Higher Studies or Job?

With the session coming to the end, final year engineering students need to make crucial decisions related to their careers. One of the most common questions in front of students is whether to go for higher studies or to go for a job. For people not doing their degrees from institutes of repute like IITs, few NITs and few more etc, it is more difficult to decide. Just like many others, I also faced the same dilemma after finishing my UG. Today, I would like to share my views and experiences about it.

If one is looking for a long term career in the industry, it is better to go for a job instead of higher studies. B.Tech. degree is sufficient to get into most of the industries. Also, one more question one thinks before going for higher studies is that how much value addition would take place in terms of package after masters'. Would one get a better paid job after master degree? Well, I believe, chances of getting a higher paid job is not bright. It was not in the past also. Hence, those who are looking for high paid jobs shouldn't opt for higher studies.  One will get salary almost equal to UG people.

Now, the one important question one must answer is that do one have qualities to enter into a multinational company? Quality of education in engineering institutes has degraded drastically in past few years. There are various reasons behind this. The most responsible factor is that the system failed to meet the growing demand of quality faculty. Hence, the quality has fallen sharply. I often keep saying that majority of the institutes specially state private colleges are producing "techno-craps" in place of technocrats. To improve once technical skills, it is worthwhile to spend two more years in higher studies. But again, selection of institute is really the key to achieve better skills. I strongly recommend,  one must opt for a reputed institute for higher studies. There is lot to learn in the premier institutions of the country like IITs, IISc, IISERs, few universities like JNU, DU etc. Apart from technical skills, one can develop other skills also like how to present yourself in a better way. Also, most of the good industries follow the ranking pattern for the campus placement. Better the institute, brighter the chances to get into a good company.  When I left the job from Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) to join Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore for master degree, some of my friends asked me why I wanted to leave a well settled government job? I used to answer them, now I am an engineer from some college. But when I will come out after IISc, I would be an alumni of the best institute of the country, which is good enough for me to decide. Studying in a top institution always gives a feeling of confidence, which will turn into pride over the years. It is worthwhile to leave a few lakhs which one could have earned in the industry in the two years that one would have spend studying for the masters degree in one of the premier institutes.