Introduction to IESL B

Paper
Shavindranath Fernando
Past President
WHAT DO WE NEED OUR ENGINEERS TO BE ?
LISTEN with an Open mind and SPEAK-UP, when
required - always in a talking mood, does not ration
words but speak sense!
WRITE WELL: Clear and logical writing, in whatever
they write. Fiercely careful about accuracy.
GOOD MANNERS: Courteous, well mannered.
DRESS WELL: Be smartly dressed to suit the
occasion.
READ WELL: Such a lot of media, news channels,
Journals, Technical reports
WORK HARD
Are you ready to face the challenge?
 Are you ready to face the
challenge?

Face The Challenge Confidently

thinking
If I cant Who Can

and After winning be humble enough

to say
If I can who cant
 Professional Review
IESL tests theExamination
candidates on:
(i) professional experience and
(ii) knowledge on general issues faced by engineers
and the society they work in
Comprise of :
a) Viva- voce an oral examination (shorten form
viva) simply means an interview aimed at assessing
ones knowledge.
b) A paper which is prepared specifically to
examine the candidate on his specific experience
and
c) B paper aimed at testing the candidates
knowledge on engineers role in society and
general affairs
 What do we examine at IESL B Paper
In Engineering Council (UK) Examination there is a
specific subject called Engineer in Society
We at IESL call it B Paper and we test the knowledge
on general issues faced by engineers and the society
they work in
But we have a syllabus which is very wide and relate
to day to day issues we as Engineers face in society.
How many have looked at it?
Have you gone through some of the lectures done
last year?
Are you aware of the structure of the B Paper?
Have you gone through the pass papers and
attempted to do them. What about kuppi???
Paper B The Structure and emphasis
Communication Skills, Code of Conduct and
awareness of events taking place in the Society
1. Written Paper B would be of 03 hours duration and will consist of two
Sections. Section I will be on Engineering Ethics and Code of Conduct whilst
Section II will be on topics based on issues taking place in society, both local
and foreign, and in other spheres other than engineering that has direct
impact on the society.

2. Out of the questions in Section II, some of the questions will be on topics of
general nature where specific knowledge about the area subjected to the
question is not necessarily required to answer them. Candidates are usually
asked to analyse, express opinions, comment, giving views, elaborate etc. on
certain issues taking place in the society. A candidate who is generally
sensitive to what is taking place around him and who can form his opinion
about them should be able to answer these questions without difficulty.
The other questions will be based on specific pre-identified areas.

3. Candidates are required to answer four (04) questions; selecting

one (01) from Section I and three (03) from section II. Candidates
can select any mix of questions irrespective of the type in Section II.

4. Each question will carry 25 marks and the pass mark for the paper will be
 IESL will be testing you
on...
1. Communication skills - The art of communicating clearly, concisely and
intelligibly in English. The art of structuring an answer, the beginning, the
body and the conclusion, presentation and the flow, transition from one
point to another, proper use of paragraphs, writing grammatically correct
English, spellings, writing answers to the point etc.

2. Ethics and Code of Conduct. (Refer IESL publications on the subject).

3. Issues affecting the Society Social, Economic Political factors, Gender

Issues, behavioral sciences, National Development, Industry, Commerce,
Role and responsibility of engineers as a member of the society and as a
professional, public perception of engineers, strengths , opportunities and
threats to the profession, role of the civil society, environmental issues,
emerging technologies, International affairs, Governments national policy
and Sri Lankan economy, major infrastructure projects taking place and
planned for future etc.

4. Also listen to the lectures on specific topics arranged by IESL from time
to time and in this series of lectures and last few years on which few
questions will be directly based upon.
WHY DO STUDENTS FAIL IN
THE B PAPER ?
THE REAL REASON:
STUDENTS DO NOT WORK HARD
AND PREPARE ADEQUATELY, TO
MEET THE REQUIREMENTS (as you
did in the school, university, IESL
examinations) - they do not read
technical literature, national news
papers, international journals or
simply not interested in topics
other than their own area of
 Problems faced by
candidates:
The problems faced by candidates
and their weaknesses have been
identified to be the following:
(i) poor reading habits,
(ii) lack of knowledge of common affairs,
especially politics, economics, social
issues,
(iii) inability to correctly understand the
question
(iv) inability to structure a response to a
question,
To overcome these problems
series of lectures are conducted
about three months before the PR
examination
IESL hopes that this series of
lectures and interaction with eminent
resource persons will help candidates
to overcome their weaknesses before
the examination, and enable them to
face the paper with a greater degree
of confidence.
IESL will do its part; What do you have to do
Attend these Lectures as much as possible, if
you miss it look them up in the web site.
Read articles of national interest especially on
engineering related issues and issues that
impact the national economy, International
relations, environment etc.
Attempt the pass papers and write answers to
those questions and check with the resource
persons if they would like to give a feed back on
your answers I will most certainly do so on my
subject areas.
If you are not quite competent in English Please
follow an English course. English is not our
mother tongue.
Topics of General Nature
Let us Look at these Awful
Pictures
Who is responsible for
those???
Electrical Short Circuit caused this Fire
1100 lives were lost in Dhaka in
2013
Looks Funny Therte was a joke in one
our news papers
Can we afford to laugh at others???
 If Technologists and Technicians try to
do the job of Engineers this may
happen

But are we prepared to face the challenge.

Can we confidently say that we Engineers in
Sri Lanka will not let this happen?

Can IESL assure that our Charted Engineers

are in a position to avoid this kind of
disasters.
The answer is in your hand
 How about your General Knowledge
Shall we have a quiz?
What is CEPA
Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement
What is NATO
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
GATT
General Agreement on Trade and Tariff
SAPTA
South Asian Preferential Trade Agreement
SAFTA
Agreement on South Asian Free Trade Agreement
 Some unsavory statistics Are
you prepared to Improve it!!!
Year March Septem March Septem March Septem
and 2013 ber 2014 ber 2015 ber
exam 2013 2014 2015
Total
applied 534 565 775 801 911 835
Total
Candida
tes who
sat the
Exam 426 461 623 650 716 644
Total
Candida
tes who
Passed 198 210 354 347 398 408
Percent
age
Passed 46 46 57 53 56 63
 How Many exams have you faced ? But
Unfortunately these things happen. Can
you assure us that this will not happen this
time anyway you have no choice IESL has
decided not to tolerate this anymore
1. To write the correct question number. Otherwise it goes
to the wrong examiner for marking.
2. To write the correct Index number in all pages.
3. There are cases who do not write the Index Number at
all.
4. To write the correct question numbers to which they
have answered. Some do not fill this page.
5. Proper hand writing. Very difficult to read. There were
instances where the examiner has given zero marks since
they could not read the writing.
6. Read the Instruction clearly before start writing. Some
answer 5 questions. Some answer both questions in Section 1


Theme and Coverage Resource Examiner

Person

1 Introduction to B Paper:Coverageofthe Eng.
paper,structureofthepaper,resource Shavindranath
persons,proposedreadingmaterial,how Fernando
applicantsshouldpreparethemselvesto
answerthepaper,commonproblemsfacedby
students,howtocorrecttheweaknesses,
generalreadingmaterial.

2
Code of Ethics:Keyelementsinthe Eng.RusselDe EngRusselDe
IESLAct,CodeofConductandByLaws. Zilwa Zilwa

3 Engineer in Society:Socialsciences:Moral Eng.Proboda Eng.Proboda

conduct,professionalintegrity,genderissues, Jinasena Jinasena
povertyandpovertyalleviation,mechanisms
andinstitutionsthataddresssocialissuesin
SriLanka,shortcomings.

4 Science and Environment:(i)Sciences: Prof.WL Prof.(Ms)N
Recentkeyfindings/headlineresearchprojects Sumathipala Ratnayeka
inpuresciences(physics,chemistry,biology), and
astronomy(ii)Environment:Keytopicsinthe Mrs.
currentdebateonglobalenvironment(global RamaniEllepola
warming,ozonedepletion),andinternational
protocolsandprojects/actions(Kyotoprotocol,
carbontrading,othervoluntarymechanisms),
nationalenvironmentofSriLanka,key
environmentalissues,environmentallawsand
regulations,IEE/EIAprocessinSriLanka,
environmentallicense,forestry,faunaand
flora,coastalandmarineresources.
5 Government, National Policy and the Dr.Saman DrTLGunaruwan
Economy:(i)Government:Abriefpolitical Kelegama
historyofSriLanka,formsofgovernment,
prosandconsofdifferentmodels(ii)National
policyofSriLanka:Hownationalpolicies
shouldbestructured,introductiontopolicy
documentsavailableinSriLanka(iii)Economy
andTrade:Economicpolicies,fiscalpolicy,
economicgrowth,structuralchangesinthe
economy,disparitiesingrowth/GDPamong
provinces,balanceofpayments,public
spending,managingthebudgetdeficit,
managingtheexchangerate,tradedeficit,
internationaldebt,comparisonof
closed/open/hybrideconomicpolicies,Sri
Lankastraderelationshipswiththeworldand
introductiontoGSP,SAFTA,CEPA,and
similaractiveorproposedagreements.(iv)
Internationaltrade:RoleofWTO,keyfeatures
ofGATT
6 International Affairs: (i)WorldPolitics: Recent Mr.NihalRodrigo MrNihalRodrigo
politicalchangesintheworld,currentandlong-
runningconflicts,superpowers,colonialism(ii)The
UNcharterandUNsystem:history,roleofUN,
variousagenciesoftheUN,(iii)Disarmament:
Initiatives,nuclearnon-proliferationtreaty,
exceptions,historyofworldwars.

7 Physical and urban Infrastructure: (i)Irrigationand Eng. Eng.

watersupply:Historyofirrigation,majortanks,reservoirs WimalasenaGamag WimalasenaGamage
andcanals,keybeneficiaries,agriculturaldevelopment, e And
watersupplyanddrainage,keychallengesfacedbythe And EngGunathilake
populationandserviceproviders(ii)Roadsandhighways: Eng.Gunathilake Bandara
Nationalhighwaysandroadnetwork,plannedexpressway Bandara
network,keyproblemsofaccessandmobility,andhow
theycanbesolved,maintenanceofroads,problemsand
solutions,(iii)Transportation:Roadandrailtransportation
facilitiesinSriLanka,publicVsprivatemodesoftransport,
privatesectorinvestmentandoperationofpublic
transportationfacilities,congestion,(iv)Urban
development:Urbanization,migrationtocities,importance
ofurbanplanning,currentproblemswithurbanservicesin
SriLankaandpossiblesolutions.

8 Emerging Technologies:Progressinvarious Eng.Ranil EngRanil
disciplines,Nanotechnology,currentresearch Senaratne Senaratne
andachievements,SriLankasinitiatives.

9 Quality Assurance: (i)Qualitystandards:BS, EngSunanda EngSunanda

ISO,IEC,VDEandothersimilarinternationally Fernando Fernando
recognizedstandards,howtheinternational
systemofstandardsoperate,mandatoryvs
optionalstandards,(ii)SriLankaStandards:
Overallpolicy,standardsandprocedureto
establishstandards,roleofSLSI,testingand
enforcement,legalframework.

10 Infrastructure (Energy):Electricityandpetroleumsector Eng.SamithaMidigas Eng.Shavindra
history,institutionsandtheirroles,keyissuesfacedbythe pe Fernando
sectorandsectorinstitutions,costsofenergy,renewable &
energypotentialandlimitations,prospectsforoilandgasin Eng. E M
SriLanka,planneddevelopmentinelectricityand Eng. Tilak de Silva
Piyasena
petroleuminfrastructure,regulatoryinstitution(s).
Infrastructure (Telecom and IT):SriLankasfixedand

mobilenetwork,backboneinfrastructure,modesof
internationalcommunications,newgenerationofmobile
telephony,costsandpricingofnetworkusage,IT Eng. Tilak de
infrastructure,facilitiestoremoteareas,homeownership Silva
ofITfacilities,telecomandITregulatoryinstitutions.

11 Management, behavioral & Social Sciences:
Management:Leadership,motivatingemployees,decision-
making,howtoconductameeting,conflictresolution,
negotiations,strategiestoreachaconsensus.

12 Let us make sense when we talk and write:(i)Speaking: Eng.Shavindra

planningapresentation,content,delivery(ii)Writing:Clear Fernando
andconcisewriting,howtostructurearesponsetoa
question,commonmistakes.
 Lecture Schedule
5.00 to 7.00pm

Date and Time Presentation Resource person

Dec 18th (Fri) - Introduction to B Paper Eng. Shavindranath Fernando
Dec 28th (Mon) - Code of Ethics / Conduct Eng. Russel De Zilwa
Jan 1st (Fri) - National Key Environmental Issues. Mrs. Ramani Ellepola
Jan 4th (Mon) - International Affairs Mr. Nihal Rodrigo
Jan 8th (Fri) - Infrastructure (Energy). Eng. Samitha Midigaspe
Jan 11th (Mon) - Infrastructure (Civil related) Eng Wimalasena Gamage
Jan 15th (Fri) - Sustainable Development 7 Climate Change Prof. W L
Sumathipala
Jan 19th (Tues) - Infrastructure (Road related) Eng. Gunathilake Bandara
Jan 22nd Fri) - Government, National Policy & Economy Dr. Saman Kelegama
Jan 26th (Tues) - Engineer in Society Eng. Praboda Jinasena
Jan 29th (Fri) - Quality Assurance Eng. Sunanda Fernando
Feb 2nd (Fri) - Infrastructure (IT &Telecommunications) Eng. Tilak de Silva
Feb 8th (Tues) - Infrastructure (Petroleum) Eng. E M Piyasena
Feb 16th (Mon) - Let us make sense when we talk and write Eng.
Shavindranath Fernando
Are You Ready!!!