The telecommunications industry in India
With the rise of third-generation digital communication networks, our country was already rapidly increasing in terms of the number of mobile phone users and broadband internet subscribers. The last couple of years saw the successful large scale deployment and acceptance of 4th generation communication systems as a norm and that propelled India’s dependence on the telecommunications industry even more. It makes sense to imagine a career in telecommunications management given the size and scalability of the industry. The industry is diverse and offers jobs at various levels of complexity and specialized requirements, in order to bind this all together efficient management is required- which itself is a great job. This can be accomplished with the help of telecom management courses at UG and PG levels that are offered by many premier Institutions in our country.
Since fifth-generation networking is already developed and ready for deployment, it is being set up currently across our country by many telecom giants in our country such as Airtel, Jio and Vodafone. The scope of telecom is not only great, but it is also on the rise at a rapid pace. Jobs are being created as a result, more hands are needed on deck to handle the extra workload. The recent pandemic has led to a worldwide increase in dependency on the internet as organizations adapt to a more work-from-home oriented mode of operation. This has helped a lot in subduing the spread of the virus and keeping a positive outlook, it has helped some people find shelter in a collapsing economy.
Telecommunications Management courses and eligibility
The Telecom sector accounts for about 2.5% of our country’s GDP. This is a significant number and it will rise to an even higher level- the opportunities are endless with 5G on the horizon. So in order to make a career out of telecom management (which is a fairly good choice and especially right now is a viable option more than ever)- telecom management courses need to be completed. Both traditional two years on-campus courses and distance learning programs that are lighter in terms of course deadline, fees, examinations and are easily available but lack most of the practical knowledge that comes with on-campus courses.
After 10+2 is completed, a bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering or a diploma in Communication engineering is preferable for the job but it is not written in stone and alternatively, a direct bachelor’s in business administration can be done to try for a master’s degree (MBA, here) later. The bachelor’s degree must be completed with an aggregate score of 50% and the 10+2 with an aggregate 60% score in order to qualify for the master’s in the first place.
CAT, MAT, XAT, CMAT, GMAT, SNAP and NMAT are some of the national level entrance examinations that are required to be cleared in order to enter an MBA program in telecommunications management. Most reputed colleges and B-Schools offer this course and the average fees or tuition ranges from as low as 40 thousand rupees to over fourteen lakh rupees, depending on the Institute.
It is also important to note that pedigree plays a key role at the time of placement as Telecommunications is a highly competitive field and only the better-equipped professionals can make the cut.
Job profiles and Salaries
Proactivity and critical decision makings are a large influence on the job and key skills to land any profile in this field as are skills such as team management, leadership and an affinity for maths and statistics that are almost an inseparable part of the job and need a certain level of comfort within order to function in this kind of a work environment.
Telecom Engineer, Telecom Operations Manager, Business Development Manager, Network Manager, Project Manager, Associate Manager, etc. are common job profiles readily available after an MBA in telecom management. There are government jobs available in BSNL, etc. but the smoothest career progression with initial entry-level salaries at 4-5LPA, scaling up to 10-15 lakhs per annum in under 8 years of experience and even going as high as 15-30 Lakhs per annum with over 12 years of experience in the corporate sector. Some of the major recruiters of this field in India are Airtel, Jio, IBM, TCS, Infosys, HCL, GTL, Dish TV, Bharati Telesoft, Wipro, Netcore, Reliance Telecomm, etc.
