Which will make for a better career: studying hotel management at one of the IHMs (Institute of Hotel Management) or studying engineering at a top WBUT (West Bengal University of Technology) college?

I have to agree with "choose what you like best" answers.  And yet, I know it's hard to know which one that might be!  I suggest trying to find mentors to "shadow" if you are truly torn.  If you don't know anyone, colleges and universities could probably help.  Shadowing means you follow them around to see what they actually do. I don't know anything about engineering but in the hotel business, rarely are two days alike, so I'd suggest a few different managers, a few different hotel types, etc.  Alternately, a part-time job would be a great way to peek behind the curtain.  I spent over 15 years in hotels and I have zero "college" education in the field.  My degree is in social science/education.  The hotel business is more about results than course work, although there are some good programs that will at least open doors for you.  However, I think it is still an industry where someone smart and industrious can climb the ladder without specialized education.  It's a people-centric business of course.  Learning to build relationships with co-workers and guests is essential.  And the second best skill you need is to be able to understand the numbers --not just profit/loss but what's behind them--minutes to clean a room, average daily rate & revenue per available room, occupancy rates, forecasting,food cost, labor costs, supply costs, guest ratings, reservation contributions, etc.  So you'll need to know your way around a spreadsheet.  I happen to like both the people interactions (you will meet all kinds!) and the numbers game.  Hitting or exceeding your goals can be a daily win.  But it can be a hard job--sometimes the hours are ridiculously long and grueling.  Factors beyond your control (the economy, weather, location, the labor pool, and more) can affect your success on a daily basis (a flood, fire, snowstorm, or even a flu epidemic can throw you for a loop).  So in addition to loving people and being able to understand the numbers, you need to be resilient,  determined, able to make the correct decisions quickly, and able to learn from your mistakes.  The thing I loved most about the hotel business is that it's almost never boring.  Seriously, I was often tired and frustrated and even sometimes bewildered, but never bored.

Both occupations would allow you some future mobility  - there are hotels everywhere, and engineers are also everywhere. Both will have a large practical component during training. However, I know in my country only select foreign qualifications are recognised to allow employment as an engineer here, whereas hoteliers might have more flexibility. So this is an important point for you to establish (with the college/university) which might help in your choice, if you are thinking about getting overseas experience. Otherwise, as previous answers have mentioned, these two fields are almost polar opposites in terms of the kind of daily experiences you would have, so I think it is also important to examine why you are torn between the two. What would make you get out of bed in the morning, and come home feeling satisfied with yourself?

It depends solely on ur interest! U cannot compare apples with mangoes!

Which one are you more 'excited' about? What were you hoping to hear from the Quora answers? Pick that.

Most people would say engineering but I'd like to differ - it really depends on you. Go for the stream which you like better. Even if you get into the best engineering college in the world, you should not go there if you don't like engineering. What you do in these next four years will stay with you for the rest of your life, so please make an informed decision and go with what you like. If you like hotel management more, go for IHM. If you like engineering more, go for WBUT. Good luck.

A quality engineering is far fetching than any other college degree. ---------------------------- ---------------------------- You talk about "placements and future prospects" while asking a question about "which will make for a better career". If it wasn't blindingly obvious, you are comparing apples and oranges here. Doing what you like doing makes for a better career, doing what the market wants most from you makes for better placements or future prospects. If what you like is what the market wants, you are one of those dogs having his day. And yeah, market demands change, so, tomorrow it won't be your day.

Its as said, don't compare apples with oranges. Now if you are confused between what you like the most then that is a whole new issue. First figure out what you are good at. Are you good at maths and physics? Can you see yourself working on a problem and have fun? Or are you more interested in managing staff and working with clients? I would recommend that you seek out a few hotel administrators and have a face to face with them. If you don't know any, just try A2A to hotel administrators here. Try searching on the net about experiences about working as a hotel administrator. Find out how the field works and how they divide their duties between branches.

Dear Friend, Both are the difrerent feild there are the huge carrier options in the both the feild,it depend how capable you are of doing this, also depends on your choise and your aim behind your carrier. Now a days reffenrence is a big factor while getting a job in any sector so you need to analayse your back ground and your contacts as well. it also dependsyou want to do job in india or other country. but over all both courses has equal emportance at their place.

Hotel management and Engineering are two extremes in terms of relativeness i.e. they have absolutely no relation to one another. Therefore if you want to select your career based on placement opportunities or how much money you may make, be prepared for a huge shock of your life that will occur once you graduate from any of the fields. From personal experience, the most important thing is what you love doing. Find your inner calling and let it lead you to the career of your choice. Because after 5-10,20 years, internal satisfaction will be more important than money.