What is Difference between BTech & BE: Know Misconceptions and Jobs Scenarios?

What is the difference between BTech and BE? The article below answers the confusion students have on BE vs BTech.

Difference between BTech and BE: Engineering is one of the most popular career options among class 12 passed or appearing students. Engineering programmes across India are offered in two forms: Bachelor of Engineering [BE] and Bachelor of Technology [BTech]. Students often remain confused between the two courses. The article below will help students know the similarities, differences and misconceptions about BE and BTech.

A common question, every engineering aspirant has in their mind while choosing between the two courses is, “What is the difference between BE and BTech?” BE course focuses more on building a theoretical foundation while BTech is more application-centric. This is one of the crucial aspects of choosing the right course and you need all the information to make the right choice.

BE vs BTech: Understanding the Similarities

Before knowing the difference between BTech and BE, let’s first understand the similarity between the two programmes.

• The duration of both courses is the same: Four years with eight (8) semesters.
• Both courses are recognised by the competent authorities and impart knowledge of similar concepts on respective engineering branches to students.
• BTech and BE have similar career growth and job opportunities.
• Both the courses have similar eligibility criteria: Class 12 with both Physics and Chemistry among the science subjects (Mathematics or Biology) passed with a minimum of 60% marks. Students also need to clear particular exams like JEE Mains, BITSAT, MHT CET, etc. for admission to an engineering college.

What is the Difference between BE and BTech?

The major difference between the two courses is that BE is more knowledge-based while BTech is skill-oriented. Due to this, the curriculum of BTech is more updated according to changes in skills required by various industries. Students can check the BTech vs BE comparison in the table below:

BE vs BTech Admission Process

As per the regulatory authorities, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the National Board of Accreditation (NBA), admissions to BE/BTech programmes are conducted on the basis of national/state/university-level engineering entrance examinations. A few of the most popular engineering entrance exams are:

JEE Main: This national-level entrance exam is conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA) for admissions to BE/BTech courses offered by NITs, IIITs and GFTIs.

JEE Advanced: The national-level entrance examination for admissions to BTech courses offered by IITs. Students have to qualify for JEE Main to attempt JEE Advanced.

MHT CET: Through MHT CET, students can apply for BTech admissions into the BTech institutes of Maharashtra state.

BITSAT: BITSAT is conducted by the Birla Institute of Science & Technology (BITS) Pilani every year for admission to its BE, integrated first-degree programmes and BPharma.

VITEEE: One of the most popular entrance examinations, VITEEE offers admissions into the BE/BTech courses offered by the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) and its various campuses.

SRMJEEE: This exam is conducted by the SRM Institute of Science & Technology to offer admissions to its BTech programmes from across the country on the basis of their scores in the entrance examination.

BE vs BTech: Syllabus Comparison

A majority of engineering and technology courses offered at the undergraduate level by various engineering colleges and institutes have more or less a similar syllabus. Both the courses follow the standard syllabus laid down by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), the University Grants Commission of India (UGC), and the National Board of Accreditation (NBA).

BTech vs BE: Higher Studies

An engineering student (BE/BTech graduate) can opt for higher studies - say MTech or ME through the GATE exam. When an aspirant applies for higher education, both courses hold equal importance. Even in countries other than India, both degrees are considered at par with each other.

After completion of BE/BTech, a student may pursue further courses like ME/MTech, MBA, MS, and MSc To pursue ME/MTech or MS, aspirants need to score well in the entrance exams such as GATE to get into a good college in India and, GRE or  IELTS for a renowned college abroad.

MTech and ME Eligibility: Candidates who have completed their BE/BTech degree with a minimum of 60% aggregate score in GATE or in the relevant entrance exam are eligible for the ME/MTech degree course.

Research Eligibility: Students are eligible to pursue the doctorate level programme irrespective of their Degree (BE/BTech) only after completing a postgraduate course (ME/MTech/MS).

Misconceptions Regarding BTech and BE

There are several misconceptions about BTech and BE. Students aspiring for any of these courses must not pay attention to any of these courses. A few of these misconceptions are as follows:

• Only government schools offer BTech while BE is offered by private colleges: In reality, there are many private engineering colleges that offer BTech and government engineering institutes that offer BE.
• There is no industrial training in BTech and BE courses: This is not true as both courses have industrial training in the curriculum after the sixth semester.
• BE or BTech is more valuable than the other: Neither one is preferred over the other, what matters is your marks/CGPA and understanding of the engineering branch.

Jobs after BTech and BE

All the universities and institutes conduct placement drives for final-year students of either of the programmes. Getting a job through placements that too before completing the course is a safe option for students and also to get the right amount of exposure needed to move ahead. Following are some of the job profiles that students can choose irrespective of their degrees (BTech or BE):

BTech vs BE: Salary Comparisons

The average salary of a BTech or BE graduate (fresher) varies from 3.5 to 6 lakh per annum. The salary of any candidate may vary due to various factors such as college and university from where the degree has been obtained, specialisation, job location, etc. After getting placed in any organisation, salary keeps on increasing based on the experience and skills one gains over the course of time.

Industry Acceptance: All the organisations across the world give equal importance to BE as well as BTech graduates. Both the degrees are ranked at the same level in the market and whatever a candidate chooses should be according to his/her strengths and plans for the future.

Government Job/PSU Hiring: The eligibility criteria for all the government exams such as UPSC, SSC, State PSCs, banking, etc. need candidates to pass graduation in any discipline from a recognised University. In the case of PSU Hiring through GATE or any other mode, there is NO discrimination between BE and BTech graduates. The only differentiation in PSUs is on the basis of engineering branches or streams of students.

FAQs regarding the Difference between BTech and BE

Q. Which is better BE or BTech?

Q. What is the major difference between BE and BTech?

Q. Can I pursue higher degree programmes after completing BE?

Q. Is BE degree acceptable in government jobs?

Q. What are the most popular engineering streams in BTech?