The goal of the Karnataka Professional Civil Engineers Bill, that was passed recently, to improve professionalisation and construction standards, is laudable. However, the route it recommends, which mandates only certified civil engineers to offer engineering designs, is bound to create confusion, become unnecessarily restrictive, turn impractical and remain out of sync with best practices.
The brick and mortar
The Bill establishes four key things. First, it defines a civil engineer, lists engineering designs, imposes restrictions on those who can offer engineering design services, and, finally, instructs how to ensure this.
