YOUNGSTERS EYE ON CIVIL ENGINEERING

 Rida Qadri, a 17-year-old girl from Juhapura, wants to become a civil engineer and own a construction business. She has aced her class XII exams just to reach that aim. There was a time when, among all the branches of engineering, civil had fallen out of grace with students. However, during the last two years most students are picking civil engineering as their first or second preference. 

                            This year's Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board's (GSHSEB) class XII results have sprung up a pleasant surprise for this sector; more youngsters are gunning for this field. 
Qadri has acquired a percentage of 93% and a percentile of 99.7%. Her father is a civil engineer and that has fuelled her passion towards the branch. The youngster, who ranked 151 in JEE, wants to take up civil engineering from a reputed college in the city. "Civil engineering is evergreen and can never be taken lightly in the professional world. I hope to start my own construction business once I have pursued my higher education," Qadri said. 

Till a few years back, several colleges had to shut down their civil engineering departments as they were getting no students. Things are looking up again and the parents who have a background in civil engineering play an essential role. 

For instance, student of Swastik High School Vishwa Shah has scored a percentage of 93% and a percentile of 99.48% in her HSC exams. With a rank of 119 in JEE, Shah has now set her sights on IIT for civil engineering. Her mother, Manisha Shah is a civil engineer working with the city's municipal corporation. "A civil engineering degree from IIT will open infinite doors for me; whether I start my own business or work with a big firm, the choice will always rest with me," said Shah.