We all know that roles are meant for one thing and that is having things organized without showing favoritism towards any single person/entity. If at the framing level of Rules and Regulations by the Government itself we have no clarity then it will trigger a chain of events where things get misinterpreted and lead to the failure of those rules and in the process we get only a non-efficient system.
Every profession has got a role with rules which they oblige and those rules are in-turn recognized by the Governments and absorbed into their own set of Rules and Regulations so that the common public know what a certain profession can provide and cannot provide.
As an example let’s take Doctors. We all know that they have knowledge in Medicine but they do not create Medicine. It’s the job of Pharmacists to create/and prepare them. Laboratories do not hire a surgeon, they hire a B.Pharmacy Graduate. If a Medicine goes wrong it’s not the Hospital with the Surgeon but the Laboratory with the Pharmacist Graduate that created it held responsible. Similarly when an operation goes wrong the responsibility of the failure lies on the Surgeon and not the B.Pharmacy Graduate. It’s the same for success. When a breakthrough in medicine is done, the Laboratory gets the accolades and not the Hospital. When a surgery is successful, the Surgeon get the accolade. All this is done because their roles are recognized by Government.
For Doctors we have Medical Council of India at Central Level and Andhra Pradesh Medical Council at State Level.
Coming to the Profession of Architecture and Civil/ Structural Engineering, I was struck by the overlap of roles and responsibilities of the two professions as per the Government order on Building By-Laws of Andhra Pradesh, G.O.168. The above two professions mentioned are shown as three professions - Architect, an Engineer and Structural Engineer, along with a list of activities that they can carry out.
I wish to know the major difference between a Structural Engineer and a Civil Engineer. If there is really a difference between the two said streams of Engineering, may I ask my fellow Architects that when within the "Engineering" segment they are deemed as different how Architecture and Civil Engineering be seen as equals.
Please look at the activities which the two can carry out as per the G.O.168. Also provided is the role of a Structural Engineer for reference.
Architect
Shall be competent to carryout work related to Building Permit, as given below and shall entitled to submit -
All Plans and related information connected with building permit.
Structural details and calculations of building on plot up to 500sq.m and up to 3 Storeys or 13m Height.
Certificate of Supervision and completion for all buildings.
Engineer
Shall be competent to carry out the work related to building permit as given below shall be entitled to submit -
All plans and related information connected with building permit.
Structural details and calculations for building on plot up to 500sq.m and up to 3 Storeys or 18m Height.
Certificate of Supervision and completion for all buildings.
Structural Engineer
Shall be competent to submit the structural details and calculations for all building and supervision.
In the case of complicate buildings and sophisticated structures, as decided by the Authority which are within the horizontal areas and vertical limits and shall be designed only by Structural Engineers.
(G.O.168, 2012, Annexure - X: Competence of Licensed Technical Personnel, pg-332)
It clearly shows the lack of clarity on the part of Andhra Pradesh State Government regarding the roles and responsibilities of the two Professions. While trying to find answers I found a huge problem which my fellow Architects not only in Andhra Pradesh but also throughout India will find relevant.
THERE IS NO ACT BY THE PARLIAMENT WHICH REGULATES THE PROFESSION OF ENGINEERS.
WHERE IS THE ENGINEERS ACT UNDER THE PARLIAMENT THAT REGULATES THEIR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES?
We have the Architect's Act, 1972 to regulate our Roles and Responsibilities. What about Engineers? I, personally, understand that until an Act defining the role of an Engineer is not present they cannot play any role related to the Building construction in India. If they are to have a role it should be the ones that are not yet defined under any other profession in the Parliament and relevant to their profession.
Looking at the Andhra Pradesh Rules, the Engineer’s role ends up taking both the roles of an Architect as well to a maximum extent of Structural Engineer also.
I request the INDIAN INTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS to take up this matter and bring it to the notice of the Law-Makers and try facilitating proper roles and responsibilities as per the profession in this residuary state of Andhra Pradesh. Please note, Professions regulated under the Parliament to have priority when new By-laws are framed or the existing ones are to be renewed/ modified.