If you study Engineering you should read. In-fact, no matter what, you should read. But for Engineering specifically, I’ve met a significant amount of people who once loved reading of all kinds stop because of their studies. Of course, saying that you should follow through with a hobby even when things get busy is not really anything new.
I think it’s important though, in more ways than one, to not lose your imagination while you pursue something that is inherently seen as hard. Reading helped me particularly see beyond, even for only a moment, the narrow walls drawn by a tough degree.
This advice mostly applies to fiction. I used to read a significant amount of non-fiction but found it almost as mundane as reading a class textbook while I was in the swing of things when it came to studying. Fiction is unique in that sense, in it’s ability to allow you to think about something totally different for some amount of time.
It doesn’t really matter what you read. The important thing is that you build a habit of doing so. There’s something innately valuable in having a break from studying be something as enjoyable as reading. I found often I was far more refreshed having come back from reading then I would have been doing almost anything else in between studying.
Don’t underestimate the value of letting your brain breathe.