A Scene from Berlin: Where Are the Young Faces in NDT?
Earlier this year, I stood amidst some of the sharpest minds in the global NDT community — at the DGZfP Annual Conference in Berlin, Germany. As a young researcher from India presenting my work on NDE 4.0, it was a moment of pride. But also — reflection.
While discussing inspection automation, digital twins, and AI in defect detection, a fellow European researcher turned to me and asked:
“Why don’t we see many researchers your age here? Especially from India?”
That single question sparked something deeper.
India is home to the youngest major workforce in the world. And yet, in a field as mission-critical as Non-Destructive Testing — where safety, quality, and compliance depend on skilled hands and sharp minds — most rooms still echo with the experience of veterans, but not the energy of youth.
In that Berlin hall, surrounded by global experts, I realized:
We have the brainpower. We have the numbers. But what we don’t have — yet — is visibility.
From missile programs like BrahMos to space explorations like Chandrayaan, from defense-grade castings to composite aerospace structures, NDT silently safeguards the backbone of our nation’s engineering pride. What most people don’t realize is that some of these missions were enabled by organisations like Dhvani R&D and backed by labs such as CNDE – the Centre for Non-Destructive Evaluation at IIT Madras, where I have the privilege to conduct my research. Ranked among the top 3–4 Centres of Excellence in NDT globally, CNDE has played a key role. All Credits to Professor Krishnan Balasubramanian and other key pillars.
And that is where this story begins — with a call not just to build the future of NDT, but to belong to it.
NDT: The Quiet Guardian of Quality
In high-risk, high-stakes industries, inspection isn’t optional — it’s elemental.
It’s what ensures the weld doesn’t crack, the engine doesn’t fail mid-flight, the pipe doesn’t leak under pressure. But most of all, it’s what transforms compliance into trust.
Yet in conversations around smart manufacturing, Industry 4.0, and the future of work, NDT rarely gets a seat at the table. This is surprising, because if manufacturing is India’s growth engine, NDT is its integrity checkpoint.
So what makes quality, truly, a national strength?
According to leading research and standards bodies, it comes down to three intertwined forces:
- The Inspector – Skills, certifications, and practical field experience
- The Data Collection Process – Repeatability, completeness, and traceability
- The Tools & Technology – Calibration, sensitivity, and adaptability to complex geometries
Take any one away, and the chain breaks. But when all three align — you don’t just pass inspection. You enable reliability at scale.
As India aims to become a $5 trillion economy and the third-largest manufacturer globally, we cannot afford post-production surprises. Our components must be tested, trusted — and globally respected. That’s the new definition of Make in India.
The question is: Who will carry this responsibility forward in the next decade?
The Missed Chapter in Engineering Education
Like many engineering students in India, I never encountered Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) as a real subject during my undergraduate years. It was only during my research journey at IIT Madras — particularly under the Center for Nondestructive Evaluation (CNDE) — that I began to see the depth, complexity, and national relevance of this field. And that’s precisely the gap.
Despite its centrality to manufacturing quality, defense applications, aerospace systems, and nuclear safety, NDT still lives in the footnotes of most curricula — if at all.
If we expect young minds to uphold structural integrity, they must first be exposed to it.
Mechanical, civil, aerospace, and metallurgy programs across the country must begin treating NDT not as a postscript, but as a core module. We teach thermodynamics, materials science, fluid mechanics — but where is the chapter on flaws, on detection techniques, on ensuring quality without destroying the part itself?
If India's ambitions rest on advanced manufacturing, we must raise professionals who understand inspection and reliability from the foundation level — not as a specialization they stumble upon years later.
NDT isn’t a niche. It’s a necessity.
The Digital Shift: NDE 4.0 is Not Optional
The world of inspection is no longer about analog gauges and grease-stained logbooks. It is rapidly becoming a field of cloud-integrated tools, AI-driven flaw detection, robotic crawlers, and automated interpretation engines. The fourth industrial revolution has arrived — and NDE 4.0 is its logical evolution.
NDE 4.0 refers to the digitization, automation, and intelligent integration of Non-Destructive Evaluation. From smart data capture to real-time remote inspections, it's a shift that redefines not just what we inspect — but how, when, and why.
Yet, the adoption of NDE 4.0 in India remains uneven. High-end players are investing in phased-array UT, digital radiography, and predictive analytics. But across SMEs and mid-sized manufacturers, many still rely on fragmented, manual, or paper-based processes — prone to inconsistency and human error.
We digitized communication. We digitized payments.
Isn’t it time we digitized integrity?
Implementing NDE 4.0 isn’t about replacing humans — it’s about empowering them. Empowering inspectors with real-time insights. Empowering asset owners with traceable data. Empowering companies with zero-error reliability.
For India, this shift is not optional — it is essential.
We cannot build a $5 trillion economy on 20th-century inspection workflows.
From Experts to Educators: NDT Needs Influencers
For decades, the NDT industry has stood strong — thanks to the shoulders of veterans. Experts with deep technical skill, decades of field experience, and a commitment to quality that built the foundations of Indian aerospace, energy, oil & gas, and infrastructure.
But now, we stand at a critical inflexion point.
The industry is ageing — and fast. A wave of retirements is approaching, threatening to hollow out core expertise if we don’t act now.
The Numbers Speak:
- 64% of NDT professionals globally are over 40 years old
- Nearly 30% are above 55, expected to retire within the next 5–10 years
- The average NDT technician’s age is 47, with very few joining before age 30
- In India, less than 15% of NDT-certified professionals are under 30, according to training institute estimates
- At the same time, Gen Z will make up 27% of India's workforce by 2025 — the largest pool of young technical talent in the world
The contrast is stark.
On one side: a respected, ageing workforce nearing transition.
On the other hand, a booming, untapped generation with digital instincts, engineering minds, and no idea what NDT even is.
This isn’t a pipeline problem. It’s a visibility vacuum.
Unlike coding or AI, NDT rarely trends on LinkedIn or Instagram. We don’t have viral explainers on eddy current testing. No YouTubers demystifying weld inspections. No school outreach programs show teenagers what it means to safeguard a rocket engine or a jet turbine.
And that’s the next shift the industry must embrace: influence.
We need a new breed of professionals who are not just inspectors — but educators, podcasters, content creators, and public explainers.
People who can translate complex ideas into curiosity. Who can show that NDT isn’t just technical — it’s thrilling.
That testing for cracks can be just as heroic as coding the next app.
If we don’t tell the story of NDT, someone else will write the ending.
What this transformation looks like:
- A short reel explaining the phased array UT that reaches 100,000 young engineers.
- A LinkedIn carousel simplifying digital radiography for manufacturing leaders.
- A podcast series, like One Stop NDT’s, brings veterans and students together in one narrative.
- A student-led demo of AI-powered defect recognition, posted from a college lab — not a corporate HQ.
Because visibility builds awareness. Awareness builds trust. And trust brings talent.
The veterans have upheld this industry with grit and grace. Now, the storytellers must step in — to ensure the next generation not only joins the field but owns it
Concluding: A Braver Future for NDT
As I walked out of the DGZfP conference hall in Berlin, one thought kept echoing in my mind —
“If not us, then who? If not now, then when?”
Non-Destructive Testing may not have the spotlight, the stardom, or the startup buzz — but it holds the soul of reliability in every engineered system we trust with our lives.
We are a nation sending satellites to the moon and missiles across oceans — and every mission rests on invisible signatures of quality, verified by unsung inspectors.
And so, this article isn’t just a reflection — it’s an invitation.
To every engineering student who’s looking for meaning.
To every researcher who wants to solve real-world problems.
To every content creator who believes in making complex things simple.
“Come closer to NDT.
Understand it. Humanise it. Teach it. Transform it”
Because a safer world — and a stronger India — can’t be built without those who test before we trust.
So I, Srijan Tiwari from CNDE, IIT Madras, Entrepreneurial Researcher, signing off here, much more loading… The learning starts from home.
Why not me? Why not now?
References
- ASNT Workforce Trends & Ageing Demographics Report
“ASNT Pulse: Workforce Challenges in NDT”
https://www.asnt.org/MajorSiteSections/ASNT_News/2023_News/Workforce-Trends/
- Quality Magazine – 2025 Outlook on NDT Talent Gap
“The Looming Skills Shortage in NDT”
https://www.qualitymag.com/articles/97063-ndt-skills-shortage-demands-action/
- Mordor Intelligence – NDT Market Size & Growth
“NDT Equipment Market – Growth, Trends, Forecasts (2023–2028)”
https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/non-destructive-testing-equipment-market/
- India Skills Report 2024 – Youth Workforce Potential
"Gen Z in India’s Workforce by 2025"
https://wheebox.com/india-skills-report/
- Lavender International – NDT Career Path & Youth Engagement
“Encouraging the Next Generation in NDT”
https://www.lavender-ndt.com/encouraging-the-next-generation/
- One Stop NDT – Article Format Reference
“The Rise of NDE 4.0 and Challenges”
https://www.onestopndt.com/ndt-articles/the-rise-of-nde-40-and-challenges
- CNDE, IIT Madras – Dhvani NDE System Contributions
IIT Madras CNDE: Research Contributions to Aerospace and Strategic Missions
- Frost & Sullivan / NSDC – Skill Gaps in Indian Manufacturing Inspection
“Future Skill Demand & Gaps in Manufacturing”
https://nsdcindia.org/insights/sector-skill-gap/
Author: Srijan Tiwari
