Instrumentation Engineering: What Do Graduates

Have In Store Now

In todays IT-centric world, it only becomes natural for those studying engineering
to focus more on IT-related branches of study rather than the other engineering
streams. However, do remember that Indian engineering also has scope beyond
Information Technology Enabled Services (ITes). In fact, experienced engineers
consider other branches as evergreen; and not dependent on western economies.
One such engineering study stream is Instrumentation Engineering also called as
Instrumentation Technology (INS).

We spoke to several career experts, and those who even hire, about various aspects
related to Instrumentation Engineering in a bid to enable budding engineers and
fresh engineering graduates to make informed decisions and to debunk myths
surrounding INS. One popular myth that has been doing the rounds of late is
Instrumentation Engineering does not exist anymore in certain states; the branch
has been merged with Mechanical Engineering.

Instrumentation engineering offers more than a

decent start
If you land a job in a reputed multinational company (MNC), these offer salary
packages in the range of Rs 4 lakh-Rs 6 lakh per annum for freshers, states Dr Ali
Khwaja an expert career counsellor and head of Bangalore-based Banjara Academy
that does its bit in guiding graduates towards the right career path.

An average annual salary offered to Instrumentation engineers in India comes

around Rs.4,00,000. states Aishwarya Sharma who works as the commercial
manager at job search engine Neuvoo.

Apart from the above, experts also feel that jobs at small scale industries have also
been seeing consistent demand. Salary package offered here lies in the Rs 2 lakh
Rs 3 lakh per annum range advises Dr Ali.

Students currently pursuing Instrumentation feel that the above numbers are good
to start-off with. Most of the students we spoke to felt that they wanted a good
career hold in the reputed Indian manufacturing firms, rather than get placed in a
foreign MNC.

A job at an Indian factory is better than a high-paying foreign MNC opening; focus
is on Make In India and progression of our economy, rather than money-making.
was the general sentiment echoed by Instrumentation students spread out across
engineering colleges in Karnataka.

Your opportunities are vast Dont be fooled by

myths
With Instrumentation having acquired the tag of classical engineering study
streams, you have vast opportunities as far as career is concerned. Even experts
second this.
Instrumentation engineers have an edge over IT engineers, as the former get to
work in any manufacturing industry that focuses on technical products. You have
millions of companies to choose from in India. You could work in any of these, or
specifically target the ones that have products focusing on hardware aspects such
as calibration, measurement, and switches, states a head of department of
Instrumentation Engineering at BVB College of Engineering and Technology located
in Karnataka, on the condition of anonymity.

In case you are a fresh Instrumentation graduate preferring to work abroad, you
have something over there as well. With a salary of 20-30 lac per year, many of the
overseas placements tops the list. adds Aishwarya.

Our firm is on top of the minds of instrumentation engineers who even take up
internship opportunities intending to later get absorbed. stated a senior recruiter
at one of the top instrumentation companies in Bengaluru.

This senior recruiter also advises budding engineers to specially take up

instrumentation as the specialisation during study. Technical instrumentation is
one area that offers creative work for engineers, sums-up the recruiter.

Exact focus areas for you

In case you are pondering over the exact focus areas to work on after studying
Instrumentation, then you could check out verticals such as management and
maintenance of existing systems, hardcore manufacturing technicalities,
troubleshooting tasks, Research and Development (R&D), and consultancy.

A general outline of companies includes cement manufacturing, steel plants,

thermal power plants, chemical companies, and even electronics components
manufacturing.

AI, ML, and Robotics have also made Instrumentation

smarter
Dr Ali advises fresh instrumentation engineers to explore careers even in nano-
technology, apart from Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and
Robotics. This means that there are ample opportunities across these
new/upcoming core technical sectors. So, you could also get to explore the
technical side of you.

AI is one sector where engineers from all major streams can collaborate and
research, states Bastin Robin- chief data scientist at Bangalore-based Hash
Research Labs; an IoT startup company.

Instrumentation engineers will be involved in micro-management design and

management of products, adds Bastin.

There are other sectors as well

If you think that you deserve to work in diverse fields, after your Instrumentation,
then you have sectors, that involve complete utilisation of your academic skills
without you having to take up custom-made courses externally, such as
electronics, telecommunication, electrical, and mechanical. Companies having a
focus in these areas are also open to absorbing fresh instrumentation graduates.

Check out a list of currently hot jobs experts

advise you to check out now
As per Aishwarya, the below jobs are currently hot and offer optimal pay packages.
Though these specifically target the experienced instrumentation engineers, it
should do no harm for even freshers to check out for vacancies in these companies:

Namo Engineering Pvt. Ltd: Designation offered Instrumentation/Rotary

engineers. Pay Package: Rs 6 lakh- Rs 10 lakh per annum. Freshers are also
seemingly welcome.
ACE Systems: Designation Offered Instrumentation Engineers. Pay
Package Rs 4 lakh per annum for freshers. As per Aishwarya, ACE Systems
post requirements frequently. So you could begin your job hunting from this
company.
TR Manpower Consultants: Designation Offered (by a client of this company)-
Instrumentation Engineer. Pay Package Rs 7 lakh Rs 10 lakh per annum.

Which are the hotbeds in India for instrumentation?

Experts have rated Indian geographies such as Noida, Chennai, Hyderabad, and
Bangalore as hotspots for opportunities in instrumentation.

Dont divert from instrumentation

With vast openings, experts advise fresh engineers to stick to their specialisation
(instrumentation) and improvise here, rather than taking up an IT-related course
externally by spending valuable money. Dont trade your acquired skills for an
external unrelated course. Most often than not you would end up in no mans
land. signs-off the BVB College professor.

Major contributors to the article:

Dr Ali Khwaja Chairman of Banjara Academy, and expert career counsellor
Aishwarya Sharma Commercial Manager at Neuvoo (job search engine)
Chief Data Scientist at Bengaluru-based Hash Research
Bastin Robin
Labs
Engineering students across Karnataka numbering 100
A senior Recruiter at a Bengaluru-based instrumentation firm
A professor (anonymous) at BVB College of Engineering and Technology