As artificial intelligence continues to dominate headlines, IIT-Madras director V. Kamakoti is urging students to reconsider the foundational importance of core engineering. He has become a vocal advocate for renewed interest in disciplines such as civil, mechanical, electrical, and chemical engineering.
Speaking at a recent event, Kamakoti expressed concerns over the current trend in academic preferences. “99.9% of toppers in JEE (Advanced) had chosen computer science and engineering,” he said.
He pointed out that the overwhelming shift towards computer science was driven by high-paying jobs and the allure of tech-focused careers. This led to a sharp decline in enrolment across core engineering disciplines.
Kamakoti cautioned that this imbalance could hinder India’s infrastructure and industrial development, especially in areas like civil engineering for infrastructure projects and aerospace engineering for aviation advancements.
In an exclusive interview with AIM, Kamakoti emphasised the importance of paying close attention to interdisciplinary education. He criticised the rigid academic decision-making forced upon students in India, especially the early choice between commerce and science.
The director stressed that these branches will remain relevant and in demand, especially when combined with AI. “AI will be a very good aid to any engineering discipline… people who are adept in one branch of engineering with knowledge of how to use AI, that’s a very good market,” he said.
Kamakoti asserted that AI will augment, not replace, traditional engineering, and that subject matter expertise is vital for the effective application of AI. “There will be a great demand for core engineering in the next five to ten years. Intelligent people must select that,” he said.
In mechanical and civil engineering, AI tools (e.g., Autodesk’s generative design) create optimised designs for components or structures based on constraints like weight, material, and cost.
That said, in a recent Lightcone podcast, YC CEO Garry Tan shared that the unemployment rate for art history majors is lower than that of CS majors. Already, there are murmurs in the industry that AI will take over entry-level coding jobs.
Explaining how students often end up in disciplines they’re not truly interested in, Kamakoti said that many just “go by what they got” rather than making an informed choice. “And if they don’t like that engineering or whatever discipline, then they become mediocre because they don’t have the passion to do it,” he added.
To address this, he said that IIT Madras has introduced a structure where 60% of the credits are allocated to core courses and the remaining 40% are open electives, allowing students to explore other areas of interest.
Core Engineering Helps in Nation-Building
Radha Krishna Kavuluru, a former ISRO scientist, expressed deep concern in a post on X about the growing trend among Indian engineering students to abandon core engineering careers in favour of roles in product management and consulting.
“Every engineering student today in India wants to become a product manager or a consultant,” he said, adding that he was “very shocked” by how few students are genuinely interested in pursuing traditional engineering paths.
Drawing from recent visits to several top-tier engineering institutions, Kavuluru noted that many seniors who have secured jobs in the US are actively advising juniors to sidestep core skills and pivot towards management roles.
“This is detrimental to every aspect of the country,” he warned, questioning who will develop critical technologies like anti-aircraft missiles, communication infrastructure, engines, and materials science if the current generation abandons core domains.
Similarly, another user on X pointed out that software services, at the end of the day, cannot improve human living conditions unless core engineering branches are given due importance.
Need for Better Career Prospects
Shrayansh Singh, a civil engineer, said in a post on X that core engineering branches — Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical — seem to be losing appeal among PCM students in school. “What these branches (especially civil) need is a complete overhaul in the way they’re taught and BETTER career prospects,” he wrote.
Moreover, there is a pressing need to create more job opportunities for core engineering graduates. The IT and software sectors predominantly hire Computer Science Engineering (CSE) students due to their coding and database skills, which are in high demand for high-paying roles (₹10–12 LPA and above).
On the other hand, salary ranges in core branches typically vary from ₹3 to 8 LPA, depending on skills and experience, with government jobs often offering competitive packages.
According to a recent survey, out of 10,000 engineering graduates from core branches in India, 62% were employed in IT sector jobs within two years of graduation, 28% remained in their core engineering fields, and 10% pursued other career paths or higher education.
Moreover, a recent Reddit discussion suggests that only graduates from IITs tend to secure high-paying packages. One possible reason is that demand for core engineers is lower than for software engineers, so only the very best are rewarded. A user shared that he did his BTech in Civil Engineering and went on to complete a PhD from one of the seven IITs, and is now a professor earning ₹18 lakh per annum.
Another user, who graduated in 2024 with a degree in Chemical Engineering, shared that he secured a campus placement at an engineering consultancy with a package of ₹4.5 LPA, while another company had offered ₹6 LPA for similar roles.
“I’m not really happy with it,” he said, expressing frustration that even students with a 6 CGPA in Computer Science are earning more than toppers from core branches. He added that his next goal is to move into the renewable energy sector and eventually pursue a master’s degree abroad.
His experience captures what many core engineering students are feeling today.
The challenge is not just to bring students back to core branches, but to update how these subjects are taught and where they can lead. As Kamakoti put it, intelligent people must select them, not just out of duty, but because the future needs them.
Core engineering doesn’t need to fight with AI. It needs to grow with it. For that to happen, students must understand the bigger picture and realise that building roads, machines, power systems and materials is still vital work.
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