The demand for graduates in Material Science is increasing and and the academia in India is waking up to the need for newer, industry-oriented courses like material sciences, says Gaurav Bagaria
Can you think of a world without raw materials or, for that matter, processed materialsIJ Roads, bridges, optical fibres used for telecommunications and silicon microchips that have made the information revolution possible, your TV set or golf club — all are nothing but raw materials. In short, there is no aspect of modern life that has not been touched by materials moulded by able hands or machines. They are so important that time has been marked by raw materials that were used prominent during stone age, iron age, bronze age, etc. So it is befitting that courses dedicated to studying materials gain ground. Globally, the demand for graduates having studied Material Science is increasing and keeping pace with the industrial development. The academia in our country is also waking up to the need for newer, industry-oriented courses such as Material Sciences.
Continuous innovation and advances in engineered materials are important for the vitality and longevity of numerous industries. Apart from doing an engineering course in Material Science, one can also opt for a BSc or MSc in this field.
Subject Description
Material Sciences is an inter-disciplinary subject having its foundations in Physics and Chemistry and then branches out to study mechanical, electrical and other important properties of the naturally available raw materials. Material engineers are involved right from a material’s extraction to its development, processing, and final testing before it hits the market for public use. Apart from raw materials, material scientists work with metals, ceramics, plastics, polymers and composite materials (a combination of materials) in order to create new materials that meet various mechanical, electrical and chemical requirements in developed and developing economies across the world.
They also do research as to how the same material can be used in different ways so that the pressure on natural resources is less ended and a more energy-efficient technology is in place. Most cutting-edge systems from your Delhi metro to the drone attacking terror hideouts to the systems in place searching for the missing MH 370 Malaysian airliner all have material scientists behind them. Many materials scientists are also involved in mining and the extraction of substances from natural ores.
Eligibility
For admission to three year Bachelor Degree in BSc (PCM) with specialisation in Material Sciences, the candidate must have passed Class XII examination in the Science stream, irrespective of Mathematics or Biology.
The eligibility criterion for pursuing two year Master’s degree is holding a Bachelor’s degree in (BE/ BTech/ BSc) or any other equivalent branches of Engineering. For admission into post-graduate courses, students with GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) scores will get the priority.
Career opportunities
A bachelor’s degree is the minimum educational requirement and many research jobs in materials science require a Master’s or PhD. Graduates from this field can apply for positions in the manufacturing industry, be it in research and development or in management. One can find job opportunities as a materials consultant, packaging engineer, mining engineer, project engineer, design engineer, quality control officer, operations engineer in the petroleum sector, consumer goods sector, mining, pharmaceuticals, marketing, aerospace, sports and entertainment industry, biomedical sector and biomimetic (applying designs from nature to solve problems in engineering, materials science, medicine and other fields) etc.
An example of the kind of companies that recruit MS graduates are Accenture, Boeing, Ingersoll-Rand, Intel, Reynolds, Michelin, GE, Tata Steel, Steel Authority of India limited (SAIl) and Reliance etc. Moreover, Government also employs material scientists in various capacities in the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Indian Railways, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) etc.
However, there are a few things one must keep in mind before applying to this field. like any other industry, utmost dedication to the job is expected out of graduates. But unlike most fields, this is a research-heavy field and thus be prepared to experiment a 1000 times before you have developed just the right material to help make the world a better place. This is a very interactive field and one must be open to working in close collaboration with employees in every department.
Pay Package
The starting salary of a Material Science Engineer is in the range of around Rs 20,000 per month. Those who find employment in the Aerospace sector and in Government agencies are paid around Rs 25,000 per month. Those who have done a post-graduate degree course or a PhD in Material Science are offered a starting salary around Rs 35,000 to Rs 45,000.
Curriculum
The curriculum has been designed accordingly to cover all the theoretical and application aspects. Hands on experiments practices will be helpful in overall development of students.
There are material processing and synthesis laboratory to conduct the experiments and practicals.
The writer is director general, Vivekananda Group of Institutions, Jaipur.