BCA Course – Every you need to Know – Difficulty, Eligibility, Syllabus, Earning Potential

The BCA (Bachelor of Computer Application) course is an undergraduate degree course that aims to provide sound knowledge to learners who want to become experts in different aspects of computer applications and equip the learners to make a successful career in the IT industry.

This course deals with the basics of software development and computer applications that is, everything from computer programming to computer networking and computer systems.

As the IT industry is growing, the demand for BCA graduates is also increasing at a swift pace. The BCA course gives you deep foundations in software and programming languages which is a pathway to one of the highly paid professions.

There are several options for higher studies available for BCA graduates. BCA Course is progressive and can give a lot of bright career options for the future.

BCA Course Eligibility

There is no age limit to do the BCA course.

  • Aspiring candidates should have completed 10+2 or an equivalent from any recognized Education Board in any stream – At least 50% marks (45% for reserved categories).
  • Some institutes do consider a diploma – 10+3 diploma from a recognized Education Board – At least 50% marks
  • Candidates must have sufficient English knowledge & understanding and good communication skills. If your first language is not English, some institutes do consider 3 years of academic qualification under the English medium.

International (Non-Indian) Students

Students who are not Indian citizens are eligible to pursue an Indian institute’s online BCA degree program. These students should have minimum education in 10+2 / intermediate / senior secondary from a recognized Education Board or an equivalent qualification with at least 50% marks in aggregate. Education Board should be recognized by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU).

BCA Course Job Prospects

BCA degree opens avenues for diverse and lucrative career prospects and you can work in various versatile sectors like IT, Education, Banking, Multimedia, Security and Surveillance, and many others. Wherever a computer application is developed or maintained you would have an opening.

Apart from getting into programming core, students can also enter the non-programming fields of IT such as Technical Support, Testing, Quality Assurance, etc.

The Average Salary for BCA graduates offered in India is 3,00,000 to 5,00,000 per annum.

Below are some of the entry-level jobs for BCA graduates. Some jobs might require additional certification or training to gain expertise in the respective fields.

BCA Course Overview

The BCA course provides all the essential core subjects needed to start a career in the IT/Programming industry. It aims to give the student:

  • Global tech perspective
  • Coding skills
  • Hands-on experience
  • Effective communication skills

This course covers various fields of study such as software testing, web design, software development and programming, computer networking, and computer systems.
The online BCA course curriculum is divided into 6 semesters, each semester inculcating a variety of skill sets.

  • Semester-1: Start with the fundamentals of IT & computing programming in C, basic math, understanding PC & troubleshooting, programming in C (virtual lab).
  • Semester-2: Diving into operating systems, object-oriented programming with C++, digital logic, data structure & algorithms (virtual lab with C++ ), data structure & algorithms, communication skills & personality development.
  • Semester-3: Get ready for computer-oriented numerical methods, database management systems, computer organization, basics of data communication, and DBMS (virtual lab).
  • Semester-4: Dive deep and boost technical confidence in Java programming (virtual lab), system software programming, computer networking, and principles of financial accounting & management.
  • Semester-5: Covers Python programming (virtual lab), web design (virtual lab), visual programming (virtual lab), and software engineering.
  • Semester -6: You will be working on your project and elective subjects. Get hands-on experience at the workshop where you’ll create working applications.

BCA Course Duration

The BCA course duration takes a minimum of 3 years and a maximum of 5 to 6 years. The course is 3 years but you can take time to pass the exam within 5 to 6 years.
There is a total of 6 semesters and has 126 Credits – 134 Credits (differs for different course providers). You need to commit to a minimum of 15-20 hours/week.

BCA Course Syllabus

Semester 1
  • Fundamentals of Information Technology
  • Programming Methodology
  • Discrete Structures
  • English Communication Skills
  • Business Organization
  • Basic Mathematics I
  • Computer Basics and PC Software
  • Computer Basics and PC Software Lab
  • Human-Computer Interaction
  • Computer and Information Technology
Semester 2
  • Introduction to Database Management Systems
  • Database Management Systems (DBMS) Lab
  • Object-Oriented Programming
  • Computer Networks
  • Computer System Architecture
  • Advanced English Communication Skills
  • Discrete Mathematics
  • Computer Organization and Assembly Language Programming
  • Assembly Language Programming Lab
Semester 3
  • Programming in C++
  • C++ Programming Lab
  • Data and File Structures
  • Data and File Structures Lab
  • Systems Analysis and Design
  • Fundamentals of Web Programming
  • Web Programming Lab
  • Network Basics
  • Computer Systems & Network Security
Semester 4
  • Software Engineering and Modeling
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Fundamentals of Computer Networks
  • Object-Oriented Technologies and Java Programming
  • Java Programming Lab
  • Statistical Techniques
  • Statistical Techniques Lab
  • Decision Making and Predictive Analysis
  • Data Modeling and Optimization Techniques
  • Introduction to Algorithm Design
  • Algorithm Design Lab
  • Fundamental of Cloud Computing and Enterprise (Elective)
  • Fundamentals of Digital Marketing (Elective)
  • IT Project Management (Elective)
Semester 5
  • Basics of R and Python
  • Computer Oriented Numerical Techniques
  • Computer Oriented Numerical Techniques Lab
  • Network Programming and Administration
  • Network Programming and Administration Lab
  • Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
  • Professional Ethics
  • Fundamentals of Ecommerce and  e-Governance
  • Data Warehousing and Mining (Elective)
  • Internet of Things (Elective)
  • Introduction to Enterprise Resource Planning (Elective)
Semester 6
  • Operating System Concepts and Networking Management
  • Operating System Concepts and Networking Management Lab
  • Project
  • Deep Learning
  • Computer Vision
  • Blockchain Technologies (Elective)
  • Human Resource Management (Elective)
  • Introduction to Data Science (Elective)
  • Big Data Analytics (Elective)

BCA Course Providers

When you are pursuing an online BCA course you can learn at your own pace, plan a schedule that works for you to attend live/recorded lectures. You can also engage in online discussions with teachers, access e-libraries, and online learning material at any time and anywhere.
Below we have listed some of these best online BCA courses. The online BCA Degree courses listed here are globally accepted and duly entitled by UGC.

Bachelor of Computer Application at Amity University Online 

The online BCA Course at Amity University Online is a professional course that helps you excel in the technology domain. It also builds the academic foundation for those who want to pursue higher education.

  • Comes with interactive learning content  and personalized mentorship programs,
  • Build your portfolio building with real-world industry projects.
  • Placement assistance with our Virtual Job Fair and
  • 100 plus hiring partners.
  • Total course fee – $3,200/- USD (₹1,56,000/-)

Bachelor of Computer Application at Manipal University Jaipur

The online BCA Course at Manipal University Jaipur keeps up with the latest standards of pedagogy aided by top industry experts in technology.

  • Widely accepted by governments and corporate organizations
  • Total course fee  – $1,590/- USD (₹1,20,000/-)
  • You can pay the fees in semester-wise installments Fee per semester $265/- USD (₹20,000/-)

Bachelor of Computer Applications at Lovely Professional University Online

The online BCA Course at Lovely Professional University is a professional enhancement course that aims to enhance students’ capabilities as per the career requirements in the technology industry.

  • The course comes with live + recorded class sessions and you get remote access to virtual labs in various programming disciplines.
  • Total course fee  – $2,100/- USD (₹1,59,000/- )
  • Course fee for International Applicants – $7,380/- USD

Bachelor of Computer Application at IGNOU

The online BCA course offered by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) is a course designed for students who want to make their career in the IT field but lack the time required to attend normal classes.
The total course fee comes to  $530/- USD ($ 40,200/-)