IGNOU MCA
Indira Gandhi National Open University, the largest and oldest open university in the world offers distance and online MCA programs to aspiring and eligible university graduates around the globe.
MCA Program Outline
Master of Computer Applications is a two-year program that educates the students about the various aspects of computer programs, application software, computer architecture, operating systems, and many more. IGNOU’s MCA program is accessible in two different modes, online and distance. The distance MCA is a two-year program that is divided into four semesters ( January to June and July to December). The courses of the first two semesters aim at theoretical knowledge and practical skills development in core computer science subjects. The next two semesters focus more on advanced courses providing a conceptual framework and project work. Consequently, there will be two examinations every year – one in June for the January to June semester courses and the other in December for the July to December semester courses. The students can appear for any of the examinations conducted by the University during the year to complete the minimum time framework and other formalities prescribed for the program.
For MCA admission help, please fill your details over here.
2 Year Disatance MCA
The two-year distance MCA program is divided into four semesters ( January to June and July to December).
Total fees Rs. 48,000
To be paid semester-wise ( Rs. 12000/- per semester).
Eligibility Criteria
To pursue the MCA Program, the candidate will have to fulfill the given eligibility criteria:
- The Candidate must have completed a BCA/ B.Sc ( Computer Science/IT) or Bachelor Degree in Computer Science and Engineering or equivalent degree with at least 50% marks (45% in case of candidates belonging to the reserved category).
OR - The Candidate must have a Bachelor’s degree of a minimum 3-year duration from a recognized University with at least 50% marks (45% marks in case of candidates belonging to reserved category and Mathematics as one of the subjects at 10 and +2 level or graduation level ). In addition, these students are required to register and successfully complete two bridge courses, namely, MCS-201 (Programming in C and Python) & MCS-208 (Data Structures and Algorithm) of IGNOU along with the Master of Computer Applications Programme.
- There is no age limit for this program, anyone with the above-mentioned qualifications can apply and join the course.
Duration and Fee Structure
A Student may Successfully complete the courses of this program in a minimum of 2 years and a maximum of 4 years. Successful completion of the program requires successful completion of the assignments and the term-end examination of the courses of the program.
IGNOU is known for its highly cost-effective distance and online MCA classes. The fee for the full program is Rs. 48,000/- to be paid semester-wise ( Rs. 12000/- per semester). The Fee for bridge courses, MCS-201 and MCS208, would be as per the norms of Coursewise Registration and Certification Scheme (CRCS).
For MCA admission help, please fill your details over here.
Important Dates 2022
IGNOU MCA admissions are taken in two cycles, one in January and the other in July. These admissions are based on the marks obtained in the qualifying degree examinations. Apart from that, some courses like MBA, Ph.D., MPhil, B.ED, etc., are among the specializations that require an entrance examination.
So while planning to do distance and online programs it is important for the candidates to keep track of the dates and deadlines of the programs they wish to join. Here we have provided IGNOU MCA schedule 2022.
IGNOU MCA 2022 Events
Admission session | Deadlines | Last date of registration |
|---|---|---|
January 2022 session | Released | Mar 15, 2022 |
July 2022 session | To be notified | To be notified |
MCA Syllabus
For MCA admission help, please fill your details over here.
MCA Syllabus
Semester I
Course Code | Course Title | Theory/Practical | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
MCS-211 | Design and Analysis of Algorithms | Theory | 4 |
MCS-212 | Discrete Mathematics | Theory | 4 |
MCS-213 | Software Engineering | Theory | 4 |
MCS-214 | Professional Skills and Ethics | Theory | 2 |
MCS-215 | Security and Cyber Laws | Theory | 2 |
MCSL-216 | DAA and Web Design Lab | Practical | 2 |
Semester II
| Course Code | Course Title | Theory/Practical | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| MCS-218 | Data Communication and Computer Networks | Theory | 4 |
| MCS-219 | Object Oriented Analysis and Design | Theory | 4 |
| MCS-220 | Web Technologies | Theory | 4 |
| MCS-221 | Data Warehousing and Data Mining | Theory | 4 |
| MCSL-222 | OOAD and Web Technologies Lab | Practical | 2 |
| MCSL-223 | Computer Networks and Data Mining Lab | Practical | 2 |
Semester III
| Course Code | Course Title | Theory/Practical | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| MCS-224 | Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning | Theory | 4 |
| MCS-225 | Accountancy and Financial Management | Theory | 4 |
| MCS-226 | Data Science and Big Data | Theory | 4 |
| MCS-227 | Cloud Computing and IoT | Theory | 4 |
| MCSL-228 | AI and Machine Learning Lab | Practical | 2 |
| MCSL-229 | Cloud and Data Science Lab | Practical | 2 |
Semester IV
Course Code | Course Title | Theory/Practical | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
MCS-230 | Digital Image Processing and Computer Vision | Theory | 4 |
MCS-231 | Mobile Computing | Theory | 4 |
MCSP-232 | Project | Project | 12 |
No. of Theory Courses | 15 |
No. of Practical Courses | 6 |
Project | 1 |
Total Credit | 80 |
Admission Process and Application Form
Admissions to IGNOU Distance MCA program take place twice every year, usually in January and July. To get into the admission process the student shall first enter the official website and register themself by creating an account, and then fill up the application form for their respective program.
Application Process
- Visit IGNOU’s official website.
- Click on the “New Registration Link”.
- Register by creating a username and password.
- Remember to jot down the username and password for the future.
- Fill up the form providing the basic details.
- Upload the documents required such as certificates, mark lists, photographs, etc…
- Read and confirm every detail properly before submitting.
- Once everything is verified click the submit button.
- Make the payment via net banking, credit card, and debit card.
- Take the printout of the form for future reference.
Some of the most basic and important documents that the applicants need to upload during the application process are:
- Scanned passport-size photograph.
- Scanned image of the applicant’s signature.
- Scanned copy of category certificate, SC/ ST/ OBC.
- Scanned copy of experience certificate (if any).
- Scanned copy of age proof.
- Scanned copy of all educational certificates.
For Distance MCA admission help, please fill your details over here.
Prospectus
The students shall find IGNOU’s common prospectus on the official website of the University. The common prospectus will provide all the relevant pieces of information that the students are in search of. It gives an in-depth knowledge about the University, its accomplishments, notable features, the programs offered, fee structure, eligibility criteria, syllabus, study materials, etc…
Study Materials
As an Open and Distance Learning (ODL) University, IGNOU is learner-oriented and the students have to actively participate in the teaching and learning process. It provides individual support systems to its learners, and to ensure this several Learner Support Centers(LSCs) are built all over the country. These centers are coordinated by Regional Centers (RCs). It is through these RCs and LSCs that the University communicates and helps out its students. Most of the instructions are imparted through distance mode with only a small component of face-to-face communication. For this, the University follows a multi-channel approach. It comprises:
- Self-instructional material in pdf or printed form.
- Audio-video programs are transmitted through the GYAN DARSHAN channel.
- Face-to-face counseling at LSC by academic counselors.
- Compulsory practical sessions at the LSCs.
- Reference library eGyankosh
- Web-based academic support
- Assignments
- Gyan Darshan Channel, including teleconferencing, Gyan Vani.
- SWAYAMPRABHA-DTH (channel-19)
The study materials provided through these channels are the primary instructional materials. These are supplied to the students in form of several booklets called blocks. Each block consists of several units. The size of a unit is such that the material given therein may be expected to be studied by a student in a session of about 4 to 6 hours of study. Anyhow, in addition to these materials the students are advised to do some extra readings and to study reference books without fail. Because the study materials provided by the University alone may not be sufficient to write assignments and prepare for the examinations.
For MCA admission help, please fill your details over here.
Other Computer Science related Programs offered by IGNOU
Bachelor in Computer Applications is yet another computer science-related program offered by IGNOU. Similar to MCA, IGNOU offers both distance and online modes of education. The main objective of the program is to pave the way for the students, who have completed their higher secondary education and are interested in taking computing/IT as a career. IGNOU’s BCA is a three-year program (maximum 6 years) and anyone who has completed 10th +2 or any course equivalent to it is eligible for BCA. The total fee of the 3-year program is Rs.40200 ( 6700 per semester).
Other Similar MCA Program
Bangalore University, Annamalai University, University of Mumbai, University of Madras, Sikkim Manipal University, and Madurai Kamaraj University are the top 6 Universities that offer the best MCA program after IGNOU. The duration of the program in all these universities is 3- 6 years and the fee comes in between Rs.37000 – RS. 90000.
Advantages and disadvantages of IGNOU
There are plenty of advantages as well as a few disadvantages of pursuing degree courses from IGNOU. The answer to why one should choose IGNOU for MCA is that they provide the best quality education to the students. They groom their students in the best possible way that after the completion of the course they will be able to flourish in and successfully meet the demands of the IT Industry. The officials keep regular contact with the students by giving frequent updates and reminders about the programs they have chosen.
Disadvantages
1. Less number of Regional Centers to attend to the need of a large number of students.
2. Do not provide live lectures.
3. Complex syllabus and lengthy assignments.
FAQ - MCA
To get enrolled in the IGNOU MCA program one has to go through the registration and application process which can be done online through the official website.
IGNOU MCA program can be completed in a minimum of 2 years and a maximum of 4 years.
The last date for IGNOU admission January session is Mar 15, 2022.
Yes, IGNOU MCA students can appear for recruitment exams conducted by companies like TCS, Wipro, Infosys, etc…
Yes, Indira Gandhi National Open University is a renowned, globally recognized University, which has gained NAAC accreditation with A++ Grade and is approved by UGC-DEB.
IGNOU is the best choice for those who want to pursue MCA while working, their online and distance education syllabus and schedules are very flexible.
MCA admission takes place twice a year, in January and July.
IGNOU conducts admission to MCA programs based on the marks scored in the qualifying examination.
IGNOU University takes no entrance test for MCA admission.
The Candidate must have completed BCA/ B.Sc ( Computer Science/IT) or Bachelor Degree in Computer Science and Engineering or equivalent degree with at least 50% marks (45% in case of candidates belonging to the reserved category).
The total fee for the two-year MCA program is Rs. 48,000/- to be paid semester-wise ( Rs. 12000/- per semester).
MCA students from IGNOU will be flooded with job opportunities with high salary packages once they graduate. Here is a list of career opportunities that one will get after distance MCA:-
- Software Developer
- System Analyst
- Hardware Engineer
- Data Scientist
- Troubleshooter
- IT Architect
- Software Consultant
- Cyber Security Officer
- Cloud Architect
Students who have already enrolled in a program of one year or longer can simultaneously register for any Certificate diploma program of 6 months duration. However, if there is any clash of dates of counseling or examination schedule between the two programs taken, the University will not be in a position to make adjustments. Simultaneously pursuing two academic Programmes of one year or longer duration either from the same University or one from the Open University (under ODL mode) and the other from Conventional University (regular or face-to-face mode) is not permitted.
The Admission forms submitted through the Online Admission System are scrutinized and confirmed for admission subject to fulfillment of eligibility criteria. The forms are processed region-wise on a first come first serve basis. Therefore, the time required for processing forms for different Regional Centres may vary depending on the number of applicants from the respective regions.