Metallurgical Engineering - Courses, Career Scope, Colleges and Salary
Metallurgical Engineering is one of the most important branches of engineering; Image Courtesy: reliabilitymethods.com
Metallurgical Engineering is an important branch of engineering that deals with the study of the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their inter-metallic compounds, and their alloys.
Metallurgical engineering can be broadly divided into three categories - physical metallurgy, extractive metallurgy, and mineral processing. Physical metallurgy needs problem solving skills.
A metallurgical engineer prepares the metallic alloys required or needed for different manufacturing and construction works. Another branch of metallurgy is extractive metallurgy which involves the extraction of metals from their ore.
Mineral Processing deals with the technology of processing mineral products, extracted from earth's crust, in impure form.
All metallurgical engineers learn the fundamental principles of all these fields including basic engineering. The work of metallurgical engineers is similar to the work of metallurgical scientists.
Metallurgical engineers use complex equipment, including electron microscopes, X-ray machines, and spectrographs. They use the latest scientific and technological findings in their work.
Eligibility Criteria
10+2 in Science with Physics, Chemistry and Maths can pursue Bachelor’s degree in Metallurgical Engineering.
One can pursue M.Tech after completing B.Tech or M.Sc in Chemistry for which they have to qualify for Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE).
Candidates who wish to do research can take up PhD in Metallurgical Engineering to perform research work.
Admission is made on the basis of entrance examination like IITJEE in case of IITs and other state level joint entrance examinations of various states.
TATA Steel Plant in India; Image Courtesy: tatasteel.com
Career and Job Prospects
Anybody with an interest in Science, Technology and Engineering can take up metallurgical engineering as it brings together all these branches.
Metallurgical engineers are required in every industry and enterprise that produces, buys, sells refines or manufactures metals or metallic products.
In India young metallurgical graduates can expect some exciting career opportunities in government undertakings as well as in private companies.
Apart from opting for industrial jobs one can also join as a research fellow or an associate or a scientist or professor in various labs and universities located in India and abroad.
Salary Package
The salary of a metallurgical engineer is as high as Rs. 6 lakh per year. The salary increases with skills and years of experience. Engineers from IITs and NITs get more salary as compared to other engineering colleges in India.
Himalayan University is one of the few universities in the North-Eastern part of India that offers courses in Metallurgical Engineering
Top 10 Colleges/Institutes for Metallurgical Engineering 2017
| No. | College/Institute | State |
| 1 | Himalayan University | Arunachal Pradesh |
| 2 | School of Physics and Material Science | Punjab |
| 3 | Indus Institute of Technology and Engineering | Gujarat |
| 4 | OP Jindal Institute of Technology | Chattisgarh |
| 5 | Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology | Maharashtra |
| 6 | National Institute of Technology Durgapur | West Bengal |
| 7 | Indira Gandhi Institute of Technology | Orissa |
| 8 | IIT Bombay | Maharashtra |
| 9 | IIT Kanpur | Uttar Pradesh |
| 10 | National Institute of Technology Trichy | Tamil Nadu |
Source: career.webindia123.com
State Wise List of Engineering Colleges
- Tripura