Career in Architecture

Construction is one of the fastest growing sectors in Indian economy. In the last few decades our economy has witnessed hectic and massive construction activities, new structures have been raised, and townships have evolved. All this has importantly led to creation of avenues for those interested in making a career in architect. Architects are the licensed professionals trained in the art and science of building. They are involved in all the phases of the building construction i.e. the functional, safety, economical and have to satisfy the needs of its occupants. They are responsible person for the planning, designing and supervision of construction works for houses, office buildings, skyscrapers, landscapes, and even entire cities.

Course Details
Anybody who has studied Physics, Mathematics and Chemistry at the 10+2 level can apply for admission to study architecture at the graduate level in colleges offering the course. B.Arch is a 5 year course and most schools and colleges select students through a written test. Further on completion of the graduate course one can study architecture at the post graduate course which varies from 18 months to 2 years. The Council of Architecture conducts an aptitude test on an All India basis for admission to colleges of Architecture. Engineering colleges select students on the basis of the result to the appropriate engineering courses. Some other renowned institutes carry their own selection tests to identify suitable candidates.

Career Prospects
With the country's current growth in industrial and economic activities, there exists wide employment opportunities for architects, both in the public and private sectors. A qualified architect can work with government organisations like central and state public work departments, housing and urban development corporation, municipalities, city development authorities, state housing boards etc. They are also employed in industrial ventures, consultancy and private architectural firms, teaching institutions, real estate development firms etc. The most privileged scope in the field of architecture is private practice. With some years of experience in an organisation, the architects can set up their own business.

Institutes Offering
Some of the Colleges and Universities offering Graduate/Post-Graduate courses in Architecture are: School of Planning & Architecture, New Delhi; Chandigarh College of Architecture, Chandigarh; School of Architecture CEPT, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad; Govt. College of Architecture, Lucknow; College of Architecture, Goa; Sir J J College of Architecture, Mumbai; Indian Education Society's College of Architecture, Mumbai; Marathwada Mitra Mandal College of Architecture, Pune; Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad; College of Engineering, Thiruvananthpuram; Anna University, Chennai; Bengal Engineering College, Howrah; Sushant School of Art and Architecture, Gurgaon; School of Architecture & Interior Designing, New Delhi.

Remuneration
A fresh architectural graduate working as a trainee with established architects starts with a salary of Rs. 10000 - 12000 per month. With in a short span of time, the earnings can rise up to Rs.15000 ? 20000 per month depending upon the experience and the work involved. In the government sectors, the pay scale is not as lucrative as the private sector. Architects practicing through their own firm could earn a lot, and this could be from thousands to lakhs. Consultants charge anywhere between 4 and 10 per cent of the total cost of construction in case of apartments and multi storied buildings.