BCA Course: Full Form, Fees, Duration, Eligibility, Admission, Subjects

BCA or Bachelor of Computer Application is a three-year undergraduate degree program that provides students with a solid background in computer science, programming languages, software development, and other related fields. The core BCA subjects include mathematics for computing, computer organization, and architecture, data structures, web technologies, etc.

BCA admission requires students to have a 50% aggregate in Higher Secondary (10+2) with mathematics as a mandatory subject and qualifying entrance exams such as IPU CET, SET, SUAT, CUET-UG, etc., depending on the college requirement. 

The BCA job scope for graduates is vast as they can opt for jobs like technical associate, blockchain developer, data manager, etc in both private and public companies like Infosys, Wipro, National Informatics Center, SAIL, etc. The BCA graduate earns around INR 3 - 8 LPA. 

BCA Course Details

Degree	Bachelors
Full Form	Bachelor of Computer Application
Duration	3 Years
Age	No age limit
Minimum Percentage	Minimum of 50% marks in Higher Secondary
Average Fees	INR 15,000 - 2 LPA
Average Salary	INR 3.7 LPA [Source: Payscale]
Employment Roles	Software Developer, Technical Analyst, Technical Support, Networking Trainee, Server Administrator etc.

What is BCA Course All About?

The BCA full form is Bachelor of Computer Application, the course seeks to develop students' technical expertise and knowledge in computer science and information technology. The average BCA course fees is in the range of INR 15,000 - 2 LPA, the fees vary depending on the government and private entity, the BCA fees in a private college is between INR 40,000-2 LPA, whereas, for government college the fees is between INR 15,000-60,000 PA.

The course is focused on developing an understanding of computer networks and administration, business mathematics, database management systems, etc., that helps students to get opportunities in both public and private sectors, from roles such as web developers and stack analysts to IT administrators. 

Table of Contents

• BCA Eligibility Criteria
• BCA Admission Process
• BCA Entrance Exams
• BCA Specialization
• Top BCA Colleges in India with Fee Details
• BCA Syllabus and Subjects
• Career Options After BCA Graduation

Also Read: Complete List of Courses After 12th

BCA Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility for BCA may include different components like minimum percentage, entrance exam score, reservation quota, etc. Below listed is the BCA eligibility criteria:

• Candidates should have passed their 10+2 exams in any stream with mathematics as a mandatory subject with a minimum of 50% marks for the general category and 45% marks for reserved category students. The candidate is also required to clear cutoffs for entrance exams such as IPU CET, SET, SUAT, etc as per the college requirement.
• BCA age limit: There is no upper age limit to enroll in the course.

Why Choose BCA Course?

When students decide to pursue a BCA course they should research about course details to ensure that they are aware of the course they are enrolled in. To get the answers to why one should choose BCA, we have broken them down into the following :

• India Today's recent reports indicate that by 2023, Indian IT service companies will have added over 5,000,000. This is probably going to get better as more sectors use digital technology, leading to the growth of enrollment in the BCA course.
• The graduate can also make the transition into various domains such as data science, business administration, blockchain, and cyber security.
• To provide students with training in computer applications and IT-related courses, the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) has created a number of skill development programs.
• To advance technical education and research in computer applications, the government has also established the NITs and the IIITs.

BCA Admission Process

Admission to BCA course is done on a merit basis in colleges like Graphic Era University and colleges like GLA University, Sharda University, etc., and accept the university entrance exam score for admission. Below is the BCA admission process:

• Step 1: The student needs to clear the entrance exam cut-off as per the university requirement.
• Step 2: The candidate needs to fill out the college application form available online or through offline mode.
• Step 3: As per the college requirement the student may also be required to clear GD or PI rounds.
• Step 4: Once the final merit list is published, the student needs to pay the admission fees and complete the document verification process.

Read More: BCA Admission Details

BCA Entrance Exams

BCA entrance exams are conducted at the national, state, and institute levels. The cut-off for the exam may vary depending on the difficulty level of the exam and the number of seats available. Some popular entrance exams conducted for BCA admission are:

BCA Entrance Exams	Registration Dates	Accepting Colleges
CUET-UG	February 2024-April 2024 ( Tentative)	Shobhit University, Guru Nanak College, Assam Kaziranga University, etc.
IPU CET	April 2024-May 2024 (Tentative)	Indraprastha University
SET	May 2024 (Tentative)	Symbiosis University
SUAT	January 2024- April 2024 ( Tentative)	Sharda University
AIMA UGAT	January 2024- April 2024 ( Tentative)	NIIS Bhubnaeshar, UPES
MHT CET	April 16- May 2, 2024	MIT-WPU, MGM University, etc.
GLAET	January 2024- May 2024 ( Tentative)	GLA University
LPU NEST	January 2024 (Tentative)	Lovely Professional University

Read More: BCA Entrance Exam Details

BCA Specialization

BCA course offers various specializations for candidates in different fields of computer applications. A student can pursue a BCA degree in various areas according to their experience, interest, and future scope.

Here is a list of some of the BCA Specializations:

• BCA Computer Science
• BCA Data Science
• BCA IT Technologies
• BCA Internet Technologies
• BCA Network Systems 
• BCA Music and Video Processing 
• BCA MIS 
• BCA DBMS
• BCA Programming Languages
• BCA System Analysis
• BCA Computer Graphics

BCA Lateral Entry

BCA Lateral Entry is for students who have already completed their Diploma in Computer Science or Application. Therefore, candidates will get direct admission to the BCA course. BCA Lateral Entry admission is an entrance-based/merit-based admission process. These entrance tests are IPU CET, CUCET, SET, etc, and are conducted by National, State-level, or university education authorities every year.

BCA Lateral Entry Eligibility Criteria

BCA Lateral Entry eligibility criteria include aspirants must complete their Diploma degree in computer science or application with a minimum of 55% aggregate. The candidates who fall into the reserved category will receive a 5% exemption. 

BCA Lateral Entry Entrance Examinations

When applying for lateral entry, specific entrance exams are conducted that the students must ensure that they apply for. These entrance exams are essential in the final merit list and selection process. Listed below are the popular entrance exams that are accepted for BCA:

• IPU-CET
• SET
• CUCET

Read More: BCA Lateral Entry

Top BCA Colleges in India with Fee Details

The top private BCA colleges in India include Sharda Univeristy, UPES, and Symbiosis Institute of Computer Studies and Research. The best government colleges offering BCA course includes Dharmshala govt. College, Kannur University, Government Science College, Durg, Lucknow University, etc.

The average BCA fee is in the range of INR 15,000-2 LPA. Below listed are the top colleges in India offering BCA course along with the fee bifurcation:

Name of the College	Average Tuition Fees	Admission Fees	Miscellaneous Fees
Symbiosis Institute of Computer Studies and Research	INR 1.93 LPA	INR 35,000	INR 1.01 LPA
GLA University	INR 1 LPA	-	INR 55,000 PA
Sharda University	INR 1.53 LPA	INR 10,000	-
LPU	INR 1.60 LPA	-	INR 9,000 PA
Chandigarh University	INR 1 LPA	INR 1000	INR 24,000
UPES	INR 2 LPA	INR 26,000	INR 1.19 LPA
Sister Nivedita University	INR 52,333 PA	INR 30,000	-
JC Bose University of Science and Technology	INR 52,500 PA	-	INR 12,000 PA
St. Joseph’s College	INR 31,000 PA	INR 5,000	-
St. Bedes College	INR 22,000 PA	INR 100	INR 16,750 PA
Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra	INR 53,000 PA	INR 32,500	-
VIT Vellore	INR 55,000 PA	INR 2,000	INR 57,000 PA
Institute of Business Studies and Research	INR 1.30 LPA	-	INR 1.20 LPA
RIMT	INR 95,000 PA	INR 15,000	-
Lucknow University	INR 60,000 PA	INR 36,080	-
University of Mysore	INR 15,900 PA	INR 2,750	INR 4,125 PA

Best BCA Colleges in India City Wise

Below listed are location-wise BCA colleges in India with the average annual fees:

S.No	Location	Average Fees
1	BCA College in Delhi	INR 50,000-2 LPA
2	BCA College in Mumbai	INR 20,000-1.50 LPA
3	BCA College in Pune	INR 15,000-1 LPA
4	BCA Colleges in Surat	INR 30,000-80,000 PA
5	BCA Colleges in Lucknow	INR 60,000-1.50 LPA
6	BCA College in Patna	INR 20,000-60,000 PA
7	BCA in Bangalore	INR 50,000-1.50 LPA
8	BCA College in Kolkata	INR 20,000-2 LPA
9	BCA Colleges in Hyderabad	INR 40,000-1.50 LPA

Types of BCA Courses

BCA course can be pursued full-time, distance, and through integrated education mode. Below listed is BCA course details:

Type	Basic Eligibility	BCA Duration
Full-Time BCA	10+2 with a minimum of 50% marks for the general category and 45% marks for the reserved category+ Entrance Exam Score + GD/PI performance	3 Years
BCA Distance Education	10+2 with a minimum of 50% marks for the general category and 45% marks for the reserved category	3-5 Years
Integrated BCA	10+2 with a minimum of 50-55% marks for the general category and 45% marks for the reserved category+ Entrance Exam Score	5 Years

Distance BCA Course

BCA distance education is recognized by UGC-DEB in India and is considered a valuable degree. Below listed are distance BCA course details:

• The distance BCA course can be pursued from colleges like Jain University, IGNOU, Mumbai University, etc.
• The average distance BCA course fees is in the range of INR 9,000-35,000 PA.
• The maximum distance BCA course duration can be extended to 5 years.

Integrated BCA Course

Students can pursue BCA+MCA as an integrated course course after completion of 12th grade. Below listed are a few details about the BCA integrated course:

• The course can be pursued from colleges like RIMT, Indus University, SRM University, Delhi, etc.
• The average course fee is between INR 40,000-2 LPA.
• Students study topics like Fundamentals of Computer & C Programming, Communication Skill, Basic Electronics, Digital Logic, Graph Theory, etc., in the integrated BCA course.

Also, Check: Benefits of BCA

BCA Syllabus and Subjects

The BCA syllabus is divided into 6 semesters. The first year focuses on the basics of computers and IT, programming, data structure, etc. The second year subjects cover topics like software testing, operating systems, computer graphics, system analysis, and design, etc. The third year syllabus focuses on advanced and specialized topics like IOT, Machine learning, cyber security, cloud computing, etc.

Below listed are a few important BCA subjects along with topics covered:

BCA Subjects	Topics Covered
Cloud Computing	Cloud Concepts, Virtualization, Cloud Service Models, Deployment Models, AWS, etc.
System Analysis and Design	Requirements Analysis, System Design Methodologies, UML, Feasibility Study, Project Documentation, etc.
Computer Graphics	2D Graphics Rendering, 3D Graphics Concepts, Rendering Techniques, Computer Animation, OpenGL Basics, etc.
Web Technologies	HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Web Development Frameworks, Responsive Design, etc.

Read More: BCA Subjects and Syllabus

BSc CS vs BCA

BCA is a more application-focused program that blends computer science with business management, and BSc CS is a more academic and technical program. The table below shows the differences between BCA and B.Sc Computer Science:

Course	BCA	BSc CS
Full Form	Bachelor of Computer Application	Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Course Duration	3 years	3 years
Course Overview	The course curriculum covers topics like programming languages, database management, web development, software testing, project management, etc.	The course curriculum covers topics like algorithms, data structures,  computer architecture, software engineering, etc.
Eligibility	50% in 10+2, with Computer Applications/ Science as a compulsory subject	50% in 10+2, with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as compulsory subjects
Average Fees	INR 15,000 to 2 LPA	INR 10,000 - 1 LPA
Entrance Exam	IPU CET, SET, JNUEE	CUCET,IISER Entrance Exam
Top Colleges	Symbiosis Pune, Christ University Bangalore, Loyola College Chennai	St. Stephen’s College Delhi, Presidency College Kolkata, St. Xavier’s College Mumbai
Average Salary	INR 3.7 LPA [Source: Payscale]	INR 4 LPA [Source: Ambition Box]
Job Roles	Software Developer, Web Developer, Database Administrator, Network Administrator, etc.	Algorithm Developer, Systems Analyst, Research Assistant, etc.

Read More: B.Sc Computer Science

BCA vs B.Com	BCA vs BTech
BCA vs BBA	BSc IT vs BCA

BCA Salary In India

The BCA salary in India on average is INR 3.7 LPA [Source: Payscale]. Graduates after having three-plus years of experience can earn more than INR 10 LPA. Below listed are job roles for BCA graduates along with their average entry-level salaries:

Read More: BCA Salary in India

Courses After BCA

Students can pursue BCA as a prospective career option. Many colleges worldwide provide students with the opportunity to study this course. Additionally, if students are interested, they can decide to pursue a Master's in Computer application. Some of the master's courses students can pursue include:

• MCA
• MBA
• Machine Learning Courses
• IT Certification
• Network Security Courses

Read More: Courses after BCA

Career Options After BCA Graduation

Job opportunities are available in plenty for BCA graduates in both the public and private sectors. Their knowledge and research-based experience qualify them to handle job roles of higher magnitude and multiple domains. Below listed are a few top job roles offered to BCA graduates along with hiring companies:

Job Designations	Hiring Companies	Average Salary
System Analyst	UST, TCS, Amdocs, etc.	INR 4-5 LPA
Quality Assurance Analyst	Amazon, Infosys, Accenture, etc.	INR 4.70 LPA
Web Developer	Cognizant, Infosys, Indegen, etc.	INR 4.70-5.50 LPA
UI/UX Designer	Tech Mahindra, Reliance Jio, ABC Ltd, etc.	INR 4-6.50 LPA

Top Recruiters for BCA

The BCA scope is vast as graduates are hired by various private and government organizations such as the IT Industry, Retail companies, the Healthcare Industry, the Telecommunication Industry, etc. Below listed are a few top recruiters for graduates:

[Sources: Payscale & Ambition Box]

 

Read More: Career Options after BCA

BCA Scholarship

The students who want to study BCA can get scholarships from private and government colleges or schemes based on merit scores, annual income, and other related factors. Below listed are a few scholarships for BCA course:

Skills To Excel as a BCA Graduate

BCA graduates need to have soft and hard skills that will help them succeed in their professional lives. Some of these skills include:

• Programming Language Knowledge: The graduates should have a good understanding of programming languages like C, C++, Java, Python, etc.
• Database Management Skills: The graduate should be able to practically understand database concepts and have proficiency in using database management systems like MySQL, Oracle, or SQLite.
• Networking Skills: In order to successfully create and manage secure, effective connections to databases networking skills are required.
• Software Testing Skills: To ensure the timely release of flawless software programs to increase user satisfaction, proficiency in networking skills is required.

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