I logged into Quora today as usual, and was greeted with a couple of messages -both requesting guidance regarding aerospace engineering - nothing new. I was about to close the window when I saw the phrase "end my life" in one of the two messages. My eyes quickly looked at the time when the message was received. 3 minutes ago. My heart began pounding. I swiftly typed out two replies to the man who had messaged me, giving him my number and asking him to give me a missed call, or to at least reply.
And then, keeping an eye on my phone, I sat back to read his message. He had completed his B.Tech in aerospace engineering in 2012 - he was senior to me by a year. I didn't have to read any further - it was going to be the same story - with him not having cleared IIT's GATE examination (results came out this week), and having absolutely no option ahead. And upon reading it, I realised that my prediction was right. A true dead end, yes. I have now become accustomed to answering such messages, but this one was over the edge. Depression? A suicide threat? I certainly wasn't going to be the right person, but this wasn't the time to look for an expert. He called me, and after a nice, long chat, I had him convinced that things weren't going to remain this bad, and that there were options ahead. I managed to convince him to approach Professors at an IIT near his place, and to try to do research under him with or without pay, so that he could possibly end up publishing a research paper - a suggestion I give to several people.
After nearly 20 minutes of mutual listening and talking, he told me that he felt much better - that he would try approaching Professors, and would remain in touch with me in case he needed guidance.
As I hung up, memories of how my classmates and close friends suffered (some continue to suffer) the consequences of picking a specialised course for their Bachelor's engineering degree came to me. My new friend's rant may have looked marginally melodramatic, but the crux of it was true.
His story summarises those of thousands of aeronautical/aerospace engineering graduates throughout India.
"Pathetic" will be a mild term to describe the situation of India's aero students. "Not that great" is what I'd say about aero at IIT Bombay, one of the best places for it in the country.
With core aerospace companies preferring mechanical engineers over aero, and non core companies simply ignoring this course in their list of eligible candidates, aerospace engineers are left stranded in that large island of vain jobseekers that spans the length and breadth of this great peninsula.
While this is the situation on one side, colleges happily open aerospace engineering departments, attracting misguided youngsters to fill seats, year after year. My own college, Madras Institute of Technology, Chennai has seen a steady growth of number of students joining aeronautical engineering. Ironically though, placements statistics have gone down - not merely by percentage, even in whole number counts. The situation is ten times worse at other colleges in India (particularly private ones) - with students realising the lack of options and dreading the approach of their graduation.
I will not deny it if this student is blamed for his own incapacity in clearing the GATE examination. The complaint I have is that there is virtually no other option, even for someone willing to let go of this field. Not all students can afford an MS abroad or an MBA (in India or abroad) - no PSU treats GATE Aerospace Engineering's (GATE Mechanical is different) score as a criterion for recruitment (DRDO is recruiting based on GATE Aerospace this year, but 5 students is far too less. A commendable step though).
I do not blame the system for this person's plight - he should not have blindly followed his heart, or someone's advice without researching upon career paths in aero engineering, but the system is to be blamed too: for letting him build castles upon a baseless dream, and then standing aside and watching it crumble. This is heartless, cruel..
Colleges owe students options. Colleges which offer them this course, the government which approves them to offer these courses - it should be taken care that at least a handful of students get some jobs. If that can't be ensured, only a handful of Institutions should be allowed to offer this course - perhaps just IITs and a couple of other Universities.
This problem is very real, but hardly known. Talks of aerospace being a booming industry are simply pointless speculations. If left uncared for, the number of unemployed aero engineers is going to grow exponentially.
I look around to see the IIT Bombay campus where life goes on so very smoothly for me - the department where I attend classes, the hostel mess whose food I complain about - all this is someone's dream. Someone who is ready to die if he doesn't achieve it.
This isn't fair. I've got to do something about it.
Someone has to.
