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MS vs MTech: Which is a Better Choice?

Saurav Anand | April 11, 2022

MS Versus M. Tech

Engineering is considered to be one of the most valuable professions in India. Moreover, India produces 25% of the world’s total number of engineers. This clearly explains the tough competition among candidates to sustain themselves in the real world. If you want to work in a reputed company with a handsome salary, it often becomes important to have a higher degree as well. But then, which degree should you opt for after completing your B. Tech? This is an important question troubling students in the field of engineering. There are two important options available- M. Tech and M.S. In this particular blog I will be talking about both these courses and delineate the differences between the two.

MS and M. Tech can be pursued by students belonging to the science streams. While M. Tech is a technical course, MS is more theory- based focussing more on research areas. So, if you want to train yourself for a technical role in the industry, then you should go for an M. Tech degree. But if you want to learn more about core scientific knowledge, then you should choose MS. MS is offered only by few top universities in India, whereas M. Tech is more popular in the country. MS in India is offered in the form of M. Sc. On the other hand, M. Tech opportunities are less likely abroad.

One way to get into these Master’s programmes is through clearing the GATE exam. The key difference between M. Tech and MS degree is that the former is a course- centric program for industrial level development while MS is theoretical in nature and is a research- centric program.

Eligibility for MS & M. Tech Programs

  1. Students should have completed their Bachelors in Engineering (B.E.) or Bachelors in Technology (B. Tech).
  2. Students who want to pursue MS or M. Tech must attain good scores in the GATE exam.
  3. In order to apply in Universities outside India, GRE exam has to be given for both the courses and the admission takes place on the basis of the GRE scores. Even in India, some institutes ask for GRE scores for MS.

MS (Masters of Science)

The course duration for an MS degree is around 2- 3 years. The completion of the course depends upon a thesis submission, hence there is no fixed duration. MS course is research- oriented in which a student has to select one particular specialization of his/ her choice and then work upon it with a professor as its guide. MS degree is very popular abroad but not very common in India. In India, the MS course is offered by IISc, some IITs and few NITs.

For admission to a MS course, interviews are an integral part of the selection process. Along with having a good GATE/ GRE score a candidate also has to perform well in the interview. The candidates who have qualified GATE are provided with a stipend of Rs. 12400 per month for three years. You can also receive greater stipends if you are associated with an industry- funded project.

Course curriculum: In an MS course, the credits are divided into course work and thesis submission. There are only a few credits for course work and the emphasis is given more on the thesis. The students are expected to complete their course credits by the first semester. From the second semester, they have to work on the desired area of research under a given guide. During the period of research, the students have a high scope of publishing papers for different reputed journals too. Students also often get a chance to attend national and international conferences and present their ideas. The degree is awarded to the candidate only upon the submission of the thesis.

After gaining an MS degree, candidates get an opportunity to work in the research & development industries. They can also pursue a PhD degree afterwards. Not only that, they also get a chance to be placed in different kinds of companies too.

Thus, with an MS degree, the candidates learn many research-oriented skills. However, the MS degree is quite demanding in nature. A candidate has to submit a well-designed thesis in order to finish the course on time. A student must also decide the research area and the guide wisely so that the course can be done smoothly.

M. Tech (Masters in Technology)

  1. Tech is one of the popular courses after engineering mainly in India. More and more B. Tech graduates are taking up this course to improve their chances in the job markets. M. Tech is a 2- year postgraduate course that enables engineering students to delve deeper into a specialized subject and gain industrial knowledge. Most of the prestigious engineering Institutes offer M. Tech courses.

In order to get into the courses and institutes of one’s choice, it is important to secure a good score in the GATE examination. Students who have qualified GATE get a stipend of Rs. 12,400 per month for two years for the M. Tech course. 

In the M. Tech course, the focus is more on the course work credits and less on research. The students learn the advanced subjects and skills keeping in mind the placement requirements. M. Tech course is more industry oriented and results in good placements. This is the reason that a large number of students give priority to M. Tech after their graduation.

Specializations

There are different specialized branches for both the courses. M. Tech mostly focuses on non- medical specializations such as - Civil Engineering, Computer Science & Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electronics & Communication Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Information & Technological Engineering etc. MS focuses on medical as well as non- medical options such as Biological, Chemistry, Physics, Artificial Intelligence, etc.

Entrance Exams

Some of the entrance examinations for M. Tech in India are GATE, TANCET, OJEE, BHU PET, AP PGECET, UPSEE, etc. GATE is also valid for admission to MS courses in India. For MS courses abroad, the entrance exams that a student can give are- IELTS, TOEFL and GRE.

Difference Between MS and M. Tech

The most basic difference between M. Tech and M.S. is that M. Tech is a course centric program which focuses mainly on developing skills important to work in industries. On the other hand, M.S is a research-centric program focussing on one particular area of science and technology.

  • In order to get enrolled in an M. Tech course, the candidate’s GATE scores are very important. While, for an MS program, interviews are also of utmost importance along with the entrance exam scores.
  • The M. Tech courses is more dependent on classroom learning and teaching, while the MS course depends on one’s own research interests. Self- study becomes important in an MS course.
  • In an M. Tech course, emphasis is given on coursework, while in MS focus is more on project work and more credits are given to the individual projects. The course curriculum of M. Tech revolves around the technical application of the chosen specialization, whereas for MS the curriculum is related more to the theoretical applications along with research opportunities.
  • A student pursuing M. Tech degree is trained in one specific stream of engineering and is taught skills essential for company placements. On the other hand, students pursuing MS degree are trained to take up careers in the research domain or academia.
  • The course duration is another important point of difference between M. Tech and MS. The M. Tech course has a fixed course duration of 2 years, whereas the course duration for MS can extend up to 3 years until and unless the student submits his/ her thesis. Only on the completion of this project work, an MS degree is awarded.

Career Scope

MS and M. Tech both have different approaches of providing scientific knowledge in the field of engineering. M. Tech graduates are often selected by big firms and companies such as Amazon, Google, Facebook, Cognizant, etc. MS graduates are mostly placed in companies dealing with research and development. Students pursuing MS course can become junior or senior managers, research scientists, technical consultants, etc.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is MS equivalent to M Tech?

Answer. If a student graduates with a B.E. or B. Tech degree, then the MS program he pursues is considered equivalent to the M. Tech degree. According to the AICTE Chairman,
Anil Sahasrabudhe, the MS courses that are offered by IITs or NITs would be treated as MTech. The equivalency dependents upon the subjects one covers under the degree. For instance, an MS in Electrical Engineering can be equivalent to M. Tech Electrical Engineering if the core subjects learnt and curriculum of the course work is same.

2. Which is tough MTECH or MS?

Answer. MS is research oriented- while M. Tech is skill oriented. MS usually requires greater devotion and greater time as here you have to work on particular research area. The M. Tech course has a fixed course duration of two years, while MS course can extend beyond two years depending upon the thesis submission.

3. Can we do MS after MTECH?

Answer. Both MS and M. Tech are post- graduate degrees. Students generally opt for either of the two courses. After doing an M. Tech, if you want to do research, you can directly opt for a PhD course as that too is research oriented like MS. Two courses for the same degree will simply consume more of your time and resources. However, you can still do an MS after M. Tech may be from a foreign university like US, provided that you clear all the requirements of the university for admission.

4. Which is better MS or M. Tech?

Answer. The term M. Tech very well denotes that it is a course related to technology. So, if you want to work for a technical role in an industry- specific domain, you should study M. Tech. On the other hand, if you want to study deeply about scientific research, you should take up the MS degree.