About the AMIE exams and the activities of IEI
Engineers play a crucial role in nation building and the expertise they acquire in their specific branch has much to do with the quality of education they get.
The Institution of Engineers- India (IEI), set up in 1920 and the largest professional body of engineers in the country with a total membership of about seven lakh, plays a crucial role here.
IEI, which has over 500 student chapters in recognised engineering colleges and over 300 student chapters in polytechnics, is the first professional body to start a non-formal engineering education programme in the country. It conducts bi-annual examinations, popularly known as AMIE examinations. The examination was introduced in August, 1928.
Rules and syllabi were drawn as far back as in 1924 and have been revised from time to time to keep pace with the technological developments. AMIE graduates have occupied top positions at State, national and international levels and have contributed immensely to the engineering field over the years.
· Open admission system.
· English is the medium of examination.
· Students can appear externally at the examination. No routine college schedule and attendance.
· Learning while earning.
· Affordable cost of engineering education.
· Freedom to select branch of engineering.
· Equivalent to degree in engineering. Hence access for admission to post-graduate programmes such as M.E., M.S., M.Tech., M.B.A., etc.
· Participation in conferences and seminars at concessional rates.
· Campus interviews are organised for AMIE graduates during the annual convocation organised by IEI.
· Course material is not provided.
· Classes are not conducted.
· AMIE graduates are eligible to apply for corporate membership of IEI and practice as Chartered Engineers.
· For a complete pass in Section A or in Section B, Grade Point Average (GPA) shall be 6 which means a person should score between 50 and 59 out of 100.
Scheme of examination
There are two schemes: Section A (Non-Diploma) / Section A (Diploma) and Section B.
Eligibility for Section A (Non-Diploma)
The candidate is required to enrol as technician member of IEI. He should have attained 17 years of age and passed 10+2 exam with minimum 45 per cent marks in aggregate as well as 45 per cent marks in physics, chemistry and mathematics and pass in English.
Exams are held in June and December every year. It consists of a total of 10 subjects – two subjects of basic sciences, five of engineering sciences, two of communication and one subject of social science.
A student is permitted to appear in any four subjects out of 10 in one examination.
Eligibility for Section A (Diploma)
The candidate is required to enrol as senior technician member of IEI. He should have attained the age of 18 years and passed diploma in engineering from any State board of technical education. The exam is held in June and December every year. It consists of four subjects – two of engineering sciences, one of communication science and one of social science. A student is eligible to appear in all four subjects in one examination.
Eligibility for Section B
After passing Section A (Non-Diploma) or Section A (Diploma) examination, a candidate is permitted to sit for Section B examination in any one engineering division of his choice. At present, exams are being conducted in the following 10 divisions: chemical, civil, computer, electrical, electronics, mechanical, materials and metallurgical, mining, production and textile.
Exams are conducted in over 65 centres across the country. On passing any five subjects of Section B, a student is permitted to do project work on a subject under the designated project guide and is allowed to do laboratory experiments in an engineering college close to his place. Candidates are given six years each to pass Section A and Section B examinations.
Passing Section A and B Examinations of IEI is approved by the Ministry of Human Resource Development as equivalent to a degree in appropriate field of engineering.
The tentative fee for completing AMIE examination is around Rs.20,000 including fee for laboratory experiments and project work evaluation.
IEI is a statutory professional body of engineers which has over 100 State and local centres in India and five centres abroad with its headquarters in Kolkata. It was granted a Royal Charter by the then British Government in 1935 which is equivalent to an Act of Parliament. Anyone who wishes to practice as a Chartered Engineer must register oneself with the institution as its corporate member.
The Royal Charter bestows the statutory authority with the responsibilities for promotion of science, practice and business of engineering in all disciplines, education and certifying competency of engineers. IEI has been serving the nation as a qualifying body and learned society for the past 93 years.
IEI has recognised the following 15 divisions: aerospace, agricultural, architectural, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, electronics and communications, environmental, marine, mechanical, materials and metallurgical, mining, production and textile.
Annual national conventions of each division are held throughout the country and journals containing research papers and practice-oriented papers are published for the benefit of engineers. The Indian Engineering Congress is held every year in which engineers from all parts of the country actively participate.
For more information, visit IEI, Karnataka State Centre, No.3, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Veedhi, opp. The New Indian Express, Bangalore-560 001 or click www.ieindia.org
The author is a practising chartered engineer and Chairman, The Institution of Engineers (India), Karnataka State Centre