An MBA after Engineering Degree – Why Do It?

In the last several years, MBA after Engineering has come up as the most popular UG+PG course combination. But what are the benefits of an MBA after Engineering and why do it? Read here.

For the last several years, a new trend has been witnessed among the majority of Engineering degree-holders. After the degree, they start looking for opportunities in an MBA/PGDM programme. But they keep questioning themselves if doing so will be beneficial for them.

Basically, there are two aspects to it. First and the foremost is your interest. If you have an interest in technology and technological aspects of product designing, you should continue your education in Engineering after BTech. But if you see yourself as a project manager five years into your career you should go for MBA. Let's look at the benefits of doing MBA after Engineering.

In the last several years, there has been a flood of engineers despite not many being fascinated towards the subject. Reasons are aplenty, one of them being the tendency to imitate peers and friends.

From the very beginning of 21th century, technology has advanced with a brisk pace. Many new Engineering courses came in the public domain such as IT, Robotics, and Automation, etc. People thought there would be a huge demand in such sectors for engineering graduates. But the poor quality of Engineering in low standard private colleges have been a deterrent.

It is a matter of fact that not every student can crack JEE Main or other such premium engineering entrance exams. This becomes a loophole for substandard private engineering colleges, which give lateral entry to such students in lieu of high capitation fees. In the name of engineering, they provide old school theoretical knowledge which barely provides any opportunities to fresh graduates to innovate.

An MBA after Engineering Degree – Why do it?

MBA: A boon to unemployed or underemployed engineers

Substandard pedagogy gives birth to a plethora of unemployed engineers or underemployed engineers. As per the report of the National Employability Report by Aspiring Minds, more than 80 per cent of engineers in India are unemployable for any job. In such a scenario, pursuing an MBA can be a boost to such engineers. On the other hand, according to GMAC 2018 Corporate Recruiters Survey Report India, 81% companies in planned to hire MBA graduates in 2018 with 52% planning to give a hike to MBA starting base salaries.

There are many business schools which would lure you with their high-end advertisements. But you need to choose wisely. You should do thorough research and then go for an MBA/PGDM programme.

If you are ready to devote few months of preparation for MBA entrance exams like CAT, XAT, SNAP, GMAT, top MBA/PGDM colleges such as IIM, IIFT, FMS, NMIMS, SPJIMR, MDI, ISB are within your reach.

Apart from this, there are several reasons why to do MBA after engineering. Have a look:

Taking up entrepreneurship/business

There are a whole lot of BTech degree holders who don’t want to work in a 9 to 5 job. They want to set up their long-cherished ventures. An MBA is an ideal course to go forward. It enhances your analytical and management skills. 

Flexible study options

There are many renowned colleges which offer MBA/PGDM in distance learning, part-time learning or online learning mode. You continue to work and experience along with pursuing the MBA degree.

A safe bet

Doing an MBA from good colleges ensure a good job right before the completion of the programme. In rare case scenarios, when you don’t get campus placement, you can enrol yourself for off-campus jobs. You can land a job in big firms, even by off-campus hiring.

Wider career options

There is a paucity of subjects taught at an undergraduate level as compared to an MBA degree. Degrees from many MBA colleges in India include fundamental domains such as finance, statistics, economics, HR, and operations, etc. By setting your own startup, you can become your own boss.

Meeting industry insiders

An MBA degree helps you work closely with industry leaders and seasoned professionals. This comes handy when you apply for managerial roles. Moreover, the network which you create at the workplace helps you in running your own startup or business.

More zeroes in your paycheck

The know-how of management and analytical skills is a must-have these days in the corporate world. People possessing these skills come with an added advantage to firms. Companies don’t hesitate to pay you more than what your peers have been getting.

FAQs

Q: Why is MBA a popular choice for higher studies among Engineering students?

A: Majority of the MBA students and MBA aspirants belong to the Engineering background as it is one of the most popular higher study options for the students. While Engineering gives them technical knowledge, an MBA would strengthen the knowledge further by adding managerial skills along with giving insights on various industrial sectors and functions.

Q: Should the engineering graduates opt for General MBA or specialised MBA?

A: This depends on the Engineering graduate’s career choice and interest areas. If they do not have any specific area of interest but want to pursue a corporate job, then pursuing a General MBA is the better option.

Q: After completing Engineering, should the graduates opt for job or MBA?

A: If the Engineering students have a job offer from his/her preferred company and role, then s/he may gain a couple of years’ work experience prior to joining the MBA bandwagon. On the other hand, if they had appeared for the sought-after MBA entrance exams and got a good score, then they may take admission at their dream B-School and start their career armed with an MBA degree.

Q: How important is work experience for pursuing an MBA?

A: Prior work experience gives MBA aspirants with Engineering background an edge over the freshers. However, the work experience should be more than two years and in a relevant role and industry. Part-time jobs, internships or training are not considered as valid work experience by the B-schools.

Q: Is it a good option for Engineering students to go for Distance or Part-Time MBA while doing a job?

A: Yes, pursuing an MBA through Distance, part-time or online mode can be considered a good option if the Engineering graduates want to start their career right after their graduation. Several Engineering students do not want to invest another two years for studying if they get a job of their preference after completing Engineering. If the Distance or Part-Time or Online MBA is pursued from an institute of repute and is recognised by requisite authorities, then it is acknowledged by the industry and serves the purpose of doing an MBA.

Q: When should Engineering students take the MBA entrance exams?

A: Ideally, the Engineering students should take the MBA entrance exams in their final year, if they want to pursue an MBA right after completing Engineering. However, if they want to do an MBA after a few years of work experience, then they have to take the MBA entrance exams any time which suits them.

Q: What are the top MBA entrance exams that Engineering students take?

A: There are a plethora of MBA entrance exams conducted in India which are taken by MBA aspirants. Some such exams are the Common Admission Test (CAT), Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT), Management Aptitude Test (MAT), Common Management Aptitude Test (CMAT), to name a few.

Q: Do Engineering students have an edge over MBA aspirants from other backgrounds?

A: Top B-schools grant admission to MBA aspirants based on factors such as MBA entrance exam percentile, past academic records, work experience, and other qualities. The education background of candidates does not hold any special weightage. However, in a bid to bring diversity in the MBA classroom, some of the top B-schools assign extra weightage to candidates belonging to non-Engineering education background.

Q: Which are the sections of the MBA entrance exams which are considered easy for the Engineering students?

A: As per popular consensus from the MBA aspirants from Engineering background and experts, the sections of MBA entrance exams which are considered easy by the Engineering students are Quantitative Ability or Mathematics, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning.

Q: Which is a better higher study option among MTech/ME and MBA/PGDM?

A: The higher education option for the Engineering students depend on their career aspiration. Those who want to pursue an academic career such as research or teaching, go for MTech or ME. On the other hand, those who want to go for a corporate career or entrepreneurship, opt for MBA.

Q: Which are some of the best MBA specialisations for students with Engineering background?

A: Some of the top MBA specialisations for the students belonging to Engineering background are Finance, Operations and Supply Chain Management, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Management, Energy Management, Information Technology, to name a few.

Q: Which are some of the best B-schools in India for Engineering students?

A: Some of the best B-schools for students with an Engineering background are IIMs, NITIE Mumbai, XLRI Jamshedpur, MDI Gurgaon, FMS Delhi, IMI Delhi, to name a few.

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