With Engineering being the most sought-after career in India, the aspirants sometimes are confused as to whether they must opt for a B.E. (Bachelor of Engineering) or they must enroll for a B.Tech. (Bachelor of Technology) to secure a promising career for themselves. If you too are having such confusion, then the fact must be highlighted that apart from 3 (mostly essential) differences, both the courses are more or less the same. The following are the differences between the 2 courses:

Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.)

• This course is theory-based and the curriculum, therefore, emphasizes the aspect of knowledge and is thus inclusive of inter-stream theories.
• Internships and industrial training are not mandatory.
• The average starting package is 4.2 lakhs per annum (INR).

Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.)

• This course is skill-based and the curriculum, therefore, emphasizes the practical application and is thus exclusively specialization-focused.
• Internships and industrial training are absolutely mandatory.
• The average starting package is 3.37 lakhs per annum (INR).

N.B.: Though the starting salary of a B.E. degree-holder is marginally higher than a B.Tech degree-holder, yet, mention must be made that B.Tech being a skill-based course, allows a quick up-gradation to high salaries through experience and consistencies in staying updated to the latest trends in the related skills. That said, it needs to be stated that there is not much difference between the two courses.

Both B.E. and B.Tech. degree courses are offered by a plethora of government and private colleges. For both the courses, the eligibility criteria are the same, as both will require that the candidate must pass Class 12 from a recognized Board with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as core subjects with a minimum score of 50% (or 70%-75% as per requirements in some prestigious universities), besides cracking entrance exam/s like JEE (Joint Entrance Examination) [failing which will require the candidate to make a lump sum payment as admission fees to get enrolled in regular private colleges offering the desired course]. The college fees for both courses are more or less the same. Both courses are recognized by AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education). Besides, both the courses ensure that after completing graduation in the chosen stream, the candidate will have the option to choose a government or private firm for a well-paid job.

The following is a list of some of the very popular job profiles available to both B.E. and B.Tech. graduates:

• Aerospace Engineer
• Aeronautical Engineer
• Automobile Engineer
• Ceramic Engineer
• Chemical Engineer
• Civil Engineer
• Computer Science Engineer
• Construction Engineer
• Electrical Engineer
• Geological Engineer
• IT Engineer
• Mechanical Engineer
• Production Engineer
• Robotics Engineer
• Telecommunication Engineer

Thus, it solely depends on the student’s interest as to whether he/she will choose B.E. or will opt for B.Tech. as his/her preferred degree course.