Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) MCA

Master of Computer Applications (MCA) course is conducted by IGNOU in the distance education mode. This is recognized by UGC and AICTE. There are study centres all over India where practical and theoretical sessions are conducted for this course. IGNOU sends study materials prepared by eminent faculties for this course. In total, students have to undergo 540 hours of practical sessions and 143 hours of theoretical sessions during the 3 year duration of the course apart from self-study. The sessions of the MCA course begins twice a year - from January and July. It is also the most affordable and most up-to-date MCA course in India. A graduation in any subject is the minimum eligibility criteria for admission to MCA. Although there is no entrance examination for admission to MCA and almost all applicants are granted admission, the course is tough and only the best will complete it successfully. There are a total of 31 papers in the MCA course spread over 6 semesters including practical papers, two projects and three elective papers. The final semester comprises of a single project paper which is to be done under a guide or from an IT Organization. A degree of PGDCA is granted when a student clears all the papers of the 1st year and MCA is granted after completing all the papers successfully.

Most of the papers have a total of 100 marks while some of the papers have 50 marks as full marks. There are two components of the papers - Assignment and Term End Examination. Assignments are to be submitted by the students after solving them at home whereas Term End Examinations are conducted by the university twice a year during June and December. There is also a viva component of the Assignments. 75% of the marks scored by the student in the Term End Exam and 25% of the marks scored in the assignments for each paper are added up to determine the final marks of a student. However a student has to individually get 40% of the total marks in both the assignment and Term End Exam for each paper to clear the paper. There is a Mini Project in the 4th semester and Final Project in the 6th semester having 200 marks each. There is a viva component in the practical papers as well as in the projects and a student has to score 40% in the viva component of projects to clear the project. In case of practical papers students are required to submit a lab manual and the evaluation is done on the basis of the marks obtained in Lab Manual+Viva+Term End Exam and at least 40% of the total has to be obtained to clear the practical paper.

Eligibility Requirements for IGNOU MCA Admission:
1. Bachelor of Computer Science / Applications / Information Science / Information Technology from a recognised / deemed university
Non-computer Science B.Tech/M.Sc./other graduates (such applicants are required to pursue CIC concurrently with MCA 1st semester)
2. Non-Computer Science B.Tech/M.Sc/other graduates (such applicants are required to pursue CIC concurrently with MCA 1st semester)
3. Graduate with PGDCA from a recognised / deemed university or its equivalent course of not less than one year from a State Board of Technical Education or its equivalent body established by the Central/State Government

Students without Maths subjects:
(i) The students who haven't studied Maths at 10+2 level are required to do CS-60 in the first semester of MCA.
(ii) The students enrolling for the MCA Programme who have completed the DEOACC O-level programme are not required to enroll for CIC.

Syllabus for MCA in IGNOU

First Semester:
Problem Solving as well as Programming
Computer Organization as well as Assembly Language Programming
Discrete Mathematics
Systems Analysis as well as Design
Communication Skills
Internet Concepts as well as Web pattern (Lab Course)
Lab (C as well as Assembly Language Programming) (Lab Course)

Second Semester:
Data as well as File structures
Operating System concepts
Introduction to Database Management Systems
Object Oriented Technology as well as Java Programming
Lab (Data Structures regulating C, WINDOWS 2000, LINUX / UNIX, Java as well as MS? ACCESS, My SQL)

Third Semester:
Design as well as Analysis of Algorithms
Object Oriented Analysis as well as Design
Advanced Discrete Mathematics
Software Engineering
Accountancy as well as Financial Management
Laboratory Course (For Object Oriented Analysis as well as Design, Software Engineering as well as Accountancy as well as Financial Management)

Fourth Semester:
Operating Systems
Data Communication as well as Networks
Advanced Database Management Systems
Mini Project
UNIX as well as DBMS LAB

Fifth Semester:
Advanced Internet Technologies
Principles of Management as well as Information Systems
Computer Graphics as well as Multimedia
Laboratory Course (Advanced Internet Technologies & Computer Graphics as well as Multimedia)
Artificial Intelligence as well as Knowledge Management
Numerical as well as Statistical Computing
Parallel Computing

Sixth Semester:
Project

IGNOU can change the syllabus according to requirements. For more information on IGNOU MCA syllabus
http://www.ignou.ac.in

For Master Degree Programmes
July, 2011 session:

29th July, 2011 (without late fee); 31st August, 2011 (with late fee of Rs 200/-)

January, 2012 session:

30th November, 2011 (without late fee); 31st December, 2011 (with late fee of Rs 200/-)

Contact information:

Indira Gandhi National Open University

(A central university under MHRD, established by an act of Indian Parliament)

Maidan Garhi, New Delhi-110068, Website www.ignou.ac.in