With the advent of technological age and increase in technical trends, Engineering has become a great profession. It has transformed the imagination into the reality. It has increased the employment in the country, increased the standard of living, and helps in the overall development of the society and nation in different forms. India is still a developing country though it has become one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

India’s gross domestic product (GDP) or national income has grown rapidly in the recent years. Engineering is by far the largest segment of Indian industry. India’s engineering industry accounts for 27% of the total factories in the industrial sector. The engineering sector gets around 63% of share through foreign collaborations.

With development in associated sectors such as automotive, industrial goods and infrastructure, coupled with a well developed technical human resources pool, engineering exports are growing day by day.

Among developing countries, India offers the best combination of low costs, availability of skills and capabilities of manpower for the engineering sector. The bulk of capital goods required for power projects, fertilizer, cement, steel, petrochemical plants and mining equipment are made in India.

The role of engineers in national development refers to the application of the knowledge of the mathematical and applied science gained by study, experience and practice in the provision of basic infrastructure and social amenities. Engineers whether working in public sector, private sector or as entrepreneurs are playing a great role in the development of the country.

Role of engineers in developing India begins with the identification of the problems faced by the people. The innovation capability of our scientists and engineers will play a critical role in enabling India achieve this goal. The roles of engineers in different sectors are:

• Food for all: In India the problem of food availability still exists. Despite some initiatives by the government, millions of people still suffer from hunger, starvation and malnutrition. This can be overcome by bringing more and more areas of waste land under cultivation and extending the irrigation facilities to remote locations.
• Accessibility to clean water: Access to the clean and drinking water is the biggest problem. Engineers can install large scale water purification plants at the supply end of water supply schemes, running movable water purifiers through Municipal Corporations and installing water purifier sets at the public places.
• Housing facilities: The engineers can design low cost houses and prefabricated structures for the common masses.
• Sanitation: Lack of sanitation is a major problem in developing countries like India. Engineers can tackle this by offering different sanitation products and services at affordable prices.
• Waste management: Waste generation in the country increases by 50 percent every decade. There is dire need for construction of drainage, culverts, incinerators, etc.
• Access to health care: The role of engineers is to construct healthcare institutes in different areas of the country with modern facilities so that medical facilities are provided to the masses at affordable costs.

Always remember, a professional engineer is one who is capable of assuming professional responsibility for the analysis of engineering principles in the solution of problems and able to communicate his ideas clearly, concisely and intelligibly to others.

His or her works requires the exercise of original thought and judgment and the ability to supervise technical and managerial work of others.