Aeronautical or Aerospace Engineering

Many of us as kids were fascinated by the science and art of flying an aircraft. Aeronautical or Aerospace Engineering is the branch that turns the childhood fascination into a fully-fledged profession. It deals with the development of new technology in the field of aviation, space exploration and defense systems. It specializes in the designing, construction, development, testing, operation and maintenance of both commercial and military aircraft, spacecrafts and their components as well as satellites and missiles. The job is aptitudinally manual, technical as well as mechanical since it involves design and manufacture of very high technology systems. The specialisations in this field include areas like structural design, navigational guidance and control systems, instrumentation and communication or production methods or it can be in a particular product such as military aircrafts, passenger planes, helicopters, satellites, rockets etc.
The basic eligibility criteria for BE / B.Tech program in Aeronautical Engineering is 10+2 with Science (Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics) or equivalent examination with at least 60% of marks in the aggregate. The IITs consider score of JEE and other institutions have their own separate entrance exams.

Career Prospects

Aeronautical engineering is the closest that comes to becoming a pilot. So if you were unable to become a pilot or if you are the one who's more inclined towards the technical side of this area, then this will be a worthwhile and a fulfilling career for you. After aeronautical engineering one may work in areas like design, development, and maintenance as well as in the managerial and teaching posts in institutes. You can find jobs with various airlines (both private and government owned), flying clubs, aircraft manufacturers, Defense Research and Development Laboratories, National Aeronautical Lab (NAL), Aeronautical Development Establishment, Civil Aviation Department, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), etc.

Institutes Offering

Some of the institutes in India offering Diploma/BTech/MTech in Aeronautical Engineering are
•    Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai
•    Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur
•    Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai
•    Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur
•    Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh
•    Madras Institute of Technology (Anna University)
•    Indian Institute of Aeronautical Engineering (IIAE), Dehradun, Uttarakhand
•    Indian Institute for Aeronautical Engineering & Information Technology, Pune