India celebrates Engineers Day on Sept 15 in memory of Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, whose dams, reservoirs and civic projects continue to serve the country. But the occasion should prompt more than ceremonial speeches and felicitations.It should also make us ask a difficult question: has India given its engineers the authority they need to build the nation?Engineers are central to almost every aspect of modern life. Yet, in govt departments, technical expertise is often treated as advisory rather than decisive.Engineers in public works, irrigation, railways and power utilities frequently see their recommendations delayed, diluted or overruled by officers without specialised training in the subject.Administrators play a vital role in coordination, policy implementation and public governance. The problem lies in the imbalance between technical responsibility and decision-making authority.In many infrastructure departments, engineers design, inspect and certify projects, but major decisions on budgets, timelines, materials and execution are often taken elsewhere. When a project fails, however, the engineer is usually among the first to face scrutiny. Accountability without authority is neither fair nor sound governance.The imbalance is also visible in career progression. In several state cadres, engineers working in engineering-driven departments face limited promotional opportunities. A chief engineer may carry responsibility for public safety, but a district administrator is more readily recognised as the face of authority.Countries such as Germany, Japan and South Korea have built strong engineering cultures by placing technical professionals in leadership positions within infrastructure and development institutions.In India, one possible solution is the creation of a statutory National Engineers’ Commission. Engineers constitute one of the country’s largest technical workforces, yet they do not have a single empowered institution representing their professional interests and responsibilities.Such a commission could establish professional standards, recommend fair career structures, address arbitrary administrative interference and advise the govt on infrastructure policy.This proposal is not intended to replace or weaken the administrative services. It is meant to ensure that decisions involving public safety, technology and national infrastructure receive the weight of technical judgment.Visvesvaraya’s life and legacy shows what becomes possible when engineering knowledge is trusted and given authority.(Writer is the chairman of All India Power Engineers Federation)
