ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

Aerospace Engineer

Designs and tests aircraft, rockets, satellites and their propulsion and control systems.

Physics, Chemistry and Maths needed After Class 12 Private sector

Facts checked 29/10/2026

Is this for me?

People in this work enjoy

Solving physics and maths problems that you can actually test
Seeing a design built, tested and improved over many rounds
Working in a team with mechanical, electronics and software people

It may not suit you if you dislike

Very competitive entry, with few aerospace seats in good colleges
Projects can take years, and some jobs are in only a few cities or organisations
Strict safety rules and heavy documentation, where mistakes are costly

Class 11–12 subjects: Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Maths (PCM). For IIST, the space institute run by the Department of Space, you need at least 75% aggregate in Class 12 (65% for SC, ST and PwD candidates).
First degree: B.Tech in Aerospace or Aeronautical Engineering, 4 years. A few institutes also offer 5-year dual degrees. You can also do a B.Tech in another branch such as Mechanical and then an M.Tech in Aerospace.
Entrance exams: JEE Main (NTA) for NITs and many other colleges. JEE Advanced for the IITs, and for IIST, whose 2026 admission was based on JEE Advanced marks alone. IIST needs its own separate online registration after the JEE Advanced result.
Licence or registration: None needed to start working.

Subjects that keep this door openClass 11–12: Physics + Chemistry + Mathematics.Physics, Chemistry and Maths needed.Way back: You can add the missing subject later as an extra subject (for example through NIOS) and still apply, but check the exam's and college's rules. A longer road, but open.Check your subjects against every career

What the work is like

Designing and testing wings, engines, rockets, satellites, drones and their control software. Running computer simulations and lab or wind-tunnel tests. Writing safety reports and working with mechanical, electronics and software teams.

A day in the work
You reach the office or lab and check the results of a computer simulation that ran overnight, say airflow over a new wing or drone design. Then you meet the structures and electronics teams to fix a problem the test showed. In the afternoon you may be at a workshop or test lab watching a part being tested, or writing a clear report on what passed and what failed. Safety checks and paperwork are a big part of the job, because small errors can be costly.

The path, step by step

Step 1 · Class 11–12Take Physics, Chemistry and Maths. Keep your Class 12 marks high. IIST asks for 75% (65% for SC, ST and PwD), and NITs and other centrally funded institutes (via JoSAA) have a similar marks rule (reported).
Step 2 · Class 12Take JEE Main, which is conducted by NTA. If you want an IIT or IIST, qualify for and write JEE Advanced as well. JEE Advanced 2026 was held on 17 May 2026. JEE Main usually has two sessions a year and allows several attempts (reported). (reported — check with the official body)
Step 3 · After resultsJoin counselling. IITs and NITs allot seats through JoSAA. IIST has its own online registration. In 2026 it ran from 26 May to 17 June, with spot registration on 14 July. Aerospace has very few seats compared with Computer Science or Mechanical, so keep Mechanical and other branches as back-up choices.
Step 4 · 4 yearsDo the B.Tech. You study aerodynamics, structures, propulsion, flight mechanics and control systems. Add projects, internships and a design or rocketry club.
Step 5 · After B.TechApply for jobs in space, defence or the private aerospace sector. Or study further. IIST's 2026 M.Tech notice asks for a B.Tech plus a valid GATE score in a listed subject, including Aerospace Engineering. ISRO's 2026 engineer advertisement was for Electronics, Mechanical and Computer Science posts, so aerospace graduates need to check whether their branch counts as an allied discipline (reported). (reported — check with the official body)
OptionalM.Tech or PhD for research-heavy work in aerodynamics, propulsion or space systems.

Ways in

IIT or IIST routeJEE Main, then JEE Advanced, then JoSAA (IITs) or IIST's own registration. This is the most competitive route. IIST's 2026 brochure shows 63 aerospace seats in total.
NIT or other college routeJEE Main rank, then JoSAA or state counselling, for B.Tech Aerospace where the college offers it. Many NITs and colleges offer no aerospace branch (reported).
Mechanical first, aerospace laterDo a B.Tech in Mechanical or a related branch, then an M.Tech in Aerospace through GATE. IIST's 2026 M.Tech notice accepts B.E. or B.Tech graduates with a valid GATE score in listed subjects.

Your real chances

In 2026, 1,87,389 candidates registered for JEE (Advanced). 1,79,694 appeared in both papers and 56,880 qualified. Qualifying does not guarantee a seat, and aerospace is a small branch. IIST's 2026 brochure shows 63 aerospace seats, including extra seats for EWS, women and J&K and Ladakh students.

Source: JEE (Advanced) 2026 results press release ↗

Time and money

Stage	Time	Government college or body	Private college	Help available
Class 11–12 (Physics, Chemistry, Maths; keep marks high)	2 years	Your school's fees	Your school's fees	—
Entrance exam: JEE Main, plus JEE Advanced for IIT or IIST	1 day exam per paper	Check the notice for exam fees	Check the notice for exam fees	Lower minimum marks for SC, ST and PwD candidates (reported)
IIT or IIST route: B.Tech Aerospace (4 years)	4 years	IIT Bombay: ₹1,00,000 tuition per semester for new UG entrants (2026–27 Autumn schedule)	—	Full or partial tuition waivers for SC, ST, PwD and low-income students (reported)
NIT or other college route: B.Tech Aerospace (4 years)	4 years	Check the college's fee page	SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur: ₹4,00,000 annual fees (2026 programme page, year not stated)	Check the college's fee page
Mechanical first, then M.Tech Aerospace through GATE (optional)	4 years B.Tech, then 2 years M.Tech	Check the college's fee page	Check the college's fee page	Check the college's fee page

Total timeAbout 4 years after Class 12

Total costDepends mostly on the college you choose — compare fee pages.

Good to knowAerospace seats are few, so keep a Mechanical or other branch as back-up; the "2 years" M.Tech duration is not stated on the page and should be checked.

Fees from: IIST – UG Admission Brochure 2026 · IIT Bombay: Schedule for payment of academic fees by UG new entrants, Autumn 2026-27 (PDF) · SRMIST: B.Tech Aerospace Engineering 2026 programme page · Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham: B.Tech Aerospace Engineering admission page (annual tuition fee slabs). Fees change every year — check the college's own fee page before you pay.

What people earn

Starting pay varies a lot by employer, with government space and defence labs, large aerospace firms and software-heavy startups all paying differently, and it grows with experience, specialist skills and city.

Myth and fact

Myth: ~~Aerospace engineering means you will fly planes, and the only job is at ISRO or NASA.~~

Fact: Aerospace engineers design, simulate and test machines. Pilots are trained separately. Jobs are also in defence labs, aircraft makers, drone and satellite companies, and software and analysis firms.

For girls and students with disabilities

JEE (Advanced) has lower minimum marks for SC, ST and PwD candidates, and IIST asks for 65% in Class 12 instead of 75% for them. IIST's 2026 seat matrix for Aerospace also lists 5 extra women's seats. 10,107 of the 56,880 JEE Advanced 2026 qualifiers were women.

Try it now

Class 7–9Make three paper or foam gliders with different wing shapes. Throw each five times, measure the distance and note which design flies best and why.
Class 10–12Browse the free NPTEL and SWAYAM engineering and physics courses. Start one on mechanics or fluid mechanics, and revise your Class 11–12 Physics and Maths alongside it.Open link ↗
College or afterJoin or start an aero-modelling, drone or rocketry club. Build a small project, such as a model rocket or a simple drone, and document it step by step.

Good to know

Aerospace engineers design and test aircraft and spacecraft. Pilots fly them. People who service and certify aircraft are aircraft maintenance engineers, who follow a different route.
IIST does not hold its own entrance exam. Admission is based on JEE Advanced marks, plus the Class 12 marks rule.
Aerospace seats are few and jobs are concentrated in a handful of cities and organisations. Many aerospace graduates also work in mechanical, software, simulation or defence roles.
Space and defence employers usually ask for Indian nationality (reported), so check each advertisement.

Sources: IIST – Undergraduate Admissions announcements 2026 · IIST – UG Admission Brochure 2026 (seat matrix) · JEE (Advanced) 2026 results press release (jeeadv.ac.in) · IIST – PG admission notification 2026 (M.Tech and GATE)