MCA

Masters of Computer Application or MCA deals with the facets of computer programming, application software, operating system, etc. MCA is a two-year duration course for BCA graduates and a three-year course for graduates from other streams.

To pursue a BCA course, candidates have to complete their graduation in BCA or equivalent with an aggregate of 50% marks from a recognised institution. Some of the entrance exams include NIMCET, Mah MCA CET, TANCET, IPU CET, etc. MCA courses can be pursued online, and offline as well as through distance education. The duration of the distance courses can range from 2 to 5 years whereas the online courses can range from 6 months to 4 years.

The MCA course is helpful for candidates who are interested in becoming software programmers, system analysts, programmers, systems engineers, etc. Some of the top institutes that offer admissions to candidates in MCA courses are VIT, NIT Trichy, JMI, Calcutta University, Christ University Bangalore, Bangalore, etc. The average MCA course fee ranges from Rs 30,000 to Rs 2 LPA.

MCA is a two-year postgraduate programme for applicants who desire to succeed in the technology industry. There are several prospects for graduates of the Master of Computer Applications programme in both the public and business sectors. Students planning to pursue an MCA course can get essential details about it by going through the highlighted table given below. 

Since the evolution and modernization, new technologies have been evolving making it computerized in the whole job platform. The advantages of studying Master of Computer Applications (MCA) are stated as follows:

The MCA jobs are increasing at a rate of 8% every year with an estimation of  2,05,000 job opportunities every year. The job opportunities, as well as the job roles, are diverse in the MCA field

Candidates after completing the MCA course can get an annual package of INR 8 LPA or even more depend upon the recruiter

The top recruiting companies that choose Master of Computer Applications candidates include Google, Amazon, Microsoft, etc where the minimum salary expected can be INR 13 LPA on average or even more

Some of the demanded job roles are Web Developers, Mobile App Developers, Hardware engineers, Network Administrators, Systems analysts, Software Developers, System Administrators, etc

There are diverse specializations in MCA degrees from which candidates can choose. The list of MCA specializations includes Application Software, Hardware Technology, Networking, Troubleshooting, etc. Candidates can check some of the popular MCA specializations given below. 

Master of Computer Applications Specialisations

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

Before applying for the MCA course, students should check the eligibility criteria and make sure they fulfill all the factors. The MCA eligibility criteria include subjects required, educational qualification, age limit, etc. Candidates can check the eligibility criteria for the MCA course given below. 

• Candidates must have a graduate degree in computer science or computer applications with an aggregate mark of 50% or equivalent from a well-recognized university which has to be AICTE approved or UGC approved or equivalent.
• Candidates must have mathematics in class 12 as one of the subjects

Skills Required to Pursue MCA

To become a successful and efficient MCA, one must be very efficient in the communication skill and behavioral skills. Other skills include a positive attitude toward themselves, confidence, and technical skills. The pointers below show the required skill set to become an MCA.

• Good communication skills 
• Behavioural skills
• Positive attitude
• Confidence
• Efficiency in programming languages like Java, C, C++, net, etc.
• Knowledge of data structures and data base
• Good programming skills with a healthy experience in the field
• Technical skills
• Awareness of the latest technology trends

There are three basic types of Maters in computer applications (MCA) available in India, which include distance mode, offline mode, and online mode. 

1. MCA Offline Course- The MCA Offline course is the most preferred course by the aspirants. The duration of the MCA course is two years for the BCA graduates and three years for students with the other educational backgrounds. The average MCA fee ranges from Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 2,00,000. The majority of the institutes offer MCA offline courses. The top colleges offering admissions include NIT Trichy, Tiruchirapalli, Calcutta University, Kolkata, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, etc.
2. MCA Distance education- The duration of the MCA course distance education is 2 to 5 years. The eligibility criteria for admission in MCA distance education is the candidate should have a graduate degree. Admission to MCA is done on the basis of merit and entrance exams. The average MCA fee is Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 1,50,000. The top colleges offering MCA course distance education are IGNOU, Annamalai University, University Of Mumbai, institute Of Distance & Learning - [IDOL], Mumbai
3. MCA online course- MCA online course duration is 6 months to 4 years. Admission to MCA is done on the basis of merit. The eligibility criteria for admission in MCA distance education is the candidate should have a graduate degree. The average MCA online fee is Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 1,50,000. The universities that offer MCA online courses are the University Of Mysore, Amity University, Tamil Nadu Open University, etc.

The table below shows the basic differences between different parameters in Masters in Computer Application, MSc Computer Science, and Mtech Computer Science which are quite often confused when candidates are on the verge of choosing the courses for themselves. 

The admissions to the MCA course are done through two procedures, either by the entrance exams or merit basis, and by the source of management quota. Entrance exams at the state level include IPU CET, MHT CET, etc. let us discuss the procedures of these two methods of admission.

• MCA entrance examination: In order to attain admission through entrance examinations, candidates will have to score the desired scores by the institute. After cracking the cut off scores of the institutes, candidates are called upon for counseling procedures where they are given o select the college of their choice and merit. After the seat allotment is done, candidates will have to visit the college's campus and complete the other procedures of admission. Institutions that offer admissions through entrance exams are Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, Greater Noida Institute of Technology, MDU, etc.
• MCA direct admission: The process of direct exam implies admission on the basis of the marks acquired in the graduation exam. On the other hand, there are universities that offer admissions to candidates on the basis of management quota. Candidates who take admission on the basis of management have to pay a fee greater than that of the other candidates. Institutions that offer admissions through management quota are Chandigarh University, Amity University, and Lovely Professional  University (LPU).

There are various entrance exams that help in the admissions to MCA all over India. These MCA entrance exams include IPU CET, UPSEE, NIMCET, TANCET, VIT MEE, and MAH MCA CET. The mode of these MCA entrance exams is conducted offline as well as online mode.

NIMCET

The National Institute of Technology administers the MCA admission test at the national level, known as the NIMCET or National Institute of Technology MCA Common Entrance Test (NIT). The Ministry of Education, Government of India, oversees NITs as institutions of ational significance.

MAH CET MCA

The State Common Entrance Test Cell of Maharashtra administers the MAH MCA CET, also known as the Maharashtra Master in Computer Applications Common Entrance Test. Government/Government Aided Institutes, University Departments, University Managed Institutes, and Un-Aided MCA Institutes all use the MAH MCA CET rank to determine who gets admitted to the MCA programme.

MCA CUET 

Central Universities Common Entrance Test is known by the full name CUET MCA. The NTA administers the admission test, which is for all of India. The test is taken on a computer and is administered online.

MCA BHU PET

The Banaras Hindu University annually administers the BHU PET MCA, a university-level admission examination. Computer-based test (CBT) modality is used for the exam.

WB JECA

West Bengal Joint Entrance Exam for Computer Application, or WBJECA, is its full name. The entrance test, also known as WBJECA, is administered by the West Bengal Joint Entrance Examinations Board (WBJEEB) to determine admission to institutions in West Bengal. For those applying to the MCA programme, there is an annual test. 

TANCET

Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test is known as TANCET. Anna University administers the test at the state level to admit students to a variety of postgraduate programmes, including MCA, MBA, MTech, M.Arch, etc. TANCET is administered offline or using a pen and paper.

MCA is popular in India due to its growing demand in the IT industry. Some of the best institutes that provide quality education to the candidates are JNU, New Delhi, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, Anna University, Chennai, NIT Trichy, Tiruchirapalli, and many more. The average MCA fee of these colleges ranges from Rs. 1500 to Rs. 5 lakhs per annum.

The table below shows the colleges in India, along with the average MCA fee.

Top MCA Colleges in India:

Studying MCA abroad is often the choice of the aspirants due to the better infrastructure facility, placement drives, as well as research facilities. There are many other courses abroad that render similar degrees in comparison to MCA. candidates have to know the eligibility criteria before applying for MCA in abroad colleges. 

Below are the eligibility criteria for admissions into foreign MCA colleges.

• Candidates have to pass their graduation from a recognized university or equivalent.
• Candidates will have to pass English proficiency exams such as IELTS or TOEFL. 
• Fundings have to be done through various scholarship programs since the cost of MCA in foreign countries is very expensive

Master of Computer Applications course is popular in countries like Canada, USA, UK, and Australia. There are various MCA colleges abroad that offer quality education to the candidates are the University Of Toronto, University Of Alberta, University Of Waterloo, University Of British Columbia, Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, California State University Los Angeles Campus, University Of Queensland, University Of Melbourne and many more.

For admissions to MCA colleges in abroad, a few things have to note:

• The duration of the MCA courses is 1 to 2 years and sometimes it is 1.5 years for Australia.
• Candidates should have passed their graduation under computer science or any relevant stream  
• There are several colleges that ask for different cut offs. The minimum cut off marks of these colleges are 83 to 89% or a GPA of 3.0
• Candidates will have to submit the scores of the GRE or GMAT exam.
• The overall marks required for admission is 7 for IELTS or 80 % in TOEFL
• The average MCA fee ranges from Rs. 25 Lakhs to Rs. 50 Lakhs for the USA, Rs. 10 Lakhs to Rs. 23 Lakhs for UK, Rs. 20 Lakh to Rs. 35 Lakh for Australia, Rs. 15 to Rs. 25 Lakhs in Canada.

The table below shows the top MCA colleges in various countries along with their average MCA fee.

Master of Computer Applications Colleges abroad:

There are a lot of cities providing MCA all over the country in various cities. The top cities that provide the best of the course include Kolkata, Bangalore, Pune, and Hyderabad. Some of the top colleges in Kolkata are Narula Institute Of Technology, BP Poddar Institute Of Management & Technology, Jadavpur University, AIMS Institutes, Administrative Management College, Global Institute Of Management Sciences, Presidency University, Dr. DY Patil Institute Of Management & Research, MIT School Of Management, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Presidency School Of Management and Computer Science, Aurora’s Technological and Research Institute, etc.

The tables below show the top MCA colleges in Kolkata, Bangalore, Pune, and Hyderabad.

Top MCA Colleges in Kolkata:

Top MCA College in Bangalore:

Top Master of Computer Applications Colleges in Pune:

Top Colleges in Hyderabad for  Master of Computer Applications:

The course fees for the Master of Computer Application programme depends upon various factors like programme type, college, facilities the college is providing, etc. In addition, if students avail scholarships the fees are lowered. Candidates can check the MCA course fees in the table given below. 

The MCA course is a 2-year course. When it is pursued as a BTech domain, the duration extends to 3 years. The MCA syllabus consists of all the chapters in various semesters presented in a tabular form.

MCA Syllabus for the first year

MCA Syllabus for second year

MCA Syllabus for third year

Career and job opportunities after completing MCA are vast. Candidates have job opportunities in fields like application development, business analysis, system analyst, ethical hacking, technical writing. After completing the course, MCA aspirants can get a job in various companies in different roles across all industries for a great start. Some of the job roles which MCA  graduates can be offered are as follows:

Apart from this, some of the other popular job options for MCA graduates are

Business Analyst

Business analysts are responsible for the analysis of business opportunities, strengths, weaknesses, and strengths and operate a business efficiently

Ethical Hacker

 Their responsibility is to hijack a network or a computer system on behalf of their owner to discover and protect the specific system vulnerabilities which could be hacked by a malicious hacker

Technical Writers

Their job is to note down the documents which explain product descriptions, product manuals, guides, and design specifications.

Social Media Handler

Social media handlers manage the social media accounts of the owner to maintain and increase their popularity among people and also handle social media accounts to promote the products

Manual Tester

Manual testers 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. They also physically test the software to make it run smoothly

Trouble-shooters

Troubleshooters are experts who ensure the smooth and simultaneous working of both hardware and software come in handy to those who need it. In case of any issue, they will solve it and deliver the software and hardware on time

Top Companies Hiring MCA Graduates:

After the conclusion of the MCA course, the minimum average MCA salary received by the candidates is above Rs. 8 Lakhs per annum. The top recruiters who hire officials from MCA courses are Robotics and Scalability Technology, HCL, Accenture, Ericson, IBM, Hi-Tech Solutions, Infosys, Tech Mahindra, etc. 

The table below highlights the top recruiters of MCA candidates along with the average MCA salary offered.

MCA graduates Salary: