What is Electrical and Electronics Engineering?

By Tarun Sharma

Electrical and Electronics Engineering (now referred throughout as EEE) is basically a mixture of two branches – Electrical and Electronics Engineering. While electrical engineering deals predominantly with the high voltage part, electronics engineering is the low voltage part. For that matter, some parts of electronics are common with electrical in most of the competitive exams. So, let’s look at the branch in a combined way.

Electrical is one of the core branches of engineering, existing from the time Thomas Alva Edison invented the light bulb. Unlike CS/ IT branches which are dependent on market conditions for jobs, job market in electrical field has neither seen much high or much low. The job market has more or less stayed constant. However,

The job in electrical sector is limited mainly to government field and therefore, one should not expect on-campus placement for the same, unless from NIT/IIT.

Also, the course is tougher because one can simply not see flux or field. It’s more of a case of imagination.

Electrical field is the one requiring a considerable use of Mathematics in most of the subjects. So, if one is not comfortable with the subject, don’t take the field.

However, a person with a keen interest in mathematics and a rather good imagination will enjoy this field a lot.

Background required for taking EE and EEE

To pursue it, take Science with Maths at 10+2 level and apply for the engineering examination. During the counseling process that takes place after results, opt for EEE. In some universities, only Electrical Engineering (EE) is available. There is a difference of hardly 2-3 subjects, though EEE produces better results if one wants to work in a private company. In government sector, both are equivalent.

What will you study in EE and EEE?

Electrical machines, Power Systems and Power Electronics form the core of this field. Rests are common subjects of EEE and ECE found in almost all the colleges. Minor variations exist across the universities. These are the subjects one may be expected to study:

1.     Electrical Machines – It is basically about how motor and generator work. As both motor and generator are almost similar, they are called cumulatively referred as machines. There are different types of machines- mainly DC, AC and induction. Transformer, is not exactly a machine, but is considered along with them due to similar concepts and conversion used.

2.     Power System – If machine is about generating electricity, power system is about transmitting it. Often demand and supply of electric energy are kilometers apart. How to transmit it and regulate it during transmission is a concept of power system. Often, its concepts are intertwined with machines and power electronics.

3.     Power Electronics – It is about regulating the electricity at the consumer end.  Process of high voltage conversion of the rate of KW or MW. Such high conversions require highly specific equipment and processes that are a part of this syllabus.

4.     Analog Electronics – If power electronics is about high voltage, analog electronics is about lower voltages. The devices are different, and it is one of the lengthy subjects with relatively importance in electrical field. 

5.     Control systems- It deals with the general control of various phenomenons. The basic subject is not much of usage, but extending the concepts, various job markets are there. They are commonly used in robotics.

6.     EMT – Electromagnetic Theory (EMT) is basically about the wave propagation in media. One has to extend the concepts of class XI and XII to get the flavor of this subject. 

7.     Microprocessor – Only basic processor of 8085 is taught in most colleges that is outdated and hence, not used in industries. However, 8085 is a basic microprocessor and due to its variation, new processors have been designed.

In first year of the course, subjects of all branches are taught.

Job Opportunities

• The job opportunities are mainly in, but not limited to government sector. All the states have their own transmission and distribution utilities. They conduct their specific exams for the recruitment of electrical engineers.
• The generating stations are mainly under the central government and their undertakings like POSOCO, NTPC etc. While most PSUs recruit through the GATE examination, some also conduct their own exams.
• Another opportunity includes the ESE (Engineering Services Examination) conducted by UPSC. It is a three tier exam and by clearing it, one becomes and IES (Indian Engineering Services) officer. It is a Group A service, with similar pay and perks of IAS, IPS, IFS and other such officers.
• If interested in private sector, it too has fair share of companies like L&T, Siemens, Schneider and General Electric. Their recruitments are limited mainly to IIT/NIT and some top level state engineering colleges. So, one cannot be highly dependent on them.

Higher Study Options

There are three main types of masters programs one can pursue. Power Electronics is currently one of the most researched topic in this domain.

One can opt for higher studies either in India or abroad. Here are the two explained in detail.

• For India, one should attempt GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering). This test is used by all IITs and IISc for admission to Masters. IIT graduates having above 8 CGPA are exempt from GATE. They just have to appear in interview.
• For Masters, just English proficiency test like IELTS, GRE etc are to be attempted. There is as such no specific exam just for electrical masters. Just note when the application forms are out and other such formalities.

About the Author:

Tarun Sharma

Tarun Sharma is a student of GTBIT (Guru Teg Bahadur Institute of Technology), pursuing EEE (Electrical and Electronics Engineering). He has been a part of his institute’s Dramatics society. He is currently preparing for GATE 2019.

Read more:

• Life as an Electrical & Electronics Engineering student: VIT