MCA Lateral Entry Admission - Check Colleges Fees, Eligibility & Job

Master of Computer Applications or MCA is a three-year professional postgraduate program for students who want to explore more into the world of computer application development. This can be done with the help of learning a modern programming language. MCA program is a mixture of both theoretical and practical knowledge. An MCA degree provides an opportunity for the students to work with the tools that are there to develop better and faster applications.

Top Colleges for MCA Lateral Entry Course:

Name of the MCA College	Admission Procedure	Average Fees	Average Placement Offer
Symbiosis Institute of Computer Studies and Research, Pune	Symbiosis Entrance Test (SET) followed by GD and PI	Up to INR 6 Lakhs	INR 6.5 LPA
Christ University, Bengaluru	Based on Merit	Up to INR 4 Lakhs	INR 6 LPA
Loyola College, Chennai	Based on Merit	Up to INR 2 Lakhs	INR 4 LPA
Stella Maris College, Chennai	Based on Merit	Up to INR 1 Lakhs	INR 4.6 LPA
Amity Institute of Information Technology	Based on Merit	Up to INR 6 Lakhs	INR 6 LPA
Kristu Jayanti College, Bangalore	Based on Merit	Up to INR 2.15 Lakhs	INR 4.2 LPA
Women’s Christian College, Chennai	Based on Merit	Up to INR 0.8 Lakhs	INR 3 LPA
St. Joseph’s College, Bengaluru	Based on Merit	Up to INR 0.9 Lakhs	INR 2 LPA
Madras Christian College, Chennai	Based on Merit	Up to INR 0.75 Lakhs	INR 4 LPA
Goswami Ganesh Dutta S.D. College, Chandigarh	Based on Merit	Up to INR 0.95 Lakhs	INR 3.5 LPA

MCA Specializations:

MCA Course is conducted in many reputed colleges in India. However, numerous colleges offer integrated MCA programs as well. 

There are several MCA specializations from which a candidate has to choose. A few of them are listed below.

• Systems Management
• Systems Development
• Application Software
• Troubleshooting
• Management Information Systems (MIS)
• Software Development
• Hardware Technology
• Internet
• Systems Engineering
• Networking

About MCA Lateral Entry Admission:

MCA is one of the best options for all IT candidates. The overall duration of the MCA Course is three years. In India, there is a great chance for the students to take admission in the lateral entry, i.e., direct admission in the 2nd-year of MCA course. This is only possible if the candidates come across the eligibility criteria given by AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education). Candidates who want to go for MCA lateral entry admission have to clear an entrance exam which is conducted by the state government/ deemed university. Some universities like NITs (National Institutes of Technology) do not offer MCA Lateral Entry Admission.

Highlight of MCA
Full-Form	Master of Computer Applications
Eligibility	Minimum 50-60% in BCA or equivalent course with Mathematics in Class 12 as a compulsory subject
Duration	3 years (Regular) 2 years (Lateral Entry)
Admission Process	Direct Admission or Through Entrance Exams
Top Colleges	NITs, JNU, DU, IP University, Mumbai University, VIT, etc.
Average Fees	INR 1-5 lakhs
Top Job Positions	System Analyst, Software Developer, Technical Writer, Web Developer, Data Analyst, Troubleshooter, System Administrator, etc.
Average Salary	INR 3-8 LPA
Top Recruiters	Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Deloitte, Sapient, Accenture, Infosys, TCS, IBM, Chegg, etc.

Why MCA?:

MCA is the best choice for students who want to explore the IT industry. Several top companies hire MCA candidates. Given below are some of the reasons to study MCA.

Knowledge is Power:

• MCA is a specialized course that requires several important skills like web development, software engineering, network engineering, system administration, data analysis, and many more.
• These skills and knowledge about computers play an important role in the IT and computer world. Top Companies need highly efficient professionals to look after their IT and computer science world.

Building Career:

• After completing the MCA Course, students are open to a variety of career options. There are numerous job sectors in India and abroad as well where a candidate can find a perfect job with an attractive salary package. The MCA course mainly focuses on developing technical skills and also on providing a conceptual framework.
• The Average Salary of an MCA candidate is INR 7.24 LPA (as per the PayScale), and if a candidate is having some experience it may go up to INR 20 LPA. There are several opportunities in both the Private and Government sector across various departments such as Cyber Security, IT, Technical, etc.

Entrance Exams for MCA Lateral Entry Admission:

Some of the states conduct an entrance exam for it. The candidates have to clear the entrance exam to get selected for the admission process. Given below is a list of all the Entrance exams for MCA lateral entry admission:

• OJEE
• HPCET
• Karnataka PGCET
• NIMCET
• AP ICET
• MAH MCA CET
• UPSEE
• CMAT (Applicable for MCA Admission in Gujarat)
• BHU PET
• TS ICET
• IPU CET
• TANCET

Eligibility Criteria for MCA Lateral Entry Admission:

Few eligibility terms are mentioned below:

1. Aspirants who have passed B.E Course or B.Tech Course are eligible to apply for MCA admission.
2. Aspirants who have passed B.Sc in Computer Science is also eligible for MCA admission.
3. Students who have cleared BCA Course are eligible for admission to MCA. Some states also offer MCA Lateral Entry (direct 2nd-year admission) for BCA graduates.
4. Students who have cleared B.Sc in Mathematics as one of the subjects are eligible for admission
5. Candidates who have cleared B.A/ B.Sc/ B.Com or any other degree with Mathematics as one of the subjects in Class 12th are eligible for MCA admission.

Skills Required for MCA Lateral Entry:

• A positive attitude
• Good command over programming languages like C, C++, Java, .Net, etc.
• Good communication and behavioral skills
• Confidence
• Good programming skills and hands-on experience
• Strong technical skills
• Knowledge of data structure and database
• Awareness of the latest technology trends

MCA Lateral Entry Admission Process:

Admission to MCA Lateral entry courses usually happens through university-level entrance exams or state-level entrance exams like IPU CET, MAH CET, etc.

• Direct Admission- Direct admissions in the MCA course are done based on merit in qualifying exams. Some colleges also provide admission through the management quota, which is another way of direct admission. Management quota seats are reserved in every college. The admission Fee is mostly higher for these seats than the general one.
• Entrance Test- After qualifying for the entrance exam for MCA admission, qualified students will be called for a counseling session. Counseling is conducted for MCA candidates for seat allotment in various colleges affiliated with that university. Students can take admission after the allotment of seats in counseling.

Facility of direct admission is offered by some of private colleges like Chandigarh University, Amity University, LPU, etc. Aspirants for MCA admission have to give a knowledge-based test on the day of their interview.

Steps for MCA Lateral Entry Admission:

Follow the given steps to apply for the MCA Lateral entry admission.

1. Go to the official website of the Institute or the Admission office of the Institute to fill out the application form for it.
2. Apply and fill the MCA admission application form as directed and after that, upload the required documents in prescribed dimensions.
3. After processing the application form, the final selection will be done after rounds of GD and PI (if any).

How to prepare for MCA lateral entry entrance exam?

To apply for the MCA lateral entry entrance exam, aspirants have to cover these given 5 important topics:

• Quantitative Ability
• General Awareness
• Computer Knowledge
• General English
• General intelligence and reasoning

Important Points Regarding MCA Lateral Entry Entrance Exam:

• Go through the MCA lateral entry entrance exam syllabus thoroughly and duly follow the timetable to complete the syllabus on time.
• Candidates should have some knowledge about Computer Science and Applications to qualify for the entrance exam.
• Practice previous year's question papers to know the entrance exam pattern.
• Notice your weak points and give more importance to that area by practicing and regular revision.
• Try to make revision notes. It will help you to revise the important topics before the examination day.
• Maths and Computer Science questions mostly come from the concepts taught at 10+2 level, so it is important to study NCERT books with some knowledge and idea about the basic questions with the bachelor's degree subjects.
• For the General Awareness part, keep yourself updated with all the latest news and current affairs.

How to Get Admission to a Good MCA College for Lateral Entry?

Check the following given points carefully:- 

• It takes place through the entrance exams like IPU CET, and others.
• Therefore, to get admission to a good MCA college, then the preparation for your MCA lateral entry entrance exams should be strong enough.
• Some institutes also take admission based on the merit released by the institutes personally. Therefore, your marks in the bachelor’s course should meet the cut-off criteria set by the institute.
• Keep in mind to apply for your selected MCA College before the deadline.
• Make yourself fully prepared for the Group Discussion and Personal Interview Rounds and be confident whatever you speak.

MCA Distance Education:

MCA distance education in India is also very popular apart from the regular course. MCA distance education requires a minimum of 3 to 6 years to complete. To go for MCA distance education, candidates need to have a qualifying bachelor’s degree. Admission to the MCA course from distance is generally offered on a merit basis. MCA Distance Education Fee ranges from INR 6,000 to 20,000 annually.

Some of the top institutes that offer MCA distance education are IGNOU, TNOU Chennai, Suresh Gyan Vihar University- Distance Education (SGVUDE), School of Distance Education, Bharathiar University, etc.

MCA Syllabus:

Given below is the whole MCA Syllabus. MCA course is of 3 years having 6 semesters. MCA lateral entry admission is done in the second year, ie, candidates have to study for 2 years (4 semesters).

Semester-I:

• Introduction in IT
• Computer Organisation & Architecture
• Programming & Data Structure
• Introduction to Management functions
• Mathematical foundations
• IT Lab
• Programming Lab

Semester-II:

• InfoSystems Analysis Design & Implementations
• Operating Systems
• Oral and Wireless Communications
• Accounting and Management Control
• Probability & Combinatorics
• Business Programme Lab
• Unix & Windows Lab

Semester-III:

• Database Management Systems
• Computer Communication Networks
• Object-Oriented Analysis and Design
• Management Support System
• Statistical Computing
• DBMS Lab
• Statistical Computing Lab

Semester-IV:

• Network Programming
• Software Engineering I
• Elective I
• Organizational Behaviour
• Elective 2
• Network Lab
• CASE Tools Lab

Semester-V:

• A.I and Applications
• Software Engineering II
• Elective 3
• Elective 4
• Optimization Techniques
• AI & Application lab
• Optimization Techniques Lab
• Industrial Lectures Seminar, Project

Semester-VI:

• Project and Seminar

Colleges for Distance MCA Education:

Name of the College	Location	Duration	Average Fees (INR)
Teerthanker Mahaveer University	Moradabad	3 years	INR 3,20,000
Lovely Professional University (LPU)	Jalandhar	3 years	INR 75,000
IGNOU	New Delhi	3-6 years	INR 72,000
Mumbai University	Mumbai	3 years	INR 48,875
Jaipur National University	Jaipur	3 years	INR 64,400
Annamalai University	Cuddalore	3 years	INR 42,800
Sikkim Manipal University	East Sikkim	3 years	INR 1,10,000
Tamil Nadu Open University	Chennai	3 years	INR 44,100
Amity University	Noida	3 years	INR 3,00,000

List of Job Profiles after MCA Lateral Entry:

Job Profile	Job Description	Salary
Software Developer	Software Developer’s research, design, implement, and manage the software programs and certify the smooth functioning of the program.	INR 5 LPA
System Analyst	System Analyst is responsible to analyse and design the possible techniques to solve business queries with the help of IT.	INR 6 LPA
Web Designer	A web designer designs and sets the layout of the website.	INR 3 LPA
Technical Associate	Technical Associate’s role is to help the admin staff or the company with daily routine technical problems.	INR 2.15 LPA
Customer Support Technician	The Customer Support Technician’s role is to identify solutions to the computer system issues like troubleshooting and alike.	INR 2.5 LPA
IT Technical Support Developer	Their role is to analyze the hardware problem and help the customers to download apps and programs.	INR 3.15 LPA

Top Recruiting Companies after MCA:

• Infosys
• Microsoft
• Naukri.com
• ORACLE
• TCS
• Polaris
• WIPRO Systems
• Jeevansathi.com
• MAHINDRA
• Texas Instruments
• HCL Technologies
• NTPC
• SAP
• GAIL
• 99acres.com
• BHEL
• D.E. Shaw
• Accenture
• IBM
• Cognizant

Average Salary after MCA Course:

Years of Working Experience	Average Annual Salary
0 to 1	INR 2 to 2.8 LPA
2 to 5	INR 4 to 6 LPA
5 to 10	INR 7 to 10 LPA
10 to 15	INR 10 to 20 LPA

Future Scope of MCA Degree:

Candidates will have a lot of job opportunities once they completed their MCA. An MCA holder candidate has great employment opportunities in the top IT companies and top consultancy firms.

At current times a candidate with the full knowledge of IT & Communication systems and good computer application skills are highly demanded in the IT sector. In addition to this, candidates with qualified MCA degrees can find jobs easily in the government and private sectors. A lot of jobs are available in both the private and government sectors. Candidates can get the job according to their skills and caliber.

It is obvious that if any candidate pursues the MCA Course from a well-recognized and reputed university, then they will have better jobs and career opportunities in this field. Candidates can work in areas like banking, networking, IT companies, desktop publishing, etc.

Once a candidate joins the organization, they will be given proper training for a few months after which they can continue their work on the live projects. In addition to this, an MCA degree holder can start their career as an entry-level trainee programmer. At the initial phase, candidates have to work in different roles and areas. The major responsibility of an IT professional is to test, develop, and maintain software and applications.

Also, an MCA holder candidate can get into the teaching field. They can also work as a lecturer in various colleges or Universities.

Skills Required for the Job:

• For a good programmer, it is necessary to have full knowledge of programming languages like C, C++, Java, .Net, ASP.NET, etc.
• To get into the web designing field, it is necessary to have commands in languages like PHP, CSS, HTML, JavaScript, etc.
• For the networking field, knowledge of SQL, LINUX, etc is important. Also, all the interested candidates can try their hands in CCNA, CCNP, CCIE which is a certification courses to get a good position in the organization.

Books & Study Materials:

1. Introduction to Computers by Norton Peter
2. MCA Entrance of All India Universities by G.K.P.
3. Guide to MCA Entrance including JECA by Dr. Sakti Pada Nanda
4. A Complete Study Package MCA Entrances of All Indian Universities by Amit M.Aggarwal
5. MCA Master of (Computer Application) Entrance Exam by R. Gupta
6. The Pearson Guide to MCA Entrance Examinations by Edgar Thorpe, Showick Thorpe
7. Fundamentals of Computers by Rajaraman V
8. MCA Entrance Examination: A Complete Guide by Anand Kumar

Further study options after MCA:

Once the MCA Course is completed, candidates can go for ME in Computer Science & Engineering.

The eligibility criteria for taking admission in the ME course are M.C.A. (10+2+3+3 years pattern) or the other criteria is B.E. / B.Tech. If any candidate wants to go for a Ph.D. after completing MCA, then they should have an MCA degree along with a valid GATE score. The minimum and maximum time required for a student to complete the Ph.D. is 2 years and 5 years respectively.

Given below are the top institutes for doing a Ph.D. in Computer science -

• Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi
• Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai
• Symbiosis Institute Of Computer Studies & Research (SICSR), Pune
• Bengal Engineering and Science University (BESU), Kolkata
• Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad
• Department of Computer Science, Banaras Hindu University (BHU)
• Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati
• Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur
• National Institute of Technology Calicut (NITC)