Why M.Tech? Why Not MBA?

A combination of engineering and management degrees is considered to be a very strong academic credential to succeed. But the question is how to choose between the two...

- Bachan Thakur

Here’s a tale of two choices. Should one go for M.Tech after B.Tech or widen one’s career scope by opting for MBA? Let’s see how it pans out among students. Sai Praneeth Reddy, final-year B.Tech student at IIT Madras had set his eyes on an MBA and cracked CAT 2017 with a top score. “If you join a company, when you start moving to higher ranks over a period of time, people with management skills and team handling skills are given preference over the ones with just technical skill set. An M.Tech degree curtails these opportunities and does not open doors for such growth. If you want to climb up the success ladder fast, then MBA is the ideal choice after B.Tech,’’ says Praneeth. Ocima Kamboj, another B. Tech student who stood AIR 1 in GATE 2018 (Production and Industrial Engineering) took the M.Tech route. “My dream destination for my masters is IISc Bangalore and a valid GATE score is required to apply there. That’s the sole reason I took the exam,” says Kamboj.

One of the reasons why this doubt creeps in is that there is no clarity about what each course adds on to and how far the benefits go. The primary aim of every engineering student is to have a good career and pave the path to success; most of which is measured in terms of earnings and status in the society.

Why MBA? Why not M.Tech?

A common perception is that the engineering learning is wasted if one goes into management. Another perception is that if you have engineering know how, it’s time for you to build managerial skills. After all, the aim is to lead teams and move to top management position someday.