IT course

Course
MCA BCA

MCA (Master of Computer Applications)

Master of Computer Applications (MCA) is a three year long professional post-graduate programme for candidates wanting to delve deeper into the world of computer application development with the help of learning modern programming language. The programme is a blend of both theoretical and practical knowledge. An MCA degree endows students’ an opportunity  to work with tools meant to develop better and faster applications.

Designed to meet the shortage of qualified professionals in the IT (Information Technology) industry, an MCA degree – in India – is offered by many colleges. Infact, there are various colleges that also offer integrated MCA programmes as well.

Students pursuing an MCA programme would have the option to choose from the following specialisations:

Application Software Systems Management
Hardware Technology Systems Development
Internet Systems Engineering
Management Information Systems (MIS) Software Development
Networking Troubleshooting

 

Required Skill Set for MCA

Good communication and behavioral skills A positive attitude
Confidence Strong technical skills
Good command over programming languages like C, C++, Java, .Net, etc. Good programming skills and hands on experience
Knowledge of data structure and database Awareness of latest technology trends

Eligibility Criteria for MCA

According to AICTE, to pursue an MCA course candidates must have pursued BCA/ BSc/ BCom/ BA degree with Mathematics as one of the subjects at 10+2 level or at graduation.

However, MCA colleges in India might ask you to fulfill the following as well:

  • Minimum marks required: 50% to 60% (a CGPA above 6/10 is considered good) in Bachelor’s; 55% and above in Class 12th. Class 10th marks do not matter in most cases.

Note: The above mentioned eligibility criteria might differ from college to college. This is just an overview.

Course Curriculum for MCA

The basic curriculum of a typical MCA programme includes topics like network and database management, electronics, mobile technologies, financial accounting, mathematics, statistics, cloud computing, Java programming etc.

Semester 1 Semester 2
Introduction in IT Info Systems Analysis Design & Implementations
Computer Organisation & Architecture Operating Systems
Programming & Data Structure Oral and Wireless Communications
Introduction to Management functions Accounting and Management Control
Mathematical foundations Probability & Combinatorics
IT Lab Business Programme Lab
Programming Lab Unix & Windows Lab
Semester 3 Semester 4
Data Base Management Systems Network Programming
Computer Communication Networks Software Engg. I
Object Oriented Analysis and Design Elective I
Management Support System Organizational Behaviour
Statistical Computing Elective 2
DBMS Lab Network Lab
Statistical Computing Lab CASE Tools Lab
Semester 5 Semester 6
A.I and Applications Project
Software Engineering II Seminar
Elective 3
Elective 4
Optimisation Techniques
AI & Application lab
Optimisation Techniques Lab
Industrial Lectures Seminar, Project

 

MCA: Types of Job profiles and Top recruiters

There is no dearth of lucrative job opportunities for MCA graduates. A candidate with a master’s degree in computer applications along with the right amount of relevant work experience, skill set and caliber can easily find great job opportunities at leading IT firms (both private and government) across India and abroad

Some of the top job profiles for MCA graduates are:

App Developer App developers are individuals designing, building and maintaining mobile application for android, iOS, windows, blackberry platforms etc.

 
Business Analyst A Business analyst typically mentors people aiming to start a business of their own.
Database Engineer Database engineers are hired by computer systems companies with an aim to design and monitor complex databases. The role revolves around ensuring the operation, validity and relevancy of the data.

 
Ethical Hacker Ethical hackers are experts who access a network or computer system on behalf of its owner to uncover security vulnerabilities that a malicious hacker could possibly exploit.
Hardware Engineer Hardware engineers install and test systems to ensure proper functioning of the internet. These folks are also involved in the testing and production of hardware equipment.
Manual Tester As the name suggests, manual testers physically test software for defects. These individuals are required to play the role of an end user who makes use of almost all the features of the application to ensure behaving accurately.
Technical Writers Being a technical writer, one is expected to write technical documents like product description, design specifications, user manuals and guides etc.
Trouble-shooters Troubleshooters are experts who ensure that technology – both hardware and software – come handy to those who need it. In case of an issue, they resolve the same to make sure that projects are delivered on time
Social Media Handler Companies hire social media specialist to handle their popularity and presence amongst people through the virtual world.
Web Designer/Developer Web developers/designers are mainly responsible for constructing a website. With a creative mind and well versed software skills, these individuals develop and design World Wide Web applications, HTML, Photoshop, Flash etc.

 

 

Other lucrative job profiles one can consider after pursuing an MCA degree are that of a Network Engineer, Project Manager, Quality Analyst, Software Programmer/Developer, Software Application Architect, Systems Analyst, Software Consultant etc.

Top companies hiring MCA graduates

Infosys Microsoft
Naukri.com ORACLE
TCS Polaris
WIPRO Systems Jeevansathi.com
MAHINDRA Texas Instruments
HCL Technologies NTPC
SAP GAIL
99acres.com BHEL
D.E. Shaw Accenture
IBM Cognizant

MCA – Important FAQs

Q. What is MCA or Master of Computer Application?

A. Master of Computer Applications or MCA is a professional degree in computer science. MCA is a three year long professional post-graduate degree course for students who deeply want to learn computer application development. The MCA course is a combination of both theoretical and practical knowledge. With an MCA degree, students can learn different tools meant to develop better and faster computer applications and software.

Q. What career opportunities are associated with MCA?

A. MCA course will give students an understanding about how to develop better computer applications and software. There are a lot of career opportunities associated with MCA, and students may have great employment options in top IT firms, MNCs and top consultancy firms. Candidate with high computer skills are in high demand in the IT sector. And MCA graduates will also have many opportunities associated with the government sector. Candidates can crack interviews and get the desired profiles as per their skills and caliber. Candidates can get jobs in areas such as banking, networking, IT companies, desktop publishing, and more. Candidates can work on live projects, entry level programmer and maintaining software/application. Candidate seeking options in the teaching profession with an MCA degree is also an option. Candidates can apply for the post of a lecturer in reputed colleges/universities.

Q. What is an average salary of MCA graduates?

A. The salary package after completing the MCA degree on average ranges from 4.5 to 6.5 lakhs per annum. The salary of a candidate also depends on work organisation and education skills. Both the private and government companies provide jobs to qualified MCA course graduates.

Q. What are the job options available for MCA graduates?

A. Candidates can apply for the following profiles after completing MCA course such as Software Developer, Computer System Analyst, Software Engineer or Programmer, Database Administrator, Software Publisher, Software Application Architect, Software Consultant, Hardware Engineer, Web Designer/Web Developer, Senior Technical Consultant and Project Manager. There will be other profiles as well depending on the candidate’s previous work experience. If the candidate is a fresher than the post or designation may vary.

Q. What is the course duration of MCA?

A. The duration of the MCA degree course is three years, which is divided into six semesters. But students who holds a degree in Bachelor in Computer Application (BCA), Bachelor of Science (B Sc) the MCA course duration is two years.

Q. Is Master of Computer Application (MCA) a good career option?

A. It is a better choice for candidates having an MCA degree to grow career in the IT sector. Candidates may get great employment options with top IT companies and MNCs.

BCA (Bachelor of Computer Applications)

The full form of BCA is a Bachelor’s in Computer Application. BCA is a three-year undergraduate degree program for candidates wishing to delve into the world of Computer languages. One of the most popular options to get started with a career in Information Technology, the course gives you an insight into the world of computers and its applications.

A BCA degree is considered to be at par with a BTech/BE degree in Computer Science or Information Technology. The degree helps interested students in setting up a sound academic base for an advanced career in Computer Applications.

Eligibility for BCA Course

To pursue a BCA programme, one need not have Physics, Chemistry and Maths as subjects in Class 12th. In fact, candidates who have pursued Arts or Commerce in class XII can also join the course.

Basic eligibility requirements for a BCA course:

  • Aspirants must have passed 10+2 from any stream with English as a subject with minimum 45% to 55% marks in aggregate (the pass percentage might vary from college to college)
  • While some colleges/universities admit aspirants on merit basis, the others admit students on the basis of personal interview and written examination.

Note: The eligibility criteria might differ from college to college.

BCA: Course Highlights

The tabulated data below represents some major highlights of the course.

Course Level Undergraduate
Duration 3 years
Examination Type Semester System
Eligibility 10+2 from a recognized university
Admission Process Counselling after qualification of entrance examination
Top recruiting organizations IT & Software Companies
Top recruiting areas Software Development, Testing, Digital Markting, etc.
Average Course Fee INR 70,000 to 2,00,000 lacs
Average Starting Salary INR 2 to 8 lacs

Required Skillset for BCA

Strong programming knowledge Sound knowledge of Computers and IT
Ability to develop applications for practical aspects Analytical Thinking
Strong communication skills Creativity
Teamwork Strong database concepts

BCA Syllabus

The basic course curriculum of BCA typically lays emphasis on database management systems, operating systems, software engineering, computer architecture, web technology and languages such as C, C++, HTML, Java etc.

Here’s an overview of the topics you would likely study in a BCA program across 6 semesters:

Semester 1 Semester 2
Hardware Lab (CIA Only) Case Tools Lab (CIA Only)
Creative English Communicative English
Foundational Mathematics Basic Discrete Mathematics
Statistics I For BCA Operating Systems
Digital Computer Fundamentals Data Structures
Introduction To Programming Using C Data Structures Lab
C Programming Lab Visual Programming Lab
PC Software Lab
Semester 3 Semester 4
Interpersonal Communication Professional English
Introductory Algebra Financial Management
Financial Accounting Computer Networks
Software Engineering Programming In Java
Database Management Systems Java Programming Lab
Object Oriented Programming Using C++ DBMS Project Lab
C++ Lab Web Technology Lab
Oracle Lab Language Lab(CIA Only)
Domain Lab (Cia Only)
Semester 5 Semester 6
Unix Programming Design And Analysis Of Algorithms
OOAD Using UML Client-Server Computing
User Interface Design Computer Architecture
Graphics And Animation Cloud Computing
Python Programming Multimedia Applications
Business Intelligence Introduction To Soft Computing
Unix Lab Advanced Database Management System
Web Designing Project
Graphics And Animation Lab
Python Programming Lab
Business Intelligence Lab

BCA Jobs & Top Companies

In the ever-growing, IT industry, the demand for BCA graduates is increasing rapidly. With a BCA degree, candidates can find lucrative job opportunities in private as well public sector.

Some of the leading IT companies recruiting BCA graduates include Oracle, IBM, Infosys and Wipro. Government organizations like the Indian Air Force(IAF), Indian Army, and India Navy hire a large number of computer professionals for their IT department.

Some of the job profiles that one can bag after completing a BCA programme is that of a:

  • System Engineer
  • Software Tester
  • Junior Programmer
  • Web Developer
  • System Administrator
  • Software Developer

As far as the salary is concerned, a fresher working for a leading MNC might get a salary ranging from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 40,000 per month. However, it was reported that IT giants like Facebook, Microsoft etc pay a six figure salary to fresh graduates they hire.

What after BCA?

This is one of the most common questions asked by candidates. You could give an instant thrust to your career by pursuing MCA (Masters of Computer Applications) after BCA.

However, there are other options too that you could consider doing after completing your BCA degree:

  • Prepare for CAT and go for an MBA in IT Management
  • Complete your Master’s degree by studying MSC (IT)
  • Go for a networking diploma and prepare for CCNP or CCNA certification
  • Prepare for Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA) Certification or Redhat certifications and work as a System Administrator or Desktop Technician or Help desk Assistant.
  • You could also improve your teaching skills and work as a computer teacher/instructor in school, universities and colleges
  • If you are good in web programming then improve your coding skills and make your career in Web Development. You can also work as an independent web designer.
  • A lot of BCA graduates also go for government jobs. You could consider one too.

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