Now MCA will be a two years course

A sign of relief for the students of Master of Computer Application (MCA) from the upcoming academic year.
Master of Computer Applications (MCA), a three-year postgraduate degree, will now be two years course. Now students won’t have to study for three years. This will save one year time of students as well as save expenses of the institutions. As the field of information technology (IT) gained importance, students strive to pursue a postgraduate degree in MCA after graduation.

The All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE), that worked with the University Grants Commission to cut the tenure of the three-year MCA course, said the move was prompted by the fact that the number of students coming in from unrelated streams such as commerce, arts and basic science had fallen.

Until now, students who had passed a bachelor's degree in any stream were eligible to apply for the MCA course. Also, candidates who had completed a BCA or B.Sc IT degree were eligible for direct admission in the 2nd year of the MCA course through the MCA Lateral Entry mode. But now with the new rule, the lateral entry for MCA course will be scrapped.

New Technologies
MCA students are not limited to curriculum. Training on new software that is emerging in the market also leads to more opportunities. While there are new trends in the industry right now, there will also be Microsoft, Java, Oracle certified courses to prepare students for that. Courses like Java, Python, R Programming, Big Data, Data Mining, Oracle, Salesforce, Other Cloud Technologies, ERP Technologies, Cyber Security, Web Development, Android Development, iPhone Mobile Application Development, UI Technologies available to satisfy the industry needs. Students from rural background need to improve their communication skills and English language skills.

50% Practical Knowledge: Now MCA’s 50 percent course will be theory and 50 percent practical. 25% will be for online education.

No change in curriculum
The change in the duration of the MCA course will not impact the existing curriculum and course structure severely. As per the current MCA syllabus, the first-year curriculum covered the basic concepts of coding and related topics only. With this new ruling coming into effect, this introductory part of the MCA course will be scrapped. Students will directly be introduced to the advanced concepts of MCA programme.

All students already enrolled in the MCA course will follow the same pattern and their course curriculum or course structure will not be affected.

Eligibility:
As per AICTE handbook for the 2020-2021 academic session, candidates from the non-IT background will be eligible to apply for 2-year MCA courses only if they have studied Mathematics in class 12th. In addition to this, the candidates will have to take a bridge course after enrolling for the MCA course where they will be introduced to the basic concepts of computer applications required for the programme.

Admission Procedure
Admission to MCA Course is based on the rank achieved in the State Level Integrated Common Entrance Test/ TSICET/ APICET in Telugu states. Candidates who have completed any degree / engineering and final year exam can write this entrance test. But the candidates should have mathematics, as one of the subjects at inter or degree level.

Exam pattern will be of Multiple Choice with 200 questions for 200 marks. The test time is 150 minutes. There are three sections on Analytical Ability, Mathematical Ability and Communication Ability.

For details of AP ICET, visit, https://sche.ap.ov.in/icet  
For details of Telangana ICET,visit, https://icet.tsche.ac.in  

Into IT feild with MCA
AICTE has reduced the duration of the three-year MCA course to two years. The MCA course will be for two years from the 2020-21 academic year . We have already provided information to universities regarding this. Students will benefit from completing the course a year earlier than in the past. Candidates who have completed this course can find good opportunities in the field of Information Technology.
- Dr. N. Srinivasa Rao, Secretary, Telangana State Council of Higher Education.

Benefit for students
Over the past few years, the number of candidates enrolled in the second year of the lateral entry process in the MCA course has increased significantly. Only a few students who have followed B. Sc Mathematics and B. Com courses at degree level will have to take three years. With the latest decision of the AICTE and UGC, the MCA course will be completed in the state in two years from the 2020-21 academic year. This will benefit the students. Candidates with no background in computer courses may compete equally with other students with the help of bridge courses offered by the colleges.
Prof. K. Hemachandra Reddy, Chairman, Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education.











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