Remuneration

Meteorologists can find employment in weather bureaus, airlines, and in colleges. They can also conduct research. As mentioned earlier, the IMD directly recruits graduates in physics, as Senior Observers. Remuneration for Senior Observers ranges from Rs 1,320 to Rs 2,040.

Professional Assistants are recruited through the UPSC, and some are also promoted from the post of Senior Observers. Their pay scales vary from Rs 1,640 to Rs 2,900.

The IMD also hires meteorologists at the post of `Meteorologist Grade 2', through the UPSC. Their pay scales vary from Rs 2,200 to Rs.4,000. They also have to undergo one year's pre-service training at Pune, where they are paid a stipend of Rs 2,000 per month, besides a book allowance of Rs 1,000 per annum.

The meteorologists at the IMD are usually promoted every five years and their salaries can go up to Rs 7,000, along with additional benefits.

Meteorologists are usually criticized by the public and the media, if their forecast is not accurate. In spite of the progress in communications and computer sciences, meteorologists are still unable to predict the weather very accurately.

The profession can be very rewarding, for instance, when the meteorologists are successful in predicting floods, so that they can be effectively controlled. They also work towards controlling air pollution. Also, with the increase in demand for information regarding atmospheric conditions, the work of meteorologists is gaining more recognition as well as relevance.