Engineers Lacking As India's Infrastructure Crumbles

The government is hoping to invest $500 billion in infrastructure by 2012, but the lack of civic engineers is holding some of that proposed progress back.

"The problem is a dearth of engineers - or at least the civil engineers with the skill and expertise to make sure those ambitious projects are done on time and up to specifications.

Civil engineering was once an elite occupation in India, not only during the British colonial era of carving roads and laying train tracks, but also long after independence as part of the civil service. These days, though, India's best and brightest know there is more money and prestige in writing software for foreign customers than in building roadways for their nation."