MCA Distance Education: With rapid advancement in the Information Technology (IT) sector, the demand a postgraduate degree course in Master of Computer Applications (MCA) has reached its peak. However, with increased ease in our lives, the advent of technology has made us busier as well. With hands full of things to do, every citizen has turned into a pro multitasker. Similarly, the concept of distance education enables students to do more and achieve more as you can learn while you earn! Although MCA distance education is considered less significant than a regular course, it is definitely the best option for employed MCA aspirants who wish to grab a better job position or company. Moreover, universities like the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has not fixed any age bar for its students so it’s never too late to start.
Read the full article to know more about MCA distance education like eligibility, application process, syllabus, etc.
Master of Computer Applications (MCA) is a three-year, postgraduate degree course focusing on application development, generally through various programming languages like C++, Java, etc.
As the name suggests, distance education allows students to acquire knowledge and skills without being physically present in the classroom. In India, distance education has largely helped in educating those sections of society who lack much financial resources or students who are unable to attend regular classes due to health issues. Thus, distance education is more cost effective and accessible.
The basic eligibility criteria of MCA distance education requires candidates to be graduates (minimum three-year degree course) of any stream from a recognized university. However, the MCA distance education eligibility criteria of the top 3 institutes are as follows:
Name of the MCA institute | Eligibility Criteria |
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) | Must possess a Bachelor’s degree of any stream (minimum 3 years) from a recognized university |
Must have studied mathematics in 10+2 or graduation level | |
Candidates who did not have mathematics in either of the aforementioned levels must pursue and pass BCS-012 course concurrently with IGNOU MCA | |
University of Mumbai/ Mumbai University | Should be an Indian |
Must be a graduate from any recognized university with minimum 50% marks overall (45% marks for reserved candidates) | |
Must have studied mathematics in 10+2 or graduation level | |
For lateral entry in MCA, he/ she must be a B.Sc. or BCA degree holder | |
Anna University, Chennai | Must possess a Bachelor’s degree of any stream (minimum 3 years) from a recognized university |
Must have studied mathematics in 10+2 or graduation level | |
Must have passed the Distance Education Entrance Test (DEET)/ TANCET conducted by the Centre of Distance Education (CDE) of Anna University |
Most universities offering MCA through distance learning release the application form in online mode while some require the candidates to register online and submit the hard copy of their MCA distance education application form at the concerned office. To get a fair idea about the application form of MCA through distance education in different institutes, candidates can take a look at the point below:
Last date to apply for MCA distance education: January 15, 2019
Mode of Application: Online
Candidates need to start with registration by giving in details like name, father’s name, gender, email, mobile number, etc. Candidates will also be asked to choose a username and set a password for future logins.
The IGNOU application form consists of 6 sections- Programme Details, Personal Details, Qualification Details, Course Details, Correspondence Details and Documents Upload. Fill each section with valid information carefully.
Fee payment is the last step which is to be done via credit card/ debit card/ net banking. Candidates will be required to pay Rs 9000 per semester while non-math students are required to pay an additional amount of Rs. 1200 for BCS-012 course.
Once the transaction is successful, candidates must print out the Payment Confirmation page along with the completed IGNOU application form for future reference.
Click here to apply for MCA in IGNOU
Last date to apply for MCA distance education: First week of July 2019 tentatively
Mode of Application: Online
In the first step, candidates will be asked to choose a username and password for registration.
The next window will ask for basic details like name, parents’ names, DOB, gender, mobile number, email ID. These details will be used for the registration purpose.
An OTP will be sent to the candidate’s mobile number and email. Follow the prompts and complete the registration process.
Candidates will be asked to type in more information regarding personal details, contact and address details, reservation (if any) and educational qualification.
To conclude the application filling process for MCA Mumbai University, candidates will be required to pay the fee via credit card/ debit card/ net banking.
Name of MCA college | Fees (in Rs.) |
Institute of Management and Computer Studies, Thane | 3.10 Lakhs |
Yadavrao Tasgaonkar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Raigad | 2.42 Lakhs |
IBSAR Trust's IBSAR Institute of Management Studies, Karjat | 1.66 Lakhs |
Late Bhausaheb Hiray Smarnika Samiti Trust's Institute of Computer Application, Mumbai | 2.73 Lakhs |
VIVA School of MCA, Virar | 1.92 Lakhs |
Vivekanand Education Society's Institute of Technology, Chembur | 2.44 Lakhs |
Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute, Mumbai | 2.34 Lakhs |
Sardar Patel Institute of Technology, Mumbai | 2.70 Lakhs |
Navinchandra Mehta Institute of Technology and Development, Mumbai | 3.09 Lakhs |
SIES College of Management Studies, Navi Mumbai | 2.98 Lakhs |
Sterling Institute of Management Studies, Navi Mumbai | 1.80 Lakhs |
AC Patil College of Engineering, Navi Mumbai | 2.21 Lakhs |
Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development and Research, Mumbai | 3.82 Lakhs |
MET Institute of Computer Science, Mumbai | 3.42 Lakhs |
KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research, Mumbai | 3.12 Lakhs |
Jawahar Education Society's AC Patil College of Engineering, Navi Mumbai | 2.16 Lakhs |
Vivekanand Education Society's Institute of Technology, Chembur | 2.44 Lakhs |
Finolex Academy of Management and Technology, Ratnagiri | 1.78 Lakhs |
Navinchandra Mehta Institute of Technology and Development, Mumbai | 1.99 Lakhs |
Click here to apply for MCA in Mumbai University
Last date to apply for MCA in Anna University: February 17, 2019 (MCA registration), February 19, 2019 (Submission of MCA application form)
Mode of application: Online and offline
The Anna University MCA application form will be available on the official website which needs to be filled, printed out and submitted/ sent to “The Director, Centre for Distance Education, Anna University, Chennai- 600025”.
Candidates are also required to submit a demand draft for Rs. 650, drawn in favour of “The Director, Centre for Distance Education, Anna University” payable at Chennai.
There are few institutes that conduct an entrance exam to select candidates for their Master of Computer Applications (MCA) programme. One such institute is Anna University which shortlists eligible students through the Distance Education Entrance Test (DEET)/ Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test (TANCET). Knowing the exam pattern of both will help candidates prepare more efficiently.
Mode of exam | Offline |
Duration of exam | 2 hours |
Type of questions | Multiple Choice |
Number of questions | 100 |
Marking scheme | +1 for every correct answer No negative marking |
Topics covered in the questions include quantitative ability, analytical reasoning, logical reasoning, computer awareness, verbal activity, basic science etc.
Mode of exam | Offline |
Duration of exam | 2 hours |
Medium of exam | English |
Type of questions | Multiple Choice |
Number of questions | Section I- 20 |
Section II- 35 (First 20 correct answers will be taken into account) | |
Section III- 60 | |
Marking scheme | +1 for every correct answer -⅓ for every incorrect answer |
DEET Admit Card
The admit card of DEET will be available online in the second week of February 2019 tentatively. Candidates will be required to log in using their registration ID and DOB to access their DEET admit card. Candidates are advised to laminate their admit card as any damage to the document will prevent the respective candidate from appearing for DEET. It is also mandatory for candidates to carry a photo ID proof (original) along with their DEET admit card to the exam centre.
TANCET Admit Card
Candidates will be able to obtain their TANCET admit card in the first week of May 2019. The registration ID and password will be required to log in. The admit card of TANCET will mention important details like name of the examinee, registration number, DOB, gender, exam centre location, etc.
MCA Distance Education Result
To know the admission status in institutes like IGNOU, Mumbai University, etc. which do not hold any entrance test, candidates are advised to regularly check their admission status and any relevant updates on the official website. For institutes like Anna University that conduct entrance tests for MCA admission, the date of result declaration will vary.
DEET Result
Anna University is expected to declare the result of DEET in the first week of March 2019 tentatively. Candidates will be required to type in their roll number to know their DEET result. Candidates can save and print out the mark sheet for future reference.
TANCET Result
The result of TANCET will be announced in the second week of June 2019 tentatively. Candidates’ email ID and password will be required for logging in to check the TANCET result. Thereafter, the TANCET marksheet can be downloaded and printed out as it will be required during the counselling process.