--- title: "Profession and its characteristics" subject: "Engineering Professional Practice" chapter: 2 key: "semester_8/engineering_professional_practice:profession-characteristics" source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_8/engineering_professional_practice/profession-characteristics site: BCT Engineering --- # Profession and its characteristics Engineering Professional Practice · Chapter 2: Profession and Ethics - Asked in: 2073 Bhadra, 4 marks; 2071 Magh, 4 marks; 2069 Bhadra, 2+3 marks (asked 3 times) - Video: [What is Profession , Professional , Professionalism | Difference between these](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POcIllg3kjg) — Efficient learning world - Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14 - Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_8/engineering_professional_practice/profession-characteristics - Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_8/engineering_professional_practice/chapter-2 ## Question What do you understand by Profession? Explain its characteristics. (How do you describe engineering profession? Explain the significant features of profession.) ## Short answer A profession requires specialised knowledge, formal education, a code of ethics, and public service above profit. Key features include a professional body, autonomy, accountability, continuous learning and fair remuneration. Engineering meets these criteria through NEC registration and ethical conduct. ## Answer A **profession** is an occupation that requires long, specialised education and training in an organised body of knowledge, whose members provide skilled service to society according to a code of ethics, and are usually licensed by a professional body. Examples: medicine, law, engineering, accounting. #### Characteristics of a profession 1. **Specialised knowledge and skill:** based on theory learnt through higher education and practice. 2. **Formal education and training:** a recognised degree plus experience. 3. **Service to society:** public welfare comes before personal gain. 4. **Code of ethics/conduct:** members follow written rules of behaviour. 5. **Professional organisation/licence:** a body such as Nepal Engineering Council registers members and controls entry and discipline. 6. **Autonomy:** members use independent judgement and the body self-regulates. 7. **Public recognition and status:** society trusts and rewards professionals. 8. **Responsibility and accountability:** liable for negligence and misconduct. 9. **Continuous learning:** updating through CPD, research and publications. 10. **Fair remuneration** for services (fee, not mere wages). #### Engineering as a profession Engineering meets these tests: it needs a four-year bachelor degree with mathematics and science, registration with Nepal Engineering Council under the Nepal Engineering Council Act 2055, a code of conduct, professional societies (Nepal Engineers' Association, Society of Computer Engineers), and it serves public safety and development. Hence engineering is a recognised profession. ## Check yourself The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why. 1. Which best defines a profession? A. Any job that pays a salary B. Occupation needing long specialised education, serving society under a code of ethics, usually licensed C. A hobby done for pleasure D. A trade with no training Answer: B. A profession needs long specialised training, service to society, a code of ethics and usually a licence. (Key point: Profession defined) 2. Which characteristic puts public welfare before personal gain? A. Fair remuneration B. Autonomy C. Service to society D. Continuous learning Answer: C. Service to society means public welfare comes before personal gain. (Key point: Service before profit) 3. How is remuneration in a profession described? A. A fee for services, not mere wages B. No payment at all C. Fixed daily wage D. Only gifts Answer: A. A professional receives fair remuneration (fee) rather than mere wages. (Key point: Fees not wages) 4. Under which Act are engineers registered with the Nepal Engineering Council? A. Nepal Engineering Council Act 2055 B. Public Procurement Act C. Labour Act D. Companies Act Answer: A. Registration with the NEC is under the Nepal Engineering Council Act 2055. (Key point: Engineering registration) ## Related in Engineering Professional Practice - [Practical engineering profession; organizations](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fengineering_professional_practice%3Apractical-profession-organizations) — Engineering Professional Practice, chapter 3 - [Profession characteristics, core values, vicarious liability](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fengineering_professional_practice%3Aprofession-characteristics-core-values-vicarious) — Engineering Professional Practice, chapter 2 - [Short note: Impact of engineering profession](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fengineering_professional_practice%3Aimpact-engineering-profession) — Engineering Professional Practice, chapter 1 - [Profession, code of ethics, tort and liability](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fengineering_professional_practice%3Aprofession-code-ethics-tort) — Engineering Professional Practice, chapter 2 - [Safety first in engineering delivery](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fengineering_professional_practice%3Asafety-first-engineering) — Engineering Professional Practice, chapter 2 - [Characteristics of society, community elements](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fengineering_professional_practice%3Asociety-characteristics-community) — Engineering Professional Practice, chapter 1 ## Related in other subjects - [Features and characteristics of OOP](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_3%2Fobject_oriented_programming%3Aoop-features) — Object Oriented Programming, chapter 1, asked 7× - [Features and characteristics of DSP](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fembedded_system%3Adsp-features) — Embedded System, chapter 2, asked 3× - [Traffic engineering; road user characteristics and HVE](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftransportation_engineering_ii%3Ate-definition-road-user-hve) — Transportation Engineering II, chapter 1 - [Traffic engineering; road users and vehicular characteristics](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftransportation_engineering_ii%3Ate-definition-road-users-vehicular) — Transportation Engineering II, chapter 1