Highlights of Professional Engineers' Bill

Highlights of Professional Engineers' Bill 2025

A professional engineer, or PE, applies engineering principles to design, develop, and maintain infrastructure, products, and processes, ensuring safety, efficiency, and compliance with regulations, while also contributing to technological advancement and public good.

A Professional Engineer is committed to continually enhancing their expertise in their field by leveraging the latest technology. They strive to deliver practical, structurally sound, and cost-effective solutions while prioritizing public safety above all else.

In alignment with NEP 2020, which emphasizes the separation of regulatory, educational, funding, accreditation, and standard-setting functions into independent and empowered bodies, the Professional Engineers’ Bill seeks to establish a legislative framework. This bill proposes the creation of the Indian Professional Engineers’ Council (IPEC) through an act of Parliament.

The IPEC will play a pivotal role in defining professional standards, certifying Professional Engineers in India, and advising the government and its statutory bodies on curriculum development for engineering education, thereby advancing the engineering profession.

This Act shall be called the Professional Engineer Act, 2025. It shall extend to the whole of India. It shall come into force on such date as the Central government may, by a notification in the official Gazette, appoint.

Shri Tyagi, IEI President suggested proportionate representation of professional societies in the Council as per the strength of the professional bodies.

Functions of IPEC

Uniformity Establish nationwide uniformity in determining the qualifications, competency, and experience required for engineers undertaking specific roles.
Gradation of Engineers Classify engineers into appropriate grades based on their qualifications, expertise, experience, and proven capabilities, followed by formal certification.
Continuous upgradation of knowledge Enforce and oversee mandatory continuous professional development to ensure certified engineers remain updated with evolving knowledge and skills.
Accountability Introduce accountability mechanisms, enforce professional responsibility, and define a standardized Code of Ethics for engineers.
Having a tab on foreign engineers Regulate the entry of foreign engineering professionals while negotiating reciprocal agreements to facilitate global recognition of Indian engineers.

The Board

The Board will have a total of 12 members.

3 ex-officio members (the Secretary, Higher Education, Immediate Past Chairman of the AICTE and the immediate past Chairmen of the Council)
3 members with an Engineering non-civil background (IIT Director, NIT Director, President of a Professional Associate nominated by rotation)
1 President of INAE/IRC/BIS nominated by rotation
3 outstanding Civil Engineering practitioners
2 outstanding Engineering (non-Civil) practitioners nominated by the MoE (Ministry of Education).
The current Chairman of the Council will be a member of the Board while the tenure-based, Secretary-General of the Council will be the Secretary (not member) of the Board.
The term of the Chairman will be 3 years.

Structure of IPEC

The 16 Nominated Members will be: 1 from Ministry of Education + 1 Chairman, General Education Council + 6 from the Gol Ministries (viz; Atomic Energy, DRDO, ISRO, Railways etc.) + 4 from IITs, IISc. IIITs, NITs, Central Universities and Institutions, Deemed Universities, and State Universities by rotation) + 3 nominated by the States (Rotation Basis) + 1 from Industrial Associations (CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM etc.)
The 3 Professional Affiliate members will be, 1 from the Institution of Engineers (India), 1 from The Institution of Electronics & Telecom Engineers and 1 from The Indian National Academy of Engineering. (No rotation, fix)
8 members will be appointed by rotation, 1 each from among prominent engineering associations like The Indian Institution of Industrial Engineering, The Aeronautical Society of India, The Institution of Surveyors, The Institute of Marine Engineers etc.

Licensing of Members

Organizations such as IEI, IETE, The Institution of Surveyors, and similar bodies may need to seek a license from IPEC. The license will be granted once IPEC is convinced of their expertise, processes, and capabilities to oversee member conduct, evaluate member competency through examinations aligned with IPEC standards, and meet other requirements. Upon receiving the license, these institutions will be recognized as licensed members and gain the authority to administer exams for Module 1 and Module 2. The syllabus for Module 2 will be advanced, exceeding the BTech level.

Conduct of Exams by IPEC's Licensing Member

IPEC will arrange the holding of examinations or other assessments in engineering or any other subject relevant to the objects. As an integral part of the assessment of an applicant for certification as a Professional Engineer, set up a separate body to design and formulate the examination, typically in two modules:

Module 1 will have subjects common to all (like quality, industry trends, social responsibility and ethics, environmental laws, risk management etc.)

Module 2 tailored for each major discipline as decided by the Council from time to time. The standard of Module 2 will be above BE/ B.Tech level and will cover expected professional engineering practice.

Eligibility

Graduate degree or equivalent in engineering or technology from a recognized University/Deemed University or an AICTE recognized institution, or has acquired a qualification in India that is recognized by a State Government or by the Government of India as equivalent.

Registration

The Council shall make and publish regulations describing the standards and requirements of education, professional development and competence and commitment of individuals whom the IPEC may record in the Register. The Washington Accord will determine the recognition of overseas qualifications. Being a signatory to the Washington Accord (WA), qualified Professional Engineers from India can work in the 25 countries which are also signatories to WA. A few signatory countries among others are Russia, China, Australia, Canada, Singapore, Japan, USA and UK. A PE can work in these countries, being fully recognised qualification. You may see details of countries which are signatories to WA at and their Licensing Member shall be recorded in the Council’s Register.
Subject to these Regulations, only those individuals who are members of a Licensed Member which has registration agreements, or who are Direct Registrants, shall have their names registered, added to, or maintained on the Register as Professional Engineers, who may use the style or title of "Professional Engineer" and use after their names the designatory letters "P. Engr."
An individual whose name is entered in the Register may receive, at his request, and upon payment of a fee prescribed from time to time by Council, a certificate certifying that he is a Professional Engineer.
A First Register will be created of all practicing engineers with not less than 25 years of experience.