Interview with Raunaq Jiandani
Q: How did you streamline your thoughts and aspirations while choosing a branch like chemical engineering ?
Before taking up the branch, I read a little about all the branches. Out of all, chemical engineering appealed to me the most. I knew I had an inherent inclination towards this field, but I wasn’t 100% sure I would build a career in this field. The culture on campus of looking down at core branches does lead to some hesitation. However, talking to professors and seniors helps you gain confidence in the field. I saw my seniors who wanted placements in the core sector worked hard and successfully got placed. This reassured me as well as kept me motivated. So I’d say, don’t let people affect your goals and ambitions.
Q: Oftentimes, academics become monotonous, making it difficult to focus. What was your success Mantra for consistency and indomitable perseverance?
I had a habit of attending all classes since school. One of the best ways to concentrate is to make notes and mark important points in the book. This also minimizes distractions and thus increases focus in lectures. Staying back post classes gets your doubts cleared with ease. Most courses in 3rd year, like chemical reaction engineering and process design principles (where you get to know about more real-life applications), help develop an interest in the core industry and have immense applications ahead.
Q: What different things did you do that helped you understand the concepts better than others, and what should be the ideal time allotted for self-study?
Firstly, if you are going to the classes, be mentally present too. Make good notes. It’ll help in revision. The other thing I did was solve questions and read the textbook thoroughly. The books and reading material was excellent. Additionally highlight the imp points, preferably with different colors while reading. For problems, read the question; if you feel you must do it, then go for it. Rather than arbitrarily allotting time for self-study, we should be more goal specific or object-oriented.
Q: How vital is CGPA at various phases of college?
At every critical junction of college life, like practice school 1, 2, and placements. For placements, a CGPA of 8 is enough. But sometimes, even if your interview does not go well, some companies give more preference to a higher CGPA. If you have a 9.5+ CGPA, some companies fear you might quit your job and move on to the research field. That doesn’t mean you restrict your CG. At the time of my placement, my CGPA was around 9.84, so I had to convince them to get placed. I gave them strong reasons like I have no plans to go abroad as I am a single child, and there is no value addition in completing a master’s from an Indian university, so I will only work in core industry.
Q: If we want to do higher studies at foreign universities, what do we have to do for it, like SOPs, internships, etc.?
You must apply for SOPs via mail at the end of the second-year first semester, and for the specific field you want to research, you need to check websites to know which professors work in your area of interest and then ask them about informal SOP. If you are sincere and passionate enough, try to publish a research paper to boost your resume. To complete a master’s from abroad, you need to apply for a scholarship program provided by BITS.
Q: How should one go about choosing a summer internship?
In my case, I got one internship, but it got canceled afterwards. If you do a summer internship after the third year, you can not do PS2 in the first semester of year four. Look into the company’s last four-five years’ trends and which semester they come for placement while filling for the summer internship. You can informally apply for an internship if you want to do both.
Q: Where did you opt for your PS II, and what are the criteria for selection? What do you think about the knowledge and exposure equipping you to face the real challenges of the core?
I have done my practice school two from AltMat. It is a startup that converts agricultural waste into textile products. Don’t take PS lite. The interview has two possibilities, either they stick to the core or ask you about resumes, projects, and internships. Gail was focused on core subjects and didn’t ask much about internship experience. PS2 helped me get to know about research. I had the opportunity to read many research papers. Also, I did experiments in the chemistry lab at Gujarat University for around 1.5 months. The experience overall was enriching and fun.
Q: Is there anything special we can do for an off-campus placement?
It’s nothing like that, PU helps in this. If only 3–4 people are interested in the core from the entire batch, then they might not call the whole company on campus. Instead, they’ll send your resumes separately to those companies. One of my friends, who wasn’t getting placed till the very end, submitted his resume to the PU, and they were constantly trying in different companies. Also, the institute wanted their records to remain good. So it’s a win-win for both sides.
Q: How has the journey at GAIL been so far? How did it enhance your growth and experience in the industry?
It’s been phenomenal so far. At Gail, I work on a plant where I have to work on a petrochemical complex and make polyethene from natural gas. My work is in a gas-cracking unit which you will learn in PRT. There are two roles in the industry I work in(field and panel engineers). Currently, I am a field engineer, so supervision and maintenance of the plant come under my control. Panel engineers have to control the process of the plant using commands through computers. After one year, I will be promoted to a panel engineer position.
Q: Is it just the petrochemical field that separates chemical engineering from other branches ? How different is it from mechanical engineering ? There are speculations of the petrochemical industry growth being stagnant and decelerating and not to forget the hauling period of recession. So how do you think it will affect the industry ?
If you see disciplinary courses in the chemical and mechanical department, some are similar till the second year but utterly different in the third or fourth year. Processes used for converting raw materials into cost effective, scalable and sustainable products are designed by chemical engineers, while mechanical engineers decide the equipment needed to run those processes and specifications. So in the plant, every type of engineer is indispensable, and the absence of any engineer makes it impossible to run the plant. Moving on, to the recession part….you can go into this industry without worrying about the future. There are concerns about the harm of fossil fuels, but alternative technologies are not sufficiently developed right now to replace the petrochemical industry. You can be sure that nothing will happen to this industry at least in the upcoming few decades. A step towards keeping this industry alive in the future is minimizing carbon dioxide emissions. The carbon dioxide produced will be redirected through technologies such as carbon capture, carbon sequestration, etc. Due to recession, the IT and private sectors will definitely take a hit, which is why government jobs are mostly preferred. They provide a sense of job security. PSUs are not going to be affected greatly.
Q: Can you tell us more about other industries or research areas and their pay scale? What are the chances that someone can switch to material science after studying chemical engineering?
In the government sector, the salaries are fixed according to the number of years. In the private sector, salaries are determined by your performance. To the best of my knowledge, salary growth is faster in the private sector. A friend and I had been working on a research paper about the gas-cracking unit in a power plant. There are various research areas where you can investigate and get better knowledge. It’s pretty easy to switch from chemical engineering to material science. The faculty have a plethora of experience and knowledge in diverse fields of Chemical engineering. Current research also focuses on allied research avenues like material science, mostly nanomaterials and the synthesis of nanoparticles. Other related fields are textile, food processing, biomedical energy and environment sustainable solutions etc. The combination of Chemical and IT is also perfect, as simulations require knowledge of core chemical concepts and a programming language like MATLAB and ASPEN. Opportunities are immense and give you an unfathomable insight into Chemical Engineering.
Q: Students these days are tempted towards lucrative jobs in IT Finance and consultancy; how did you manage to remain determined to create an impression in the core chemical field?
This happens primarily because of herd mentality, where people believe these jobs are highly paid with less effort. But they need to realize the significance of core chemical being equally paid and reputed. Moreover, the chance of growth in core chemicals is much higher. For me, PS 1 played a significant role. My Practice School 1 was Aditya Birla Science and Technology, Mumbai. My work there was to research and find solutions to the problems faced in plants run by the Aditya Birla Group inside small-scale labs. This helped me to explore and understand my passion. My sincere advice is, “While taking PS1, don’t choose a friendly city but a field you might want to work in the future. Placement in chemical and mechanical is lesser than in IT. It’s not because there is a job shortage; instead, it’s the students who don’t want core jobs, so companies don’t come.
Q: What are the different avenues for a chemical enthusiast and how do you think they should start preparing for them ?
Many start preparing for GATE by the end of the 3rd year or in 4–1, so it is not from scratch. Attend classes regularly, make notes, and clear your doubts; then, there is no need for separate GATE prep. By 4–1 or 4–2, join some test series. After graduation, you can go into the industry or do higher studies. MS in foreign is great. In India, if you want to do MTech and then go into industry, they might not give you that much weightage. Some companies might provide you with weightage but only when it is research-oriented, like my PS1 in Aditya Birla lab, where the criteria were only to have an MTech degree. IISc and ICT are good options for them. For core peeps, GATE is an imp backup. It is also a good option in case fewer companies visit. You’ll get a placement if you have worked hard these four years. You are qualified for interviews if you come in the top 100s. Even within 1000, you can apply for MTech in IITs.
