Career as Cartographer

CARTOGRAPHY
For centuries, maps have been essential tools to understand and navigate through the world. Cartography is the art and science of making and using maps, which are symbolic representations of geography. 

WHO IS CARTOGRAPHER?

• A professional who is skilled in drawing various kinds of maps and charts is known as Cartographer or a Map Maker.
• A cartographer is involved with the scientific, technological and artistic aspects of developing and producing maps.
• Cartographers use data collected from surveys, aerial photographs, satellite images, and other sources to create maps, charts, and drawings of the Earth's surface.
• Cartographers are part of a larger occupational group called mapping scientists.

JOB PROFILE OF A CARTOGRAPHER-

Cartographers develop maps for a range of clients. This can be military maps to geological charts used by industries, as well as everyday maps detailing roads and footpaths for tourists or travelers.

Cartographers collect, analyze, and interpret both spatial data—such as latitude, longitude, elevation, and distance—and nonspatial data—for example, population density, land-use patterns, annual precipitation levels, and demographic characteristics. Maps may be prepared either in graphic or digital form with information from satellites, light-imaging detection and ranging (LIDAR), aerial cameras and other geodetic surveys and remote sensing systems.

Job responsibilities of a cartographer includes-

• Checking the content of a map for determining its accuracy
• Collect necessary information required, to form a map
• Analyze the collected & available information 
• Design the maps, layout, graphics or illustrations
• Be creative- use colors and styles to make the designed map informative and easy to understand. 

SCOPE OF THIS CAREER- 

-The importance of cartographic professionals has increased incredibly with globalization and the need for all the information/data of the universe to be in one place, and that too, in digital and visual format.

-Maps and detailed geographical information are needed for a range of purposes, from everyday use by individuals to large-scale industrial development.

-They are used by planners, engineers, utility companies, state agencies, construction companies, surveyors, architects, and ordinary citizens.

-Other than these, maps are also used for a variety of purposes, including topographical maps, maps related to town planning, weather forecasting, travel and tourism, geological or mineral exploration, and military and development of geographical information systems.

WHAT QUALITIES ARE REQUIRED?

While looking for a job, we search about the responsibilities, scope, qualification, etc required for a particular. But we often forget the most important factors i.e career interest, aptitude, and personality, needed to be considered, while applying for a job. 

Some of the basic aptitude, personality, and interest required to succeed in this career are-

THINK YOU POSSESS THE ABOVE QUALITIES?

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EDUCATION-

Post Graduation Diploma in Geographical Cartography- 

Entrance Exams-

• Banaras Hindu University Postgraduate Entrance Test (BHU PET)
• Indian Army Surveyor Auto Cartographer Examination (Civil Service)
• Jawaharlal Nehru technical university digital cartography entrance exam
• Mahatma Jyoti Rao Phoole University Jaipur Postgraduate Diploma in Geographical Cartography
• Osmania university postgraduate diploma in the cartography entrance exam
• Osmania University Postgraduate Diploma in Geographical Cartography

 Eligibility- Graduate level degree in Mathematics, Economics, Geography or Geology.

M.Sc. Geo-informatics

Entrance Exams:- Admissions to the course are based on the round of counseling conducted after the candidate’s successful qualification of a relevant entrance test, such as the SGI Pune Entrance Exam.

 Eligibility:- Graduation in a relevant discipline, such as B.Sc., from a recognized university, and with a minimum aggregate score of 55%, besides 1-year of relevant experience.

 M.A. Geography: Eligibility 

• A minimum aggregate score of 50% at the level of secondary high school or equivalent from a recognized board with higher marks in social sciences.
• A minimum aggregate score of 50% in graduation with Geography as the main subject in graduation.

INSTITUTES OFFERING COURSES IN CARTOGRAPHY-

Indian Institue of Technology, Mumbai

Osmania University, College of Science, Hyderabad

Andhra University Collge of Engineering, Vishakapatnam.

Punjab University, Chandigarh

Government College, Kerala

Darrang Collge, Tezpur

Bharathi's Women's Collge, Chennai.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES-

1. Cartographers work within a variety of areas including publishing, government, surveying, and conservation.
2. The government is one of the main employers of cartographers, in departments including Ordnance Survey, the Ministry of Defence, tourism departments and the Department of Transport.
3. Several private-sector organizations using GIS and remote sensing technology also require the service of a qualified Cartographer.
4. You could work for local authority planning departments, oil and utility companies, universities, commercial map publishers and the Geological Survey.
5. Cartographers can join NGOs and other developmental agencies engaged in population studies, rural development and various environmental issues.
6. Cartographers can also join the Survey of India or state Survey Departments or Private organizations such as Eicher maps, Google maps, etc.
7. Teaching in schools/colleges/universities is also a good option for a Cartographer.
8. They can work with various research institutes.
9. Some Cartographers, called project cartographers, work on a short-term freelance basis.
10. Businesses that deal with selling maps, producing maps for encyclopedias, reference books, and atlases, publishers, planners, engineers, architects also need cartographers.

PAY SCALE/ SALARY OF A CARTOGRAPHER- 

Remuneration depends on qualifications and who you work for - a qualified person can expect a starting salary of around Rs. 10,000 - 15,000 per month. Overseas organizations are known to pay around Rs.500,000-Rs.1,000,000 per year. With the experience of two years, one can earn Rs.50,000 per month or more.