We are living in such a time, where there are tons of knowledge is accessible to us at just fingertips. Easy access to knowledge makes our life more confusing which is true in life as well as in academics.
We often get confused with choices to make for higher studies.
Before choosing any stream, it’s always important to have awareness like what course structure offers, what are the specializations of the program/course, what are the job opportunities in the future, and most importantly, whether it interests you or not.
Masters of Computer Application Course Complete Details
Answering such a question is often tricky and needs a comprehensive understanding with proper explanation.
If you are among those who are considering for opting an MCA degree or even if you are not sure about it then also it will help you immensely.
Through this article, we are going to cover everything (i.e, course, eligibility, benefits of the course, job opportunities after MCA ) about the MCA degree thereafter you need not look anywhere else for information regarding MCA and help your decision making whether or not to go for this course.
Students are not much familiar with the scope of doing MCA.
Master Computer Application (MCA) is a three-year postgraduate degree done after a Bachelor of Computer Application or any other bachelor’s degree in computers or any other bachelor’s degree having a mathematics as one of the subjects.
It is a professional degree for students who aim to train students for the development of computer applications with the help of modern computer languages. In fast-growing Information Technology and fully automated world, the MCA course is one of the vital degrees which will help you in lending a lucrative job.
Here is update for
- MCA Course Highlights
- MCA Duration
- MCA Eligibility
- MCA Admission
- MCA Fees
- MCA Specialization
- MCA Syllabus
- MCA Entrance Exams
- Salary After MCA
- MCA Scope
- Career Opportunities After MCA
- How to Choose MCA College
- MCA Graduates Recruiters
- Benefits of MCA Degree
- Key Takeaway
MCA Course Key Points
Master of Computer Application (MCA) is one such degree, after B.Tech which is most popular among students in India. This course isn’t like any other computer course rather it involves various programming languages from traditional languages like C, Object-Oriented Programming languages C++, Evergreen industry favorite language JAVA to data science students’ favorite companion Python language.
Adding to its MCA course covers Database Management System (DBMS), Operating System (OS), Advanced Computer Networking (ACN) and Data Structure (DS)
Below I am providing the snapshot of the MCA Course-related questions which covers the key points.
What is the Full Form of MCA?
The Full Form of MCA is Master of Computer Application.
What is the course duration of MCA Course?
MCA courses can be completed in 2 years to 3 years (depending on the university curriculum).
What is the level of the MCA Course?
As the name suggests, MCA is a master’s degree course.
What is the eligibility of the MCA Course?
If you want to pursue this course then you should have a bachelor’s degree in computer application (BCA).
Or You should have some computer-related subjects at graduation level.
Note: Some Universities accept applicants who have cleared Mathematics as one of the main subjects in graduation degree.
How can I take admission into MCA Degree?
You can take admission in MCA course by appearing in the university entrance examination. You will be selected on a merit basis.
What is the pattern of the MCA Course Entrance Examination?
Every university differs in the entrance examination pattern but mostly MCA Entrance Examination Paper will consist of four sections i.e Mathematics, English Comprehension, Reasoning (Verbal and Non-Verbal), and Computer Concepts.
What is the structure of the MCA Course?
MCA courses will be offered by universities in either 4 or 6 semesters. Exams will be conducted on a semester basis. Each semester 5 or 6 subjects need to be studied.
How much do I need to pay as a course fee for MCA?
If you got selected in Government College then understand it will cost you around 1.5 Lakh for a course or even less while for private colleges will cost you around 3 Lakhs or even more for MCA courses.
How much starting salary is offered after completing MCA?
There are lots of companies sought after good technical skill students. Your salary will not be dependent on your MCA degree alone. Rather it depends on your college, technical skills as well.
You can get between 2.5 Lakh per annum to 6 Lakh per annum.
MCA Course Eligibility Criteria
Now, before you dive into the MCA course, you should check whether you are eligible to do the course or not.
MCA is a master’s level degree course so not everyone can apply for this course.
Below I am providing the basic eligibility criteria for MCA Course.
- You should have a bachelor’s degree in computer application. (Courses such as BCA)
OR
- You have a graduation degree with computer-related subjects with more than 50% Marks in Graduation level. (Courses such as B.Sc in Computer Science)
OR
- Even if you have a bachelor’s degree in other subjects but have mathematics as one of the main subjects at graduation level with a minimum of 50% Marks. ( Courses such as B.Sc Maths Hons, Bachelors in Commerce (B.Com)).
OR
- If you are those students who don’t fit into the above eligibility then don’t worry some institutes and colleges offer MCA degree students to those students as well who have passed Mathematics as the main subject in class 12th (Intermediate Level) with a minimum of 60% Marks.
NOTE: If you are still confused about the eligibility for an MCA degree then comment on your highest qualification to know your eligibility for MCA Course.
MCA Admission Process in Detail
From the above section, where we discussed in detail about the eligibility for MCA Course. We moved to this section so I am assuming you are eligible for the MCA degree course.
Now, you should aim to take admission into a good college for MCA Degree Course.
There are mainly two ways to get admission into the MCA Degree courses.
1. Merit-Based Admission
Fewer Colleges and institutes provide merit-based admission.
- You can directly apply for the MCA course by filling out an application form and providing your bachelor’s degree documents.
- The college will release a list of students who have secured admission.
- If your name is confirmed, you will have to pay the course fees to secure your seat before the deadline.
What if i got lesser marks in my graduation?
In that case, you should prepare for alternative ways to get admission i.e to prepare for Entrance Exams.
Most of the universities conduct Entrance Examination for enrolling students for MCA Degree Course.
2. Entrance Exam
Most of the Universities and Colleges provide admissions to students based on their performances in entrance exams. While some of the Universities consider performances of entrance exams as well as interviews conducted.
What is the procedure to apply for the MCA Entrance Examination?
- You can apply for the various MCA Entrance Examination by filling out the application form.
- Once you completely fill out the entrance exam application form, appear for the examination on the scheduled exam date.
- After clearing the Entrance Examination or Securing a good rank. Through Counselling, you will be allotted a college based on your choices filled and performance of entrance examination.
- Respective University or College will ask you to come with graduation documents with Entrance Examination Rank Card and Counselling Participation Paper to pay the course fees and secure your seat.
How will I know which University Offers MCA Course Admission through Entrance Examination?
If you are not aware of various MCA Courses Entrance Examination then you shouldn’t worry.
Some of the popular MCA Entrance Examinations are:
- Karnataka PGCET – The Karnataka Post Graduate Common Entrance Test will get you admission to MCA institutes in the state of Karnataka.
- KMAT – The Karnataka Management Aptitude Test gives students from all across India access to more than 169 institutes across Karnataka.
- BHU PET Banaras Hindu University Post Graduate Entrance Exam allows you to take admission in the Banaras University.
- NIMCET – NIT MCA Common Entrance Test gets you admission into famous technical institutes in the country such as NIT Trichy. This is a national-level test that makes you eligible for admission in various NIT Colleges.
- IIT JAM – The Indian Institute of Technology Joint Admission Test gets you admission into the prestigious IITs such as IIT Delhi and IISC Banglore.
- CET (Mah) – Common Entrance Test (Maharashtra) gets you admission to technical institutes in Maharashtra. This state has some of the best MCA institutes in the country. MCA Colleges in Pune is one of the first choices among MCA aspirants.
- GCET – Goa Common Entrance Test is a test for MCA institutes located in the state of Goa.
- TS ICET – If you want to study MCA in Telangana state, the Telangana State Integrated Common Entrance Test is the one for you.
- WB JECA West Bengal Joint Entrance for Masters of Computer Applications. This entrance exam is the entry for taking admission in various colleges of West Bengal offering MCA course.
- TANCET – Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test will get you admission into MCA institutes in Tamil Nadu, including the ones in Chennai.
Note: We will update you about all the above Entrance Exams Detail on this page. Still, if you want to have a specific question then feel free to comment us below.
How to prepare for MCA Entrance Exams?
If you got anxious with the no of Entrance Exams listed above then you should take a breath and calm down. I have good news for you i.e Although there is the number of different entrance examinations run by the state universities they often tend to be similar courses for the MCA Entrance Examination.
MCA Entrance Exam Paper can be divided into mainly 4 sections.
- Logical Reasoning (Verbal and Non-Verbal)
- Mathematics (Intermediate Level)
- General English (Comprehension, Grammar, etc.)
- Computer Science (General Computer-Related Concepts)
Students should prepare well for these sections to score good marks in the entrance exams to get selected for the next round of admissions.
Key points to keep in mind while preparing for MCA Entrance Exams:
- Go through the Syllabus: There’s no rocket science behind this point, i.e you should go through the complete syllabus prescribed by concerned University. Although the syllabus for MCA Entrance Exams of different universities is quite similar.
- Regular Updates about Entrance Exam: You should regularly keep an eye regarding MCA Entrance Examination related information on university portal and other useful education portals such as resultfor.in
- Study Time Table: Although it may seem obvious most of the students generally lacks consistency. To make yourself on track you should stick with your study time table.
- Preparation Books & Study Material: There are lots of books which are available in the market but to prepare in a limited time period you cannot rely on any book or study materials. Hence you should only study recommended and good books for preparation.
- Last Minute Revision Notes: I should not emphasize how important is to have last-minute revision notes. If you need help in making last-minute revision notes then drop a comment below.
- Practice Sample Papers: While preparing for such Entrance Exams like MCA Entrance Exams, the time factor is also important hence you should practice lots of sample papers that will help you to be on track for preparation.
MCA Course Duration in Detail
Masters in Computer Application (MCA) is a 2 or 3 years (differ in different universities) long professional degree.
Further MCA course conducts semester level examination. It is spread out into 4 semesters (for 2 Years course) or 6 semesters (for 3 Years course).
Each semester designed to leverage both theoretical as well as practical knowledge of the student.
MCA course not only provides hands-on experience in high-level programming languages such as C, C++, Java, Python, etc. but also makes you ready with industry-level knowledge.
MCA provides last semester dedicated to industry training where you can get the industry experience as an intern while still studying MCA.
What if you don’t get admission either through the Entrance Examination or Merit-Based Test?
We can understand this unfortunate situation, but you should not lose confidence in yourself and try for the next opportunity. But if you are quite convinced about doing MCA Course and don’t lose one precious year then you can take admission through Management Quota(although we don’t encourage it)
We have good colleges in touch so you can connect with us for more information.
MCA Course Fees Details
As we have discussed enough that MCA is not just another master level degree course rather it’s a professional degree course that prepares you for industry level.
As MCA blends both theoretical pieces of knowledge as well as a practical application that forces colleges to be well equipped with infrastructure. That makes fees for these courses a bit higher than other master’s degree courses.
For Government College, it will cost you around 1.50 Lakh for a course or even less.
Private colleges will cost you around 3 Lakhs or even more for MCA courses.
- The average fees for an MCA course are between 1 lakh to 3 lakhs
Note: Various colleges will cost you different course fee due to various factors involved.
MCA Syllabus Details (Semester-Wise)
MCA Course Syllabus in structured in such a way that each semester blends with programming languages (to learn computer applications) as well as theoretical knowledge subjects (such as operating system).
Students will find even networking and Management subjects in their odd semesters which make the structure and curriculum of the MCA course quite dynamic.
We are providing you the MCA Syllabus semester wise as per Indraprastha University to make you get clarity.
Semester 1
- Fundamentals of Information Technology (+ Lab)
- Programming in C (+ Lab)
- Discrete Mathematics
- Computer Organization (+ Lab)
- Principles and Practices of Management
Semester 2
- Data and File Structures (+ Lab)
- Object-Oriented Programming in C++ (+ Lab)
- Operating Systems
- Database Management Systems (+ Lab)
- Software Engineering (+ Lab)
Semester 3
- Theory of Computation
- Computer Graphics (+ Lab)
- Java Programming (+ Lab)
- Data Communications and Networking
- C# Programming (+ Lab)
Semester 4
- Design and Analysis of Algorithms (+ Lab)
- Data Warehousing and Data Mining (+ Lab)
- Advanced Computer Networks (+ Lab)
- Object-Oriented Analysis and Design (+ Lab)
- Web Technologies (+ Lab)
Semester 5
- Linux Programming
- Software Testing
- Enterprise Computing with Java
Elective – I (Choose any One)
- Advanced Database Management Systems
- Numerical and Scientific Computing
- Software Project Management
- Multimedia Technologies
- Mobile Computing
- Artificial Intelligence
- Microprocessors
- Compiler Design
Elective – II (Choose any One)
- Operational Research
- Distributed DBMS and Object-Oriented Databases
- Financial Accounting
- Organizational Behavior and Management Principles
- Advanced Computer Architecture
- Software Quality Management
- Digital Signal Processing
- Research Project
Semester 6
- Dissertation (Project)
- Industrial Training
Various Specialization After MCA
MCA Course offers various subjects where you have an opportunity to make specialize in any one area which you want. This specialization will decide the career path after MCA.
There is a list of specializations you can opt for after completing your MCA.
- MCA in Networking
- MCA in Hardware Technology
- MCA in Internet workings
- MCA in Management Information Systems (MIS)
- MCA in Application Software
- MCA in Software Development
- MCA in Systems Engineering
- MCA in Systems Management
- MCA in Systems Development
- MCA in Troubleshooting
Each Specialization mentioned above opens the door for Job prospects for you in the IT industry.
Career Or Jobs Opportunities After MCA Degree
Lucrative Job Oppertnies in IT Sector play an important role in pursuing the MCA Degree course.
As you have decided to pursue MCA Course You should know what types of careers you are looking at, and it will help you get a clear view of your future and make the right career moves.
Here are some careers or jobs opportunities after MCA degree to consider:
1. Software Developer
If you have a passion for developing new software, an MCA degree would be the right career move for you. You will get enough exposure to various platforms and programming languages to hone this skill.
Top Companies for Software Developer are
- Facebook.
- HubSpot.
- Procore Technologies.
- Salesforce.
- Lululemon.
- Ultimate Software.
- Delta Air Lines.
- Adobe.
2. Hardware Engineer
Hardware is just as important as software. The reality is that hardware engineers find jobs much quicker as there is a dearth of hardware engineers. Hardware Engineer is responsible for designing, developing, and testing computer hardware such as Keyword, circuit board, computer chips, etc.
Top Companies for Hardware Engineer are:
- TCS
- Infosys
- Wipro
- Tech Mahindra
- IBM
- Accenture
- Igate
- Mphasis
3. Software Consultant
Once you have some industry experience you can become a software consultant as well. A software consultant earns a much higher salary than a software developer. Generally, A Software consultant advises clients on how to configure large applications, write code, or fix bugs.
Top Companies for Software Consultant are:
- VALUECODERS
- INTELLECTSOFT
- TRIGENT
- SCIENCESOFT
- A1QA
- ELEKS
- TECHMD
- GEEKS
4. Computer System Analyst
A Computer System Analyst brings business and information technology (IT) together by understanding the needs and limitations of both.
Top Companies for Computer System Analyst are:
- Lockheed Martin
- Avani Technology Solutions
- Zensar Technologies
- Northrop Grumman
- IBM
- Pacific Gas and Electric
- Stanford University
- Southern Company
5.Web Designer and Developer
You stumble on to any website that looks so attractive and engaging. If that excites you then you can become a Web Designer and Developer. Web Designer works for the design, layout, and coding of a website. They are involved with the technical and graphical aspects of a website
Top companies for Web Designer and Developer are:
- Unified Infotech
- Momentum Design Lab
- 3 Media Web
- Simform
- Lounge Lizard
- UX Studio
- Idealogic
- Brights
What Salary will I get after completing MCA?
We know that most of the aspiring MCA students get motivated after a lucrative salary after completing MCA.
I don’t want to disappoint you, but the salary you will get not depending completely on MCA Course Degree but on other factors as well such as your College, Technical Skills, Communication Skills (Yes, Communication skill is quite important).
As we have already discussed various job prospects after completing MCA degree courses.
Your salary will depend on which company and job profile you get selected. Just to give you a fair idea about the salary. I am providing your average salary in various job positions.
- Software Developer: Rs.25,000-Rs.35,000
- Hardware Engineer: Rs.20,000-Rs.30,000
- Software Consultant: Rs.30,000-Rs.45,000
- Computer System Analyst: Rs. 22,000- Rs. 30,000
- Web designer and developer: Rs.25, 000-Rs.55,000
The above figures are the average salary after completing MCA. You can get more than this if you hone your skill effectively.
How To Choose Top MCA College?
Choosing the right MCA college is very tricky, as all universities boast about being the best in the industry. The selection of the right MCA college also becomes more important because MCA is a very technical subject and needs to be taught and learned well. You have to ensure that you are doing this course from the right college to get the best out of your education. Without selecting a good college, it will become very difficult for you to take placement after completing MCA Course. But with so many MCA colleges, it can be difficult to make the right choice.
TO make your decision making easier, we are providing you key parameters to consider before making a final decision.
Accreditation
Institution and university should be recognized by the University Grants Commission(UGC), a statutory body of the Government of India. This parameter is quite important.
Curriculum
The curriculum of the college gives you an overview of the MCA course you are going to learn. Most colleges provide their curriculum on the college website. You should check the curriculum first, it will define the level of technical knowledge and skill you acquire during the course.
Infrastructure
Infrastructure plays an important role in ensuring the learning environment. Especially with a technical course like MCA needs a better lab, computer equipment to understand the concept practically.
Teaching quality (Faculty)
There is no point in having a great curriculum, infrastructure if college doesn’t have a quality teacher who can deliver and hone the technical skills of students. More or less it is the faculty that makes your journey memorable or forgettable. Never compromise on this parameter.
Placement
We are well aware that you want to get into a good college for a better future, getting bright job offers. Before choosing a college to check the previous year’s records, which organizations/companies visited for selecting freshers. Try to contact your seniors and ask about the placement, internship, etc.
Ranking and Reviews
In today’s world, nothing goes unnoticed. You should check out for College has been ranked by which committee or organization.
Name of some organization that gives award to the institution
The Times Of India
India Today
Some of the colleges boast fake rankings and reviews, you should try to visit and talk to seniors before making up your mind.
Facilities
Institutions will differ with respect to the creature comforts on offer, such as sporting facilities, student residences, eateries, libraries, and student study spaces. Size is the big determinant, with large campuses usually offering a variety of facilities to cater to all and smaller campuses often having a smaller range of more specialized facilities. You should also look at the facilities on offer in your field (such as an on-campus legal clinic or moot court for law students)
Campus Life
Life at University isn’t just about studying and hard work, it’s about balance. Offering a wide-ranging sporting and recreational program that caters to all students regardless of age and background. Sports and Cultural activities exist at both recreational and competitive levels.
Note: To know more about MCA degrees, you can connect with our counselors as well who will expertly guide you on the MCA degree course.
Thank You Sir! You covered everything. I got complete information i was looking for.