Changing Faces of Engineers Nirajan Pudasaini (I am an Industrial Engineer, Contact: 9841839879, Gothatar, Kathmandu)

Every year, around 10000 students enroll in various engineering colleges in Nepal, and an equal number pass out as engineers. There country already has too many engineers, but our nation is still amongst the least developed ones. Neither have our engineers been able to invent new technology to boost up our development nor have they been able to use available technology in the world to make our nation independent. People often say that Nepal cant produce a needle too. I remember these words of an officer years ago. He blamed engineers for the bad situation of our country. I was bewildered as everyone tends to blame politicians instead. According to him, every year, Nepal receives huge amount of money to carry out various projects. But, according to him the money is often misused through consensus between the engineer and contractor. It is the duty of an engineer to control corruption in the project he undertakes, but our engineers are involved in illegal earning to become rich overnight, he said. Among the various professions in Nepal, engineers commanded utmost respect in the society until a few years ago. But today other professions have sidelined the engineers. If the engineers become more corrupt and incapable to develop the nation, their rank will further decline. Furthermore, the addition of unemployed engineers every year will bring erosion in the respect they command. An engineer is has a crucial role in developing the society and the whole nation thereof. I think there would have been no doctor, no pilot nor any other profession for that matter if there were no engineers. We human being would have been in Stone Age if engineering hadnt existed. We engineers make machines, tools and equipment, but the credit goes to the industrialists. We build the machines and equipment used in medicine, but the credit for curing the patient goes to the doctor. And we engineers construct the countrys infrastructures, but our political leaders are called to inaugurate them. We engineers should be proud of our profession and need to contribute to the rapid development of the nation. Engineers who are utilising their skills abroad must involve themselves here. Its true that ideal jobs are hard to come by in Nepal for young engineers without experiences and connections, but lets be optimistic and engage ourselves in creating jobs. Lets not be limited in seeking opportunities. We all need to work together to take our nation forward on to the path of development and progress. Published in TRN Oped, feb 14 pnirajan.wordpress.com