graduates may select a particular field of specialization that they like and go for M.E./M.Tech. program related to that topic.
M.B.A. is also a good option, if one wants to acquire management skills. B.M.S. (Bachelor of Management Science) too is a good course.
Scope, Salary and Job opportunities after graduation
Ample amounts of job opportunities are available in front of Graduates in both Government as well as Private Sector. The advantage that IC Engineers have on their side is that there is relatively lesser number of Graduates coming out of Colleges each year (IC branch), when compared to other Engineering branches. This results in low competition for job posts, which ultimately helps Graduates land good jobs fast!
Manufacturing units, Electronics Industries, Robotics and Automation sector are the prime recruiters. Graduates may also start up their own venture and develop control systems for Industries. Working as an Independent consultant is another option available in front of Graduates.
Working as an Independent Consultant is great. But before choosing that career path, it would be great to accumulate a wealth of Industrial working experience.
Salary specifications varies, depending upon the job type- own venture, Government job or Private job. On an average, it is generally between 3.5-5 Lakh Rupees per year. But this figure may vary, depending upon the above mentioned factors as well as company profile, quality of the college from which student graduated, academic grades etc.
Some well known job posts available in front of Graduates are-
- Instrumentation Engineer
- Control Systems Engineer
- System Design Engineer
- Control System Programmer
After completing M.E./M.Tech. program, one may also take up teaching job in Private or Government Technical Education Colleges or Engineering Colleges. Going for PhD program will open doors that leads to a career in the Research and Development sector.
I am Vishnu Nambiar a career and educational blogger from India. I am also a full time educational consultant having more than 12 years of experience in the educational sector.
I share articles related to courses, colleges, careers, exam tips and more here.