Drawing is not the only criteria, good sketching also essential

I want to pursue Aeronautical engineering after I finish my 12th next year, but I am confused between Aeronautical and Aerospace engineering. Please mention the colleges that offer this course? - Hussain, Nampally

Aerospace Engineering is the primary branch of engineering which is concerned with the designing and overseeing the manufacturing of civilian and military aircraft, helicopters, fighter jets and spacecrafts.

The two overlapping branches of Aerospace Engineering are:

• Aeronautical Engineering
• Astronautical Engineering
  

Aeronautical engineering majorly deals with aircrafts that operate in earth’s atmosphere and Astronautical engineering deals with spacecrafts that operate outside the earth’s atmosphere.

If your subjects are mathematics, physics and chemistry (MPC) in plus two and if you succeed in securing 50 per cent and above in your boards, you become eligible to apply in an engineering college and write the necessary entrance exam. To secure a seat in an Aeronautical engineering college, you must appear for an entrance exam. AIEEE and IIT-JEE are considered as two most prestigious and toughest engineering exams of the country.

Students who want to take admission in IITs and NITs have to clear these prestigious exams. The other entrance exams are:

• Delhi University Combined Entrance Examination (CEE)
• Hindustan University Entrance Test (HITSEE)
• IISAT Admission Test (IIST, Thiruvananthapuram)
• SLIET Entrance Test (SET)
• SRM Engineering Entrance Examination (SRM EEE) Admissions
• The Indian Institute of Aeronautics (IIA) Entrance Exam
• Birla Institute of Technology and Science Admission Test (BITSAT)
• EAMCET

Yet another option is AME ( Associate Membership Exam) conducted by the Aeronautical Society of India, after clearing which the students are given the certificate of being Associate Member of the Aeronautical Society of India. It is considered equivalent to BTech in aeronautical engineering.

The exam consists of two sections A and B. Students possessing BE or BTech degrees are required to appear only for the Section B paper. The ACI is the only forum in the country that provides intense interaction between professionals from all facets of civil and military aviation as well as the manufacturing/training/maintenance agencies. Over the years, the Aeronautical Society of India has generated large pool of aviation manpower through non-formal education and training programmes.

I wish to write NATA in 2016 and I want to know the colleges that accept this score, most probably in southern India? How easy it is to crack this exam, do we have to be very good in drawing? -Sindhu Reddy, Malkajgiri

National Aptitude Test in Architecture (NATA) , is the mandatory exam for architecture aspirants. You can write the exam any day between April 1 and September 15. As the appointments gets filled up soon it is advised that one should apply as soon as possible.

Drawing is not the only criteria, however good sketching is essential. Among the two papers the first one is drawing ability test. The questions are based on topics such as, memory drawing, understanding scales and proportions in drawing, effects of light and shadow, how to compose 3 dimensional elements (which requires 3D visualization skills), shading and colors usage, etc.

work hard on developing these skills. Refer site: http://www. tcyonline.com /tests/nata-model-question-paper for online NATA model question practice and preparation.

This online interface will help you get acquainted with the visual format of the test. Excellent drawing and sketching skills are of no use if you do not have an inclination towards creativity. In the second paper the questions are framed to measure the aesthetic sensitivity of the candidate, the capability to break away from stereotype, routine accepted ideas and thoughts and possess a deeper insight to problem solving.

Therefore, work on areas of imagination, observation, perception, and enhance them. This is a multiple type question paper and has no negative marking, hence attempt the answers of the ones you are not sure about. Along with the above skills is required a good speed to finish the answers in a limited amount of time frame.

Start preparing well in advance, the earlier the better. If possible clear the Grade level drawing examination as this will be an added advantage.

By:Shehre Banu Kagalwala