How is the MCA from IGNOU?

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Srabani Guha Posted On - Mar 24, 2023

studied at Indira Gandhi National Open University

The syllabus of the IGNOU MCA program is not outdated. If you are considering this program, you don't need to rely on second-hand sources to know about the syllabus. All the books of IGNOU are available on the internet in PDF format for free, and you can download and check the syllabus.

IGNOU keeps revising the syllabus to keep it relevant. BCA program includes C, C++, and Java, which serve as an entry-level foundation for programming. MCA program is more about algorithms, data structure, discrete maths, and system design and less about programming. It's designed to prepare you for a project manager (tech architect) kind of role rather than a "manual tester" or "Java developer" kind of role. IGNOU's MCA program is much more comprehensive and difficult compared to a BTech from Mumbai or Pune university.

MCA syllabus in IGNOU is difficult, which is why it has value, and you need to write a lot of assignments. So, don't assume that you will get an easy degree just because it is a "distance" degree. The exam question papers are also of higher difficulty, and the checking is tough. You will attempt 80 marks on the paper and score 55, which will be your default experience throughout the course. You will feel the university breathing down your neck. IGNOU students never say that they breezed through the course easily. Backlogs will become a staple, and at least 3-4 subjects will have to be repeated twice to clear them.

After all of this, the end result that you get is totally worth it. People who have graduated from IGNOU have gone on to work in big firms such as IT analysts at Goldman Sachs, Tower Research, etc., and not the useless "TCS, Wipro, Infy" kind of sweatshop companies.

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Supriya Sarkar Posted On - Nov 7, 2020

Master of Computer Applications (MCA) in IGNOU takes a minimum of 3 years and a maximum of 6 years duration to be completed. Heeding to the core values of the University, there is no maximum or minimum age bar for one to take admission in the course.

Eligibility:

The aspirant should have at least a Bachelor’s Degree from any recognized institute and must have had Mathematics as a core subject during 10+2 or proper exposure to it during Graduation.
In case the second condition is not met, the student will need to take an additional course BCS-012 simultaneously with the MCA program from IGNOU.

Admission:

MCA is offered by the School of Computer and Information Sciences (SOCIS). The admission is based on the merit of the previous qualifying degree.

Fee Structure:

Full program Fee – Rs. 72,000/-
Fee for BCS-012 – Rs. 1400/- (1st semester only)

Syllabus:

MCA in IGNOU has a well-designed and systematic syllabus covering a large range of areas in the first five semesters.
The sixth semester has no particular syllabus as it is devoted to the Final project Work.
The entire syllabus is divided into Blocks which are further subdivided for specific demarcation of the course plan of 31 courses and 108 credits.

Evaluation Scheme:

There are two main components in the evaluation scheme – assignments (25% weightage) and term-end examination (75% weightage). A student will have to earn a minimum of 40% in assignments and 40% in the term-end examination along with an overall 40% marks to pass the course.
Submission of assignments within the scheduled deadline is mandatory for the student to be able to sit in the term-end examinations.
Lab courses are evaluated on the basis of three assessments – lab records (40 marks), assignment questions (40 marks), and a comprehensive viva-voce (20 marks).

Faculty:

The faculty panel is well-experienced and is renowned for its contribution to research. The director of SOCIS has been honored with the IRDP Award 2018 – “Teaching and Research Excellence” for his work.

Placements:

The Campus Placement Cell helps the recruiters reach the students. They also conduct activities and create soft skill modules to increase the employability of the students.

MCA is an extensive course and is in no way easy even if it is completed through distance learning since a substantial amount of assignments, projects, and course activities are allotted to the student. It is definitely a good choice for the student depending on their requirements and expectations from the degree.