What is Environmental Engineering?: Course Fees 2025, Subjects, Top Colleges, Admissions

Environmental Engineering courses basically focus on improving the overall quality of the world around us and coming up with solutions to environmental problems. Along with the Engineering curriculum, students get to study a lot about Soil Science, Biology, Chemistry as well as Mathematics.

Some of the most common topics covered in Environmental Engineering courses include chemical compound disposal, petroleum product manufacturing, mineral mining, and the overall biological understanding of the ecosystem. The sole purpose of environmental engineers is to look after the upkeep of rural and urban settings and ensure that they are in a healthy state.

The time span of courses in Environmental Engineering varies on the basis of the course level at which you're planning to pursue the course. For BTech Environmental Engineering, the general duration is 4 years, while for M Tech in Environmental Engineering, the time required is 2 years.

In the case of diploma courses after Class 10, you need to invest 3 years, while certificate courses last less than 1 year. For environmental researchers, a few institutes also offer a PhD in Environmental Engineering that is 3 to 6 years long based on your chosen area of research.

The BTech Environmental Engineering course teaches you a lot of important, transferable skills during the coursework duration. The skills are not necessarily to be learned within the four walls of the classroom but can be learned via internships, lab work, and workshop sessions. Here are a few important skills that you'll learn:
• Strong Knowledge of Environmental Awareness
• Understanding of Pollution Control and Wastewater Management Strategies
• Critical Thinking & Problem-Solving Aptitude
• Project Management
• Creative and Analytical Approach
• Good Industrial Knowledge
• CAD Proficiency
• Excellent Communication

If you are an environmentalist, the three terms that automatically come along with you are innovation, creativity, and technology. This is because you're involved in taking up serious challenges every day regarding the environmental crisis and coming up with effective solutions for such serious problems requires a lot of creativity and healthy innovation. You have to take up challenges head-on and make sure to keep the safety of the environment as your first and foremost priority at all times.

All of this allows you to have a big room for innovative spirit, creative approach, and experimental attitude. If you're very passionate about environmental safety and protection and have a fire in the belly to do something out of the box, a BTech Environmental Engg. course could be helpful.

The B.Tech in Environmental Engineering course eligibility at most of the popular colleges in India is having at least 55 to 60% marks in Class 12 in the PCM subjects. The marks requirement can vary from one college to another as every college follows certain guidelines for giving admission to students. Rest, you should check the course eligibility at your desired college through their official website.

You can always start by checking the eligibility criteria for the BTech Environmental Engineering course that is usually scoring at least 55 to 60% marks in the PCM subjects in Class 12 board exams. You can then give relevant entrance exams for admission to the course.
Some colleges also take in students on the basis of their performance in the Class 12 board exams and often conduct a GD or PI round. The next important step is to fill out the application forms of your preferred colleges before the last date of registration.
After the entrance exam results are out, you have to apply for the counselling session at the college where a seat is given to you on the basis of your rank and exam merit. After seat allotment, you need to go to the college to pay the BTech Environmental Engg. course fee after which you can start attending classes.

The time involved in the BTech Environmental Engineering admission process mostly depends on the college where you're planning to pursue the course. In most of the cases, it can easily take up to a few months. There are a lot of formalities involved in the BTech Environmental Engineering course admission process like filling out the application forms, entrance exam, results, counseling, allocation of seat, fee payment, docs verification, etc. So, you need to be calm and patient during the entire admission procedure.

You can find some important documents needed at the time of the BTech Environmental Engg. admission process at colleges across India below:

• Class 12 Mark Sheet with at least 50 to 60% marks
• Provisional Certificate (if the original isn't issued yet)
• Entrance Exam Scorecard and Admit Card Copy (if applicable)
• Class 10 Mark Sheet (may be needed)
• A Valid Identity Proof
• Reserved Category Certificate (if applicable)
• Migration and Character Certificates (if applicable)
• Recent Passport-Size Photos

A majority of the BTech Environmental Engineering colleges in India do charge an admission application fee of approximately INR 500 to INR 3,000, which varies on the basis of the college, its NIRF ranking, location, placements, and student popularity.

Note: This is just an estimated figure. You can find the detailed fee structure for the course on the respective college websites.

You can definitely get lateral entry admission to the BTech Environmental Engineering course after completing a 3-year engineering Diploma in a relevant discipline and getting at least 50% marks in the final exams. There are a few colleges that provide lateral entry admissions, owing to which you can directly get admission to the 2nd year of BTech Environmental Engineering and complete the UG degree in 3 years instead of 4 years. Examples include Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research (Chennai) and Hindustan College of Science and Technology (Mathura).

For pursuing BTech Environmental Engineering in India, you must appear for and clear relevant entrance exams for admission to some of the best colleges.

You can check the number of colleges that accept specific exam scores and then decide the exam you would like to appear for accordingly:

Note: Some colleges accept multiple entrance exam scores.

To score outstanding marks and rank in the entrance test, it is better to start preparing at least 8 to 10 months before the final exam date. Early preparation gives you an opportunity to cover the maximum exam syllabus topics, practice previous year question papers and mock tests, and do a thorough revision at the end, which can significantly increase your chances of getting good marks and being shortlisted for admission to BTech Environmental Engineering.

The entrance test for the course is usually considered moderately challenging, demanding a strong hold over the PCM subjects, general knowledge, and logical reasoning. The difficulty level of the exam may vary on the basis of the particular exam you're planning to appear for, the number of applications received, last year's results, and student feedback. You must be thorough with your preparation to do well in the exam.

Well, a majority of the top colleges accept students on the basis of valid entrance exam scores, but a few colleges also take students on the basis of their performance in the final exams of their passing degree. The colleges may also take extra rounds like the GD or PI in such cases.

Since Environmental Engineering is a specialised field within Civil Engineering, it is mostly offered at the PG level, with colleges accepting GATE scores for admission. But there are colleges offering the course at the UG level and giving admission on the basis of Class 12 merit.

You can go to the college websites for further information about the detailed admission procedure and requirements.

The BTech Environmental Engineering course applies strong math and Science skills to reduce the ecological impact of industrial activities and promoting the health and safety of workers, the general public, and the global ecosystem. If you are an engineering-minded student and problem solver with a passion for protecting the health of both people and the planet, you can think of going for a BTech degree in the field of Environmental Engg.
The syllabus covers subjects like Air Pollution Control and Management, Environmental Chemistry and Microbiology, Water Supply Engineering, Wastewater Collection and Treatment, Hydraulics, etc.

The BTech Environmental Engineering course duration in India is 4 years, which spans a total of 8 semesters. The focus of this course is towards the promotion of a healthy ecosystem with the help of sustainable practices. Students are taught about the fundamentals of environmental concepts and concerns and how to come up with timely and safe solutions to the growing issues concerning the environment.

Well, this is quite subjective and depends on the individual pursuing the course. From a neutral point of view, the integrated BTech Civil Engineering + M.Tech Environmental Engineering can be an excellent option for students to take up after completing Class 12, as it allows you to have a dual degree in 5 years, saving your time and money. Further, it lets you learn advanced concepts of the field that may lead to better career prospects and earning opportunities in the future. 

So, the choice is completely up to you. Best of luck.

Hi, the answer to this query would differ based on your interests and future plans. If you're somebody who is interested in the intricacies and advanced concepts of environmental protection and sustainability, you should go for an M.Tech degree in Environmental Engineering, which spans 2 years.

On the contrary, if you've had a good 4-year academic ride at the UG level and want to kickstart your career journey early, you can surely look for a job after graduation in Environmental Engineering with decent salary packages and satisfaction scores.

Some of the main subjects included in the Environmental Engineering syllabus are given below:

• Engineering Mathematics
• Engineering Physics
• Environmental Chemistry
• Air Pollution and Control
• Advanced Water Treatment.

Hi,

Yes, Environmental Engineering graduates require a basic understanding of Mathematics in order to design and operate models and systems which are environment friendly. Mathematical skills are required to understand the quantity of the pollutants and to measure them over a period of time. It is also required to manage waste treatment plants and pollution control systems. Though the level of Mathematics taught to Environmental Engineering students is not the same as other disciplines, they are given basic knowledge on Numerical Methods and Calculus.

I hope this answer resolved your doubt !

The BTech Environmental Engineering course syllabus includes both core as well as elective subject choices for you to study during the entire course duration. Some of the important subjects taught in the classes include:

• Engineering Graphics
• Civil and Environmental Engineering Materials
• Air Pollution Control and Management
• Green Chemistry
• Environmental Microbiology
• Environmental Impact Assessment
• Solid and Hazardous Waste Management
• Wastewater Collection and Treatment

The course syllabus for a BTech degree in Environmental Engineering is a mixture of core subjects and elective subjects. The basic difference between the two is that the core subjects are compulsory for you to study in every semester. These core subjects teach the basic fundamentals and concepts important to becoming an environmental engineer.
Coming to the elective subjects, these subject choices do give you some scope for customization, as you can pick subjects of your choice, the ones that you resonate more with, and they are interesting and easy for you to get the hang of. You usually start getting these elective choices from 2nd year onwards.

Hello,

Hhere are some recommeneded books with diverse focuses, that you may refer to:

General Environmental Engineering:

• Environmental Engineering by SK Garg 
• Environmental Engineering by G.S. Rao and A.P. Durga Rao 
• Environmental Engineering by Howard S. Peavy, Donald R. Rowe, and George Tchobanoglous 

Water Resources Engineering:

• Irrigation Water Power & Water Resource Engineering by Arora & Standard Publishers 
• Water Supply and Sanitation Engineering by B.C. Punmia and Ashok Jain 
• Water Resources Engineering by Larry W Mays 

Waste Management:

• Solid Waste Management by Sunil Kumar 
• Wastewater Engineering by Metcalf & Eddy 
• Hazardous Waste Management by Basudeb Bhatta 

Air Pollution Control:

• Air Pollution by K.C. Agarwal 
• Air Pollution Control Engineering by C.S. Rao 
• Air Pollution Control by Wark and Warner 

I hope the above answer to your question helps to clear your doubt !

Hello,

Below are few topic ideas for your final year project in relation to Environmental Engineering courses:

Water and Wastewater Treatment: Assessing Climate change implications on water quality in the region and the potential strategies to apply in the future. Using natural treatment systems for wastewater treatment in rural areas: an evaluation of the practice.

Air Pollution Control: A study on the factors that determine the concentration distribution of air pollutants in urban air shed. Bringing a new invention in the air pollution control design of a particular sector.

I hope this answer helps to understand the concept deeply !

There are around 54 B Tech in Environmental Engineering colleges in India. Out of these, 32 are privately-owned and the rest 22 fall under the jurisdiction of government. Some popular private colleges are Galgotias University (Greater Noida), Shoolini University (Solan), Jain Deemed-to-be University (Bangalore), JSS Academy of Technical Education (Noida), and Ramdeobaba University (Nagpur).
Talking about some of the best government colleges for studying BTech Environmental Engineering, IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur, DTU, IIT Dhanbad, and GGSIPU are some of the popular choices.

The total BTech Environmental Engineering course fee depends on a lot of factors like the college offering the course, college location, whether it is a private or government college, and its overall reputation in India. The average BTech Environmental Engg. tuition fee is approximately between INR 3 lakh and INR 12 lakh.

Other than the tuition fee, there are other extra charges as well such as the accommodation fee (if you are staying in the college hostel), admission application fee, semester exam form fee, lab work fee, and other stuff. So, before finalizing your seat at some college, you should look at all of these factors to get a rough idea of the total amount you will have to spend during the entire course duration.

The placement package for the BTech Environmental Engg. course will differ from one college to another. A lot of top recruiters visit the college campuses every year and offer decent salary packages to graduates in this course. Some of the best colleges along with their average placement packages are given below:

The average tuition fee for BTech Environmental Engineering is around INR 3 Lacs to INR 12 lakh, which differs based on the college, ranking, location, and placement records. Apart from the tuition fee, you also need to pay extra charges for hostel facilities, college application, semester exam fee, lab work fees, caution money, student welfare fund, backlog fee (if applicable), and other miscellaneous charges.

You can go to the official college websites and have a look at their detailed fee structure for the BTech Environmental Engineering course to have better clarity.

College ranking plays a very important role when pursuing a BTech in Environmental Engineering because a good ranking speaks volumes about the college's overall academic coursework, industrial connections, and placements. A high ranking is also synonymous with research exposure and access to reliable resources and infrastructure.

Having said that, you should not rely solely on the college ranking and brand name, rather look for other factors like individual skills and future plans, course fees, college location, practical opportunities, and scope for skill enhancement.

Hi,

Consider following career paths after completing Environmental Engineering in India:

• Environmental consultant
• Environmental policy analyst
• Environmental project manager
• Environmental scientist
• Environmental auditor
• Sustainability manager

I hope this answer helps !

Hi,

After completing Environmental Engg., professionals are hired across companies for managing their resources and suggesting environmentally-safe methods for waste disposal. Some of the popular fields include:

• Public health
• Radiation protection
• Environmental Remediation Engineering
• Land management
• Industrial hygiene
• Wastewater Management
• Air pollution control

I hope the above answer helps with your query !

Hi,
Environmental engineers invent the ways to protect the environment from harmful waste, bacteria, chemicals etc. Examples of Environmental Engineering work incorporate building dams, municipal water supply, systems for recycling and reusing waste, wastewater treatment facilities, plants to desalinate ocean water for irrigation of crops, refineries that reduce air pollutants, etc. To become an effective environmental engineer, he must possess problem-solving skills, interpersonal skills, reading, writing, knowledge about nature, etc.
I hope the above answer helps to resolve your query !

BTech Environmental Engineering graduates are hired by many top recruiters across different work sectors in India. They are ready to give good salaries to talented and skilled students who want to contribute to the safety of environment and human health. Popular recruiters in this field are:
• Enviro Analysts and Engineers Pvt. Ltd.
• Vision Earthcare
• Doshion Pvt. Ltd.
• Nalco Water India Ltd.
• Botanical Survey of India (BSI)
• Central Pollution Control Board
• Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
• Adani Green Energy

The average salary for BTech Environmental Engineering graduates in India is between INR 5 LPA and INR 7 LPA. This is just an approximate figure and can vary on the basis of your academic performance, skill set, internship experience, the company location, market demand, etc. After you gain a few years of experience in the field and give your best shot, you will be paid more by the recruiters because they will see you as an asset for their organization.

Hi,

Refer to the following points to know about the Environmental Engineering eligibility criteria:

• Typically, a bachelor's degree in Science or engineering, preferably in fields like civil engineering, chemical engineering, or environmental science, is required.
• Some institutions may also consider candidates with relevant work experience.
• The specific criteria may vary depending on the institution and the level of course (e.g., undergraduate, postgraduate).

I hope the above solution for your query helps !

You have both options available depending on the particular college you wish to apply to. A majority of the top BTech Environmental Engineering colleges release the application forms in the online mode on their university/college portal, which allows you to fill out the forms from the comfort of your homes without having to travel to the respective college.

Some colleges may still follow the old approach of offline form filling at the college window. So, you should go to the official college websites to check their application methods and then apply accordingly. The basic steps are uploading the scanned copies of the relevant docs and submitting the application fee.

The selection criterion for BTech Environmental Engineering admission is a combination of both Class 12 merit and entrance test scores. Top colleges like the IITs and NITs ask for valid JEE Advanced and JEE Main exam scores respectively, while a few other private colleges consider the Class 12 board exam marks and may take extra rounds like the GD or PI.

You can go to the college websites for BTech Environmental Engineering to have better clarity about their eligibility requirements and admission procedure.

Almost all of the colleges offering the BTech Environmental Engineering course offer relaxation in marks for students belonging to the SC/ST/BC/PwD or other reserved categories, given they have a valid reservation certificate, a copy of which needs to be submitted at the time of the application process. The relaxation in marks is generally 5%, which may vary on the basis of the institution offering the course.
For accurate information around the reservation policies for the course, you will have to check the official websites of the colleges you're targeting.

The BTech Environmental Engineering course syllabus is a mix of class lectures, internships, project work, and field visits to give you an idea of the real world applications of the field and gain practical work experience in handling environmental concerns. It gives you knowledge of various waste management processes and pollution control technologies.

After you complete your B Tech in Environmental Engineering course, you can explore a lot of job profiles in different work sectors. Some popular BTech Environmental Engineering career options in India are given below:

• Environmental Engineer
• Environmental Consultant
• Environmental Policy Analyst
• Environmental Health and Safety Manager
• Waste Management Specialist
• Water Resources Engineer
• Renewable Energy Engineer
• Air Quality Inspector