Before applying for the MCA course, you need to know the syllabus in detail. Here is a complete guide on the MCA syllabus, colleges offering these Courses, and more in detail.
MCA (Master of Computer Applications) is a 2-year degree that covers computer science, data structures, software applications, operating systems, and other related topics. It is a great course for anyone who wants to become an IT professional.
MCA Course Highlights
- Depending on the candidate’s choice, they can pursue the Master of Computer Application online, or offline
- Admission to MCA programs is determined by merit and admission tests.
- The applicant must have a degree in BCA or similar in a field. Moreover, you must have completed your Bachelor’s degree with an aggregate of 50% or higher to enroll in this program.
- Applicants interested in pursuing an MCA degree can enroll in an AICTE or UGC certified institution, as AICTE and UGC accredited MCA degrees are prominent.
- The top entrance examinations for MCA are- TANCET, IPU CET, MHT CET, and NIMCET.
- The average fee of the course ranges from INR 30,000 to 2,00,000.
- The top job profiles after completing MCA are- Software developers, system engineers, programmers and system analysts.
Why Choose MCA?
Since the computer generation started, new IT technologies have been evolving making a rise in the job vacancies in the IT industry. Studying MCA will fill these job roles and benefit in the following way.
- MCA courses make a great impact on your professional lives with ample job opportunities in the IT industry in the form of – Cloud Architect, Web Designer/ Developer, Software Developer or Software Programmer, Data Scientist, and government jobs.
- The minimum MCA salary of the graduates is approximately 5 lacs per annum.
- The graduates have an opportunity to work at world-class companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google in the IT sector with a minimum salary expected to be around 12 lacs p.a.
MCA Course Structure
The MCA two-year course is meant to provide not only an in-depth knowledge of computer applications potential but also to build soft skills in applicants so that they can be a future asset to the industry.
Seminars, lab training, conferences, and industrial projects are all part of the course curriculum. A student’s workshops or seminars experience gets them closer to the actual realities of the software industry. The last semester of the MCA course syllabus is entirely devoted to improving the candidate’s practical understanding through projects and workshops.
- Seminars
- Workshops
- Group Project
- Individual Project
- VI semesters
- Elective subjects
- Core subjects
- Practical work/ Lab training
MCA Syllabus
The MCA curriculum includes both classroom and hands-on training in disciplines including coding, communications, graphic design, and more. The Syllabus is divided into 6 semesters. MCA course includes subjects like Mathematics, Computer Networks, OS, and practical training for students with the most up-to-date coding tools and utilities, such as C programming, Python, Java, SQL, etc. Let us discuss the syllabus.
| 1st Year | |
| Semester I | Semester II |
| Computer Organisation & Architecture | Business English and Communication |
| Data Communication & Computer Networks | Object-Oriented Programming With C++ |
| Business Systems and Applications | Micro Programming & Architecture Lab |
| Information Systems Analysis & Design | Data structure lab |
| Computer Programming with C | Programming lab |
| Data Structures with C | Database lab |
| Discrete Mathematical Structure | Business presentation and language lab |
| Database Management System | Object-Oriented Programming lab (C++) |
| 2nd Year | |
| Semester III | Semester IV |
| Operating Systems and Systems Software | Business Management |
| Software Engineering & TQM | Environment and Ecology |
| Unix and Shell Programming | Management Accounting |
| Graphics & Multimedia | Software Project Management lab |
| Intelligent Systems | Unix lab |
| Database Management System II | Graphics & Multimedia Lab |
| Statistics and Numerical Techniques | Statistics and Numerical Analysis lab |
| Operation Research & Optimisation Techniques | Advanced Database lab |
| Accounting Systems lab | – |
| 3rd Year | |
| Semester V | Semester VI |
| Elective 1 (Anyone): Distributed database management, Parallel Programming | Seminar |
| Project Work | Elective 3 (Anyone): Advanced Unix programming, Programming With Java |
| Elective 2 (Any one): System Administration, Programming With VB, | |
| Elective 4 (Anyone): Compiler Design, E-Commerce | |
| Elective 2 Lab | |
MCA Subjects
1. MCA Electives
Let us look at the subjects you can choose from to study the electives
| Advanced Database Management Systems | Advanced Computer Architecture |
| Operational Research | Mobile Computing |
| Numerical and Scientific Computing | Software Quality Management |
| Distributed Systems | Microprocessors |
| Software Project Management | Digital Signal Processing |
| Organizational Behaviour | Compiler Design |
| Multimedia Technologies | E-Commerce |
2. MCA Core Subjects
The core subjects can be designed as follows
| Unix and Shell Programming | Computer Programming with C |
| Software Engineering & TQM | Discrete Mathematical Structure |
| Operation Research & Optimisation Techniques | Database Management System |
| Object-Oriented Programming with Java |
Best MCA books
| Book Name | Author/Publisher | Price | Buy Now |
| Fundamentals of Data Structures | Horowitz and Sahani | ₹ 499 | Buy Now |
| Object-Oriented Programming in C++ | Nabajyoti Barkakati | ₹ 1824 | Buy Now |
| Fundamentals of Computers | V Rajaraman | ₹ 324 | Buy Now |
| Computer Database Organization | James Martin | ₹ 319 | Buy Now |
| Object-Oriented Programming C++ | Lafore | ₹ 773 | Buy Now |
Top MCA Colleges in India
| Sr. No. | College | Est. Year | Location |
| 1. | JNU | 1969 | New Delhi |
| 2. | Jamia Millia Islamia | 1920 | New Delhi |
| 3. | Anna University | 1978 | Chennai |
| 4. | University of Hyderabad | 1974 | Hyderabad |
| 5. | VIT | 1984 | Vellore |
MCA Job & Career Options
The list of major job sectors that hire MCA graduates are:
| Consultancies | Government Sector | Technical Support |
| Banking | Frontend & Backend Development | Schools & Colleges |
| Database Management | Networking | Desktop Support & Communications |
| E-Commerce | Security Companies | Technical Design & Web Development |
Job Opportunities & Salary For MCA Graduates
The table below is some of the common jobs that students can go for after finishing their MCA course, along with their salary scale
| Job Profile | Lowest Salary | Average Salary | Highest Salary |
| Software Developer | 3.34 LPA | 4.85 LPA | 12.68 LPA |
| Web Developer | 2.23 LPA | 2.81 LPA | 9.94 LPA |
| Systems Analyst | 2.73 LPA | 6.54 LPA | 10.58 LPA |
| Software Programmer | 2.87 LPA | 3.89 LPA | 12.00 LPA |
| Network Administrator | 2.89 LPA | 3.67 LPA | 7.00 LPA |
| Mobile App Developer | 2.42 LPA | 4.41 LPA | 14.00 LPA |
| System Administrator | 2.67 LPA | 3.04 LPA | 4.41 LPA |
| Database Administrator | 2.96 LPA | 4.97 LPA | 12.46 LPA |
| Hardware Engineer | 2.92 LPA | 3.78 LPA | 9.82 LPA |
| Technical Writer | 2.55 LPA | 4.93 LPA | 12.53 LPA |
Conclusion
MCA is a good option for candidates who wish to make their career in the IT industry. The 3-year course covers all the important aspects and gives you an option to select a subject specializing in your career.
We have covered the syllabus of MCA with electives and also the career options you can choose after. Let us know which college will you be joining for your MCA.
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