Engg students keen on career in Navy

Rather than sitting in a corporate cubicle, budding engineers studying in the City of Palaces are looking at the prospects of cruising the high seas with the Indian Navy.

A fat pay packet with perks and the added charm of donning the uniform are attracting men and women in hordes to a career in defence.

The ardour was visible at a recruitment drive organised at the National Institute of Engineering (NIE) where more than 600 engineering students lined up to become commissioned officers in the technical and executive branches of the Navy.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, recruiters from the Staff Selection Board in Bangalore said the response for the University Entry Scheme-2013 campus recruitment in Mysore, which concluded on Saturday, was overwhelming. Having visited other places such as Mangalore, Hassan, Bijapur, Hubli and Bangalore, the number of student-applicants in Mysore was higher than expected.

While one reason is attributed to the handsome salary (said to be in the range of Rs 66,000) the Navy offers, the others include facilities such as healthcare, canteen and participation in adventure sports. The recruiters said the Navy encouraged its officers at all its bases to participate in sports.

“Officers are encouraged to take up tennis, swimming, horse riding or even ski-jumping. A civilian would have to pay a premium for any of these,” remarked an officer on the condition of anonymity.

With the Navy upgrading its fleet, the officer said engineers would also get an opportunity to go abroad. “With new equipment being fitted to ships, officers are sent abroad for training,” he said.

A student said that besides salary and perks, ‘the pride of representing the country was equally important’.

“The job market for our branch is not doing very well... Indian Navy offers a secure job, provides an opportunity for higher studies and after 10 years, gives pension, too,” said the mechanical engineering student.

An officer said an increasing number of women were also being appointed as observers (tactician of an aircraft), architects and logisticians in the Navy. More than 50 female candidates applied for jobs during the recruitment process.

Students of NIE, Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering, Maharaja Institute of Technology, Vidyavardhaka College of Engineering, Vidya Vikas Institute of Engineering and Technology, PES, Mandya, Government Engineering College in KR Pet and Chamarajanagar participated in the recruitment round in Mysore.