A relatively newer field of career with a great scope for future growth and demand, planning is an unfathomable balancing act between land development, conservation of available natural resources and sustainable management of the place to create diverse, vibrant and sustainable places for living, studying, working and recreation.

Bachelor of Planning program provides knowledge and skills for planners to help design the look of our cities and towns, metropolitan cities, their layouts, services, facilities based on indigenous resources and its supply. It also checks the urban spread, rural and urban divide and migration while attempting to maintain the environmental, socially & cultural aspects, advising on biodiversity preservation, architectural heritage conservation and historical significance apart from affordable housing, SRA, planning for smart cities, shopping areas, open space management, management of green cover and water bodies, shorelines, SEZ, planning public transport, energy management.

Unrelated B.Arch & B.Planning have the same entrance tests. Architecture is a licensed course but planning is not. B.Arch degree holder can do M.Plan not vice versa. Architecture focuses on design concept and Planning focuses on analysis of data.

The Bachelor of Planning graduate, undergraduate program and even a PhD. teaches you the land management concepts and policy framework leading to Master Plans, Land Use Plans, Development Plans and redevelopment plans, land conditions, policy implementation and gaps, background knowledge of how cities evolve, town planning, economic, and historical aspects of development, planned and unplanned settlements, surveys, actual visits to collect data for analysis followed by internship. B.Arch and B.Plan degrees together are sometimes preferred for positions in large firms requiring skills of both the planner & Architect.

SPA (School of Planning and Architecture) is one of the best colleges. Urban Planning or Town Planning in India by colleges affiliated to Institute of Town Planners of India (ITPI) or All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).  The concept of placement is in nascent stage and salaries depend on the size of the projects and the companies who manage them.

M.Plan can better the prospects and income are proportional to experience and your networking contacts developed as a student. The career prospects may seem less lucrative on an immediate basis. In the government sector, placement is associated with the Development Authorities, Municipal Corporation or large builders allocated government contract. Town & Country Planning Department of the state government, part of the development authority, municipality or NITI Aayog making developmental long term plans need planners.

In the private sector, builders, real estate based companies require planners for surveys of land, building potential, growth potential, analyzing expansion prospects and land speculation purpose. From dealing with land papers to assigning land for commercial, residential, educational, recreational are some of the work being undertaken at MNCs like Feedback Infra, JLL, E&Y. Consultancies in the related field also pick up planners for projects.

This creative field needs you to be self-motivated as long hours, lengthy surveys and low awareness can be a hindrance apart from lack of books in planning and research. This field is best for self-driven students for flair of research, self-guidance and gaining experience. The internship is the best time for a future town planner to learn from a senior, gather work experience, document the learning and inch steadily towards the goal.

With the impetus to development in India, a shrinking world is a boon for good planners with a global outlook who can plan developmental growth, migration patterns and sustainable green lifestyle retaining high standards of delivery and attitude to learn and change.

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