How to prepare for a career in the IT sector
India is considered the hub of IT education, with over 4000 institutes and colleges offering various courses at undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral and certificate level. Besides, it is a known fact the almost all the top global IT companies have a sizeable number of Indian IT graduates working in various capacities. In fact, USA accounts for more than 60% of Indian IT professionals.
Information Technology courses are taught at both UG and PG degree level. Short-term courses like IT diploma and certifications are also offered by various institutions in India. Starting salary for an Information Technology graduate is Rs 4 lakh per annum at junior level. At senior level, salary packages offered to freshers are above Rs 7 lakh per annum.
Many people often confuse IT with Computer Science Engineering (CSE). But the truth is, they are different, although they both are study of computer and computer system.
Technology: Eligibility Criteria and Entrance Exams
The minimum marks required to be eligible for admission as set by the AICTE is 50% for General category students and 45% for reserved category students. However, many private institutes have their own eligibility criteria wherein only pass percentage is required. Check course wise eligibility criteria for IT below:
Minimum Eligibility criteria for BE/BTech in IT
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The candidate must have passed class 12 in Science stream (PCM/PCMB) or equivalent from a recognized board or university
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Computer Science as one of the subjects in HSC is desirable
Minimum Eligibility criteria for BCA
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The candidate must have passed class 12 in Science stream (PCM/PCMB) or Commerce stream or equivalent from a recognized board or university
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Computer Science as one of the subjects in HSC is desirable
Minimum Eligibility criteria for MTech in IT
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The candidate must have completed BE/BTech or MSc in relevant branch a recognized board or university
Minimum Eligibility criteria for MCA
- The candidate must have completed a Bachelor's degree of minimum 3 years duration in BCA, B.Sc. (Information Technology / Computer Science) with Mathematics as a course at 10+2 level or at Graduate level
Minimum Eligibility criteria for BSc in IT
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The candidate must have passed class 12 in Science stream (PCM/PCMB) or equivalent from a recognized board or university
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Computer Science as one of the subjects in HSC is desirable
Minimum Eligibility criteria for MSc in IT
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The candidate must have completed a Bachelor's degree of minimum 3 years duration in relevant branch with Mathematics as a course at 10+2 level or at Graduate level
Information Technology Entrance Exams:
Institutes offering courses in Information Technology offer admission on the basis of entrance exam score. Listed below are four top IT entrance exams.
WBJEE JECA |
BVP B-CAT |
MAH MCA CET |
NIMCET |
List of all IT entrance exams
The cost incurred in becoming an IT professional
The average cost that will be incurred by students to complete their 4-year full-time undergraduate program specialising in Information Technology is in the range of Rs 4-6 lakhs in total. The average cost for an IT postgraduate program is in the range of Rs 2.2-3.2 lakhs in total. Diploma courses cost lesser than their full-time UG and PG counterparts.
Apart from this fee, the students have to pay for their living expenses separately (hostel fee, canteen fee, transportation fee, etc).
Information Technology Courses
One can pursue Information Technology at UG, PG and Doctorate levels. Given below are the popular IT courses offered by IT institutes and colleges in India.
UG Courses |
PG Courses |
---|---|
BE |
ME |
BTech |
MTech |
Bsc |
MSc |
BCA |
MCA |
There are various short term certification courses students can choose from. These courses are offered in class room mode (offline) as well as virtual mode (online).
Information Technology Syllabus
Information Technology is taught as a specialization in BTech/MTech as well as BSc/MSc and BCA/MCA. Though the syllabus for both these courses vary in terms of elective courses, the core subjects are more or less the same.
Any Information Technology course comprises the following subjects/topics. As the candidate seeks further specialization in the area of interest, he/she will be required to dig deeper in the chosen area.
Information Technology: Subjects and Syllabus | |
---|---|
Computer Architecture and Organization |
Database Systems |
Operating Systems |
Electronics |
Computer Networks |
Foundations of Computer Systems |
Java Programming and Website Design |
Design and Analysis of Algorithms |
Software Engineering |
Database Management Systems |
E-Commerce & ERP |
Multimedia Applications |
Object Oriented Programming |
Data Structures |
Data Warehousing and Data Mining |
Engineering Mathematics |
Information Technology: Job Profiles and Top Companies
Information Technology is one of the most job generating sectors in India and abroad at the moment. An IT professional is needed in every aspect of setting up and running an organization, from operations, logistics and finance, to administration, HR and security, IT is the bedrock of every operation today.
IT professionals can start their career as Junior Programmer, Database Administrator, Junior Network Manager, Data Analyst, Software Developer, Software Engineer, and Client-Server Systems Manager, etc. Job openings for software professionals is much higher in the corporate sector than in public sector.
There are many career options for BTech in Information Technology degree holders. IT Specialists are required in almost all sectors such as technology, finance, e-commerce, medicine, defense, and other areas. Many opportunities are available in various IT firms all over India. Some of the leading IT Companies are Infosys, TCS, Wipro, Accenture, HCL Infotech, IBM, etc.
IT professional can also get jobs in many public sector firms. Some of the leading public sector firms are BSNL, ISRO, CDIT, CDAC, etc. However, opportunities in public sector is far less than private sectors.
Average salary offered to IT professionals:
Job profile |
Average Salary |
---|---|
Senior Software Engineer |
Rs 7 lakh per annum and above |
Software Engineer |
Rs 4 lakh per annum and above |
Sr. Software Engineer / Developer / Programmer |
Rs 7 lakh per annum and above |
Software Developer |
Rs 4 lakh per annum and above |
Team Leader |
Rs 10 lakh per annum and above |
Project Manager, Information Technology |
Rs 13 lakh per annum and above |
Information Technology Consultant |
Rs 8 lakh per annum and above |
*The salary data has been obtained from Payscale.com
Top IT Companies
Information Technology professionals are recruited by domestic organisations as well as MNCs operating in almost all the sectors; but the demand for IT professionals is high in IT companies. Given below is the list of top companies which recruit trained IT professionals in various capacities:
IBM |
Infosys |
Dell |
Intel |
Wipro |
Accenture |
HP |
TechMahindra |
HCL Infotech |
TCS |
CTS |
|
Amazon |
Microsoft |
Oracle |
FAQs Regarding Information Technology
Q.What are the subjects in Information Technology?
A. Major topics include in any Information Technology undergraduate degree course are Computer Architecture and Organisation, Database Systems, Electronics, Operating Systems, Electronics, Foundations of Computer Systems, Computer Networks, Multimedia Applications etc.
Q. Who are the top is the Production Engineers in public as well private sector companies?
A. Production Engineers are hired by both public as well private sector companies such as IBM, Infosys, Wipro, Dell, Intel etc.
Q. What is the minimum Eligibility criteria for BE/BTech in IT?
A. The candidate must have passed class 12 in Science stream (PCM/PCMB) or equivalent from a recognized board or university.
Q. Is a Information Technology in demand?
A. Production engineers are in great demand in manufacturing industries with great job opportunities.
Q. What is the cost incurred in becoming an IT professional?
A. The average cost that will be incurred by students to complete their 4-year full-time undergraduate program specialising in Information Technology is in the range of Rs 4-6 lakhs in total.
Q. Is Information Technology a good course to pursue graduation?
A. Yes, as Information Technology is a very advancing field and offering a great career opportunities these days.
Q. How many years does it take to study Information Technology?
A. Information Technology programme lasts for 4 years.
Q. Which IT technology is most in demand in 2020?
A. IT technology is most in demand in 2020 are Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning, Blockchain Technology, Cloud and Amazon Web Services (AWS), Cybersecurity, Data Science, Analytics and Visualization and Technology Skills Career Outlook.
Q. Which is Information Technology?
A. Both are in great demand. IT (Information Technology) is about installing, maintaining, and improving computer systems, operating networks, and databases.
Q. Is Information Technology a good course to study?
A. Yes, as there are many great career opportunities associated for graduates of degree programs in Information Technology with great career opportunities.