Electrical Engineering Vs Electronics & Communication Engineering - What's the Difference?

Electrical Engineering and Electronics and Communication Engineering may sound similar but are completely different and deal with the different aspects of electricity and transmission of electricity altogether. To put it easily, electrical engineering is a rather broad subject and may even provide the students with basic knowledge of electronics and communication engineering. However, electronics and communication engineering is a subject-specific course that deals with electronics and its applications in the field of communication. Let’s delve a little deeper as to what really makes the two courses different from each other.

In this article, you can check out the different criteria such as the course information, job opportunities available and the scope of both the courses. It is important to note that both courses can be pursued at the undergraduate and postgraduate level at most of the engineering institutes situated in India.

Course Comparison

Electrical Engineering and Electronics & Communication Engineering Course Details

The major difference between the two courses is in the course details and curriculum itself. While both the courses can be related to each other, the gist, as well as the learning outcomes of both the courses, are different. Here are the differences in Electrical Engineering and Electronic and Communication Engineering. The students must note that both the programmes require the students to have Mathematical as well as Basic Science Aptitude, as their knowledge in these areas will be tested during their higher education programmes.

What is Electrical Engineering?

Electrical Engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with electricity and the transmission of electricity from point A to point B. The transmission is not the only factor of concern for electrical engineering, the students will also be learning about what they need to do at both Point A and Point B to ensure smooth production, functioning, transmission as well as storage of the said electricity.

The subjects that will be dealt with, under the electrical engineering programmes include:

• Elements of Electrical Engineering

• DC Machines an Transformers

• Utilisation of Electrical Power

• Analysis of Electrical Power Systems

• Electromagnetics

• Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering

These are just some of the subjects are taught under the electrical engineering programmes that are provided by the electrical engineering colleges of India. Every institute has its own curriculum which is followed by the students of electrical engineering. Therefore, the subjects that will be taught will be more or less similar. Again, the subjects taught will differ between the level of education that the student aims to pursue, i.e. undergraduate or postgraduate or doctoral level.

What is Electronics and Communication Engineering?

Electronics and communication engineering is a fairly new course that has come into the limelight recently. Students may confuse electronics with electrical engineering. However, the electronics part of the course deals primarily with the devices and computer chips that help in utilising and/or in the transmission of electricity. The students who pursue electronics and communication engineering will be specialising in electronics and communication rather than completing an entire course on electrical engineering.

The subjects that are taught to the students pursuing electronics and communication engineering include the following:

• Basic Module of Electronics and Communication Engineering

• Electronic Instrumentation

• Microcontrollers

• Information Theory and Coding

• Microprocessors and Microelectronics

• VLSI

• Computer Communication Networks

• Wireless Communication

There are many more subjects along with the basic engineering subjects such as Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry that will also be included in the curriculum of an electronics and communication programme. However, depending on the level of education at which the programme is being pursued, i.e. undergraduate or postgraduate, the subjects that will be taught under their programmes will differ. Check out the different electronics and communication engineering colleges in India.

Electrical Engineering and Electronics & Communication Engineering Sub-Specialisations

One of the major facets of electrical engineering and electronics and communications engineering is the list of sub-specialisations under each of the programmes. The list of sub-specialisations will differ for both the programmes. It is important to note that sub-specialisations are offered only at the postgraduate level. At the undergraduate level, the students will only be taught the basics and general information of the courses. Meanwhile, postgraduation includes more specific and specialised information under the courses. Check out the list of sub-specialisations of Electrical Engineering and Electronics and Communication Engineering.

Electrical Engineering Sub-Specialisations

Those who are interested in pursuing a postgraduate programme in Electrical Engineering, which could be M.Tech or M.E., will also be provided with an option for choosing a sub-specialisation within electrical engineering. Here is the list of sub-specialisations of electrical engineering for aspiring postgraduate students:

• Electronics

• Microelectronics

• Instrumentations

• Telecommunications

• Mechatronics

• Signal Processing

These are some of the sub-specialisations that are commonly offered at the electrical engineering colleges of India. You can choose to follow one of these sub-specialisations for your Master’s in Electrical Engineering programme.

Electronics & Communication Engineering Sub-Specialisations

Once the candidates have completed their undergraduate programme in electronics and communication engineering and have planned to pursue a postgraduate programme in the course, they will be provided with various options as sub-specialisations of electronics and communication engineering. Here is the list of electronics and communication engineering sub-specialisations that the student will be able to opt for:

• VLSI Engineering

• Computer Engineering

• Telecommunications

• Control Engineering

• Signal Processing

• Instrumentation Engineering

Depending on the electronics and communication company or organisation that the candidate wishes to join, the list of sub-specialisations of electronics and communication engineering will differ. Therefore, the candidates are advised to go through all the courses of the different engineering colleges of India.

Electrical Engineering & Electronics and Communication Engineering Eligibility Criteria

Since both the courses belong to the discipline of engineering, the candidates who wish to pursue either of the programmes must belong to the science background. It is commonly known across India that to take admission to any of the engineering programmes, an aspirant will need to sit for an entrance test like the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) or any equivalent common entrance test. The candidates who wish to pursue a Master’s programme in either Electrical Engineering or Electronics and Communication Engineering, they will again be required to sit for an entrance test meant for postgraduate admissions like Graduate Aptitude Test for Engineering (GATE). The admission into any one of the programmes will be based on the performance of the candidate in the qualifying examinations along with the score or the rank obtained in the common entrance tests for admission.

Electrical Engineering & Electronics and Communication Engineering Entrance Exams

Candidates must note that the entrance tests for admission to the engineering programmes are conducted either at the national, state or university level. Here is the list of entrance tests for electrical engineering and electronics and communication engineering.

• Joint Entrance Examinations Mains (JEE Mains)

• Joint Entrance Examinations Advanced (JEE Advanced)

• Vellore Institute of Technology Engineering Entrance Examination (VITEEE)

• West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination (WBJEE)

• Maharashtra Health and Technical Common Entrance Test (MHT-CET)

• SRM Joint Engineering Entrance Examination (SRMJEE)

• Birla Institute of Technology and Science Admission Test (BITSAT)

• Graduate Aptitude Test for Engineering (GATE)

• Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology Entrance Examination (KIITEE)

• Andhra University Engineering Entrance Test (AUEET)

• Andhra Pradesh Engineering Common Entrance Test (AP ECET)

• Telangana State Engineering Common Entrance Test (TS ECET)

• VIT Master’s Entrance Examination (VITMEE)

• Uttar Pradesh State Entrance Examination (UPSEE)

• Indraprastha University Common Entrance Test (IPU CET)

Those who are interested in taking admission to any one of the engineering programmes will have to check the eligibility criteria for the specific programme that they wish to pursue.

Electrical Engineering and Electronics & Communication Engineering Selection Process

Once the candidates meet the eligibility criteria for the programme and the engineering institute that they wish to join, the candidates will be required to sit through the admission process for electrical engineering and electronics and communication engineering. The general admission process for any electrical engineering or electronics and communication engineering programme at the undergraduate level requires the candidates to appear for a counselling round, wherein the candidates will be allotted the course, seat and sometimes the engineering institute as well. Depending on the rank of the student, the candidates will be allotted the seat, course and the college. Therefore, it is important that the candidate is able to obtain a good rank in the entrance test that is required for admission.

However, at the postgraduate level, depending on the engineering institute, the candidates will be asked to sit for an entrance test, personal interview and/or a group discussion. The combined performance of the candidate in these tests will guarantee the admission of the candidate into one of the engineering courses, i.e. electrical engineering or electronics and communication engineering.

Note: Every engineering institute has its own selection process for electrical engineering and electronics and communication engineering. Therefore, the candidates must go through the selection process mentioned by the college for each of the programmes.

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Electrical Engineering and Electronics & Communication Engineering Scope

Another major difference between the two courses occurs after the completion of the programme. In other words, the kind of job opportunities or the scope of career opportunities that will be available to the students after the completion of the programme differs. The difference in the course details and the areas that are dealt with under both the programmes makes the student fit for only certain kinds of jobs, that will need the kind of knowledge and skill that the student has gained under each programme.

Electrical Engineering Scope

After completing their programme under Electrical Engineering, the scope of an Electrical Engineering student will be high, as is the case for many engineering branches. However, the merit of the student along with his/her skills and knowledge of the subject will heavily affect the scope of electrical engineering. The scope of an Electrical Engineer also depends on the level of education that has been pursued by the student. Even though it is not common for students to pursue an M.Tech or an M.E. after completing a B.Tech or a B.E. under Electrical Engineering, having a postgraduate degree will always add to the overall desirability of the candidate for a job.

Some of the areas wherein the student will be able to find themselves a job after completing an electrical engineering programme include:

• Chief Engineer

• Engineering Technologist

• Electrical Product Design Engineers

• Development and Test Engineers

• Project Managers or Project Heads

These are just some of the positions that can be filled in by the candidates who have completed their electrical engineering programme. Depending on the company that they choose to join and the position available in specific companies will ensure the position of the candidate.

Electrical Engineering Salary

After the completion of a degree, most probably a B.Tech in Electrical Engineering will fetch the graduates a starting salary ranging between ₹2 lakhs and ₹5 lakh. However, this depends on the kind of job vacancies on offer as well as the merit of the student. Another factor that has previously affected the starting salary of a student, is the college, from which the student completed their electrical engineering programme. However, a recent trend has shown that the number of students who are now opting for Electrical Engineering programmes has been decreasing over the years. Although, after a few years of training and experience, the average salary that has been witnessed among electrical engineers been around ₹65,000 per month.

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Electronics & Communication Engineering Scope

Like many other branches of engineering, a student of Electronics and Communication Engineering will have just as many opportunities and scope in terms of the kind of job that will be available to them. However, like other branches, the merit of the student along with his/her skills and knowledge under electronics and communication engineering will be the primary criteria that will guarantee his/her job and career opportunities. As mentioned above, having a postgraduate degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering will also affect the scope of an electronics and communication engineer. A B.Tech in Electronics and Communication Engineering which can be paired with an M.Tech in the same subject will lead to better job opportunities and career growth.

Among the job positions that graduates from the electronics and communication engineering programmes will be able to pursue include:

• Research and Development Software Engineer

• Electronics Engineer

• Electronics and Communication Consultant

• Network Planning Engineer

• Technical Director

A student can expect to see other positions coming their way along with the ones mentioned above. The job vacancies in companies and the requirement of the industry will determine what job position will be provided to an aspiring candidate. As mentioned earlier, the merit and overall performance of the candidate will also heavily affect the kind of packages and career opportunities that will be open to them.

Electronics & Communication Engineering Salary

The range of salary that a fresher who has just completed his/her B.Tech/B.E. in Electronics and Communication Engineering will be able to receive a package ranging between ₹3.5 lakhs to ₹4.5 lakhs. Once the student receives some kind of experience and training in the field, the per month salary of an electronics and communication engineer will also increase, which can range from ₹60,000 to ₹70,000 per month. However, as stated before, the merit of the candidate and their skills, experience and overall performance as an employee will determine their salary.

Electrical Engineering & Electronics and Communication Engineering Top Colleges

Those who are interested in pursuing a programme under either of the courses will be able to pursue the programme from any one of the top engineering colleges of India. The candidates will also be able to check out the NIRF Ranking for Top Engineering Colleges in India as well as the QS World Ranking for Top Indian Universities, to figure out the best engineering college for yourself. Indian engineering institutes have been successful in building a brand not only in India but at a global level. Here is the list of colleges that offer electrical engineering and electronics and communication engineering courses at either undergraduate or postgraduate level or both.

• Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati

• National Institute of Technology Technology Warangal

• Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur

• Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

• National Institute of Technology Rourkela

• National Institute of Technology Raipur

• Anna University

• Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani

• Vellore Institute of Technology

• Manipal Institute of Technology

• Lovely Professional University

• Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology Shibpur

• Jadavpur University

• Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology TVM

• Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University College of Engineering

• Amrita School of Engineering

• Jamia Millia Islamia

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Therefore, apart from differences in the course details, curriculum and job opportunities between Electrical Engineering and Electronics and Communication Engineering, there are not many differences that can be noted down. It is not practical to call one course better than the other, irrespective of the scope as well as the opportunities for career growth, as both the courses offer almost similar scope. It is the students’ personal capabilities and skills under the programme that will determine his/her future.