BCA (Bachelor of Computer Applications) Course, Eligibility, Admission

14 February,2024  |  By Brainwonders

What is BCA?

BCA full form is Bachelor of Computer Application, an undergraduate course for students who have passed the 12th Science stream. The course is structured around computer applications and technology that provide the advanced study of computer science.

The students from the science stream or in general interested in discovering the technological areas are best suited for this course. The course revolves around computer science which involves the study of computer languages and computer programming. 

The degree trains the students to have a deeper knowledge of Computer Applications and can even go further in this field. BCA courses are offered in various universities in both regular and online mode. It is a highly demanding course and is mostly pursued by the 12th pass-out students. 

Apart from that, the course also offers various scalable opportunities. It covers numerous specialisations that equally provide excellent career options for your career. The course also covers several programming languages, such as Java, C++, Python, etc., along with hands-on learning experience with internships.

What is BCA Full Form?

BCA full form is Bachelor of Computer Applications, a three-year undergraduate degree program focused on computer applications. Individuals aspiring to build a career as computer developers or programmers or enter various professions within the information technology field can choose to enrol in the BCA degree course.

BCA (Bachelor of Computer Applications) - Highlights

Full form	Bachelor of Computer Applications
Duration	Three years
Examination Type	Semester Exams
Course level	Undergraduate
Eligibility Criteria	Candidate needs to complete 12th from a recognised Board
Employment Areas	IT, Software Development, Banking, Networking
BCA Course Fees	INR 70k to INR 2 lakh
Average BCA Salary	INR 2.5 lakh to INR 8 lakh per annum
Job Profiles	Software Developer, Software Engineer, Web Designer, System Analyst, etc.
Entrance Exams	AIMA UGAT, IPU CET, SUAT, GSAT, SRMCHAT, KIITEE BCA
Employment Areas	IT, Banking, Advertising Media, Government Agencies
Top Recruiters	Cognizant, Infosys, HCL, Deloitte, Microsoft, Oracle, Facebook, Twitter, Sapient, Bajaj Finserv, KPMG, etc.

BCA Course Fees Structure

The fees structure for BCA courses varies among universities, primarily contingent on the type of institution. Prior to selecting a specific college, it is advisable for students to review essential details about the BCA program, including its fees, full form, subjects, and eligibility criteria. The typical range for BCA fees is Rs. 70,000 to Rs. 2 lakh.

Advantages of BCA: 

• BCA lasts only three years; therefore, students who do not wish to pursue B.Tech can choose BCA.
• Students can get in-depth knowledge about computer applications as the syllabus of BCA is completely designed around computers and their applications.
• It teaches computer languages to students, which increases their selection chances in an IT company.

What are the different types of BCA? 

Regular BCA:

Full-time learning programmes are regular BCA programmes that provide face-to-face learning experiences. To get the perfect learning, one must go to the school administration for proper studying procedures. Hence, it is a traditional learning method which requires invested time to complete the degree.

Distance/Part-time BCA:

Part-time or Distance learning programmes are for students already engaged in a job or other courses. Part-time programmes are designed for people who have full-time jobs and a personal life yet want to further their education. These programmes are also available through the mail. 

Online BCA:

The online learning method is entirely technologically based. In this type of BCA programme, online classes are held, and the learning method is completed online. Those who cannot afford face-to-face sessions and struggle with regular learning would benefit from online BCA. 

Eligibility Criteria for the BCA course:

• Candidates who have completed 12th from the recognised board are eligible.
• The candidates must score at least 50% marks in class 12th.
• Candidates can be from any stream, but the English subject is compulsory.

These are the basic eligibility requirements needed for the student who wants to pursue the BCA course. Apart from this, the online BCA degree programme does not ask for a minimum aggregate percentile.

Students who have passed the class 12th, irrespective of the eligibility score, can get admission to the colleges. For those scoring higher marks, the top BCA universities might also set a merit list with cut-off marks. 

Top Careers for BCA

Careers	Average Salary
Software Developer	₹30,000-60,000
Information Security Analyst	₹20,000-90,000
Database Administrator	₹58,000-75,000
Web Developer	₹12,000-50,000
Network Engineer	₹25,000-40,000
Technical Writer	₹30,000-75,000
Project Manager	₹119,000-250,000
Data Analyst	₹25,000-48,000

List of BCA Colleges in States:

BCA Colleges in TAMIL NADU	BCA Colleges in Karnataka
Loyola College Presidency College Vellore Institute of Technology SRM University St Joseph's College	Christ University Jain University REVA University Presidency College Mount Carmel College
BCA Colleges in Uttar Pradesh	BCA Colleges in Punjab
Allahabad University CSJMU Kanpur Integral University Vivek Group of Colleges CMP Degree College	Lovely Professional University Chandigarh University Government College for Girls Jagdish Chandra DAV College Arya College
BCA Colleges in Maharashtra	BCA Colleges in Madhya Pradesh
Savitribai Phule Pune University Dr Ambedkar College Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth PCCCS Pune Annasaheb Magar College	Government Holkar Science College Dr APJ Abdul Kalam University PIMR Indore MGMM Jabalpur DHSGSU Sagar
BCA Colleges in Rajasthan	BCA Colleges in Bihar
University of Commerce College Subodh College Manipal University Jaipur National University Vardhman Mahaveer Open University	PWC Patna Gaya College Nalanda College Bihar National College BD College

BCA Colleges in Cities:

BCA Colleges in New Delhi	BCA Colleges in Bangalore
Ambedkar Institute of Technology IGNOU Jamia Hamdard University JIMS Rohini Maharaja Surajmal Institute	Christ University Jain University REVA University Presidency College Mount Carmel College
BCA Colleges in Pune	BCA Colleges in Meerut
Savitribai Phule Pune University Dr DY Patil Arts Commerce and Science College SICSR Pune Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth	Vinayak Vidyapeeth IIMT University Shanti Institute of Technology Mahaveer Institute of Technology BIT Meerut
BCA Colleges in Kolkata	BCA Colleges in Coimbatore
Aliah University Techno Main, Salt Lake Birla Institute of Technology Brainware University NIT Kolkata	HICAS Coimbatore NGM College VLBJCAS Coimbatore Sree Narayana Guru College Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeethum

BCA Admissions:

• Admission into BCA Colleges is based on both merit and entrance exams.
• The entrance exams are followed by personal interviews or group discussion rounds in some colleges and universities.
• After clearing the group discussion round, candidates must submit the admission fees to secure their college seats.

BCA Specialisations:

BCA is an undergraduate degree program of three years and is divided into six semesters. It provides specialisation in the following fields:

• Animation
• Accounting Applications
• Internet Technologies
• Computer Graphics
• Database Management
• Music and Video Processing
• Programming Languages
• Personal Information Management
• Word Processing
• System Analysis
• BCA Courses

BCA is a very well-known course that looks after studying computer applications, languages and programming. Programming is very important in this field. The course has exceptional value in the market and offers students integrative excellence in the technological world. 

Top BCA Exams:

IPU CET:

Indraprastha University Common Entrance Test is conducted for admissions in various courses at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. It consists of 150 questions for a total of 400 marks. One mark is deducted for every wrong answer.

AIMA UGAT: 

The Under Graduate Aptitude Test is conducted by AIMA for admission into undergraduate courses such as Integrated MBA, BBA, BCA, etc. The objective test consists of questions from English, Numerical and Data Analysis, General Knowledge, Reasoning and General Intelligence, Service Aptitude and Scientific Aptitude. Total questions = 180.

SUAT:

Sharda University conducts Sharda University Aptitude Test. It consists of 100 questions, each of the objective types. It tests the candidates' problem-solving, analytical, and language proficiency skills. The exam is followed by an interview round.

BUMAT:

Bharti Vidyapeeth Undergraduate Management Aptitude Test is conducted by Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University. It consists of 200 questions, each of objective type. No negative marking is included in this exam. The exam consists of four sections: Logical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Quantitative Aptitude, and Verbal Ability.

SRMHCAT:

SRM University Haryana Common Aptitude Test is conducted for admission in BCA programs by SRM University. It consists of 100 questions for a total of 300 marks. No negative marking is involved.

BCA Syllabus:

BCA course covers the following subjects each semester:

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

Salary After BCA course:

The average salary of a BCA graduate is between 2 to 3 lakhs per annum. Furthermore, the salary status rises depending on the work experience of the individuals. The more work experience, the higher the individuals' packages will be. 

The salary package of a BCA graduate can go up to 7 to 11 lakhs per annum. The increment in the salary is always present, be it any job profile. As a result, the students can handle salary packages. There is a scope for increment and betterment.

Job Profiles and Salary after completing BCA:

Job Profiles	Job Description	Average Salary
Software Tester	They test the bugs through manual and automatic processes for any software or application.	INR 2 lakh to INR 5 lakh per annum.
Junior Programmer	A junior programmer is responsible for coding and assisting the development process.	INR 2.5 lakh to INR 5 lakh per annum.
Web Designer	Web designers design the layout and functions for websites.	INR 2.5 lakh to INR 5 lakh per annum.
System Engineer	Provides technical support and other IT services for desktop, server, and networking servers.	INR 4 lakh to INR 8 lakh per annum.
System Analyst	Analyses system problems, evaluates and helps in providing system solutions.	INR 3 lakh to INR 6 lakh per annum.
Database Administrator	A database administrator maintains data in the computer server and provides security to the database.	INR 3 lakh to INR 8 lakh per annum.
Business Analyst	Analysis of business opportunities, strengths, weaknesses to start and operate a business.	INR 3 lakh to INR 6 lakh per annum.

Scope of BCA:

The question of whether the course is worthwhile has a very straightforward solution. Amazing career opportunities are available in the IT industry through BCA, including positions such as software engineer, system engineer, web developer, system administrator, and many more. 

Other than this, you will also learn about different parts of the public sector during the course.

BCA graduates can also get jobs in the government. Considering this, the course helps the students in every way. 

Apart from that, 12th pass-outs need to gain work experience. As a result, a job or work experience is not required for BCA.

What are the well-known specialisations of BCA?

There are many specialisations under BCA, but some specialisations always have greater importance. Some of the best well-known specialisations of BCA are as follows:

Database Management Systems:

It is the specialisation under BCA that teaches students about the collection and structuring of data with theoretical and practical knowledge. The database covers information related to several different objects. Additionally, it is a study that matches the essential details of an experience.

Web Design:

BCA course studies various computer applications. In web designing specialisation, the studies get to know how web designing and graphic designing are done across websites involving graphics, typography, creating images, and programming, among others.

Information Technology:

Under BCA, information technology is a major specialisation involving the advanced study of basic technology employed in our daily lives. Furthermore, it is a discipline of education that includes the study of programming, software engineering, and other IT-related fields. 

How to get into top Universities for BCA?

To get into top colleges for BCA, the student must be aware of the eligibility requirements of the top colleges. The basic requirement should be fulfilled first, and then the university asks for it. 

Meanwhile, the students should also need to score high marks in their 12th examinations; this will increase their chances of getting selected into the top colleges.

Students need to do a detailed study and research about the university before applying; due to this, they will be able to figure out the areas they have to focus on to get admission into top universities.

In India, some universities now provide BCA degree programme courses online. Let's have a look at the online universities that provide online BCA courses:

• LPU Online
• Chandigarh Online
• Amity Online
• Amrita Ahead Online

What after BCA?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions from the students as to what to do after completing the BCA course. You can boost your career by doing a Masters in Computer Applications after completing a BCA course.

But there are far more opportunities for you after completing the BCA course.

1. You can do an MBA in IT management which can further enhance your career and salary overall.
2. Secure a masters degree in IT which will make an invaluable candidate for your future company.
3. Complete a networking diploma and get your CCNA or CCNP certification.
4. If you are passionate about teaching then you can even become a teacher or an instructor at some school or in college.
5. If you love design aspects of programming then you can even go for web programming to further enhance your career and coding skills.
6. You can even become a System Administratoror a Desktop Technician by completing Microsoft Certified Certified Solution (MCSA) Certification or Redhat certification.

FAQs about BCA 

Q1. Is there any difference in fees between a distance BCA course and a full-time BCA course?

Ans: The distance BCA course fee is competitively low compared to a full-time BCA course. The purpose of remote learning programmes was to make them available to people who couldn't afford to attend traditional or on-campus classes. 

Q2. How to Get a Scholarship for BCA?

Ans: Scholarships are available in India through the institute or universities to which you apply. Students can apply for scholarships at institutes during the academic year. To be considered for the award, the student must meet certain criteria. The criteria for each type of scholarship may differ. Additional abroad scholarships for BCA courses are available from international institutes. 

Q3. How are Distance and Online BCA useful?

Ans: Distance or online BCA courses are advantageous in many ways, particularly for those involved in doing jobs or any other course. Furthermore, online schools are regarded to be more economical and reasonable than traditional programmes. Students who cannot attend normal classes owing to financial constraints can pursue an online degree.

Q4. Does one need prior work experience to qualify for BCA?

Ans: No, one does not require employment experience in order to qualify for BCA. Because the course is an undergraduate degree, a student must not have job experience to apply for admissions.

We hope this blog post provides detailed information about the BCA course. For the students who still need clarification about whether they should opt for BCA, we recommend you go for Career Counselling. We at Brainwonders provide Career Counselling for students who are confused about their careers. We also want to support you by providing experienced Career Counsellors that will assist you in making the proper career selection that will lead to a better future.