# An MCA Student needs your advice, suggestions and tips!



## anmolksharma (Mar 3, 2013)

*An MCA Student needs your advice, suggestions and tips! EDIT:Wants tips for CAT preparations as well*

Hi guys,

I am doing MCA, second semester from IP University, Delhi. Before that I have done BCA from IP University.

Now my purpose of creating this thread is to seek your advice, suggestions and tips for my career goals and other aspirations. 

We all know MCA is good course and will definitely get one a decent job, here in IP University one can get packages from as low as 2 lacs to as high 7-8 lacs as reported by many colleges, but package/money is not the point of discussion. 

Problem is that I am not able to define a goal yet that in which field should I go and make a career. Programming is not my cup of tea. What all other job options I have other than programming jobs and make a safe career option. People often suggest going for DBMS, Networking, Testing, Technical support etc.

Please tell me which will be the best option for me except programming? 

Also many times I feel that it would have been better if I have had chosen MBA over MCA (I got 95 percentile in MAT and also got a decent rank in IP entrance). It's not that I am regretting my decision but it's just a feeling. 

Will that be a good idea if I do MBA from some top institutes via CAT examination after completing MCA? When I say top institute I  mean the likes of IIMs/MDI  if I really decide to go for it. 

I also aspire to grab a senior government position like IAS/IPS It may just sound funny but that's all what I think about. I know it will require lots of efforts from my end and I am ready for that but just need proper guidance and motivation which I feel I always lacked!  

Please guide how should I follow and live life happily (BTW I am still happy with my life). Also these two years are the last years of fun in terms of college life and after that there will be too little time to do anything, I don't want to waste this time as I know I will never ever get this time again in my life. I really want to make good use of it and not regret later on. I regret of not doing so in my school time and don't want to repeat this again as this is almost the last chance.

I am little shy, often inexpressive, often demotivated and some times feels I am headed for no where and out of this world! How to overcome from these negatives which are now almost permanent in my life 

Before I end I just would like to mention that I have a deep interest in photography, if that matters in any case with my above post.

Waiting desperately for some fruitful replies! 

Thanks for reading and giving your time!


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## krishnandu.sarkar (Mar 4, 2013)

First of all, I'd like to mention that I'm also doing MCA, and have done BCA before. After completing my BCA I'm doing job (as a programmer, which you don't like) and doing m MCA on corresponding (Distance Course).

Well, now lets answer your questions...



anmolksharma said:


> Problem is that I am not able to define a goal yet that in which field should I go and make a career. Programming is not my cup of tea. What all other job options I have other than programming jobs and make a safe career option. People often suggest going for DBMS, Networking, Testing, Technical support etc.
> 
> Please tell me which will be the best option for me except programming?



Frankly, only you can tell what's best for you. I don't know you personally, not even others. So we really can't suggest you your best. We can give generalized suggestion and you have to choose the best. As you already said. you are not interested in Programming, on which I'm most interested. So Programming is best for me. Similarly, you have to choose what you enjoy?

You have perused BCA and now doing MCA. So you have gone through all the parts on BCA. Think which subject did you enjoyed most? Is it DBMS? Or Networking? Or AI? Or may be helping others to understand the subject?

You may even have interest in troubleshooting PC's. Don't even ignore the small points. You can be Server Admin / Network Admin etc. There are lots of options. You can be into Tech Support if you talk a lot..!! (like girls )

If you like ERP / CRM type things, you can even go for SAP too..!! Which of course have high income and highly expensive to learn 



> Also many times I feel that it would have been better if I have had chosen MBA over MCA (I got 95 percentile in MAT and also got a decent rank in IP entrance). It's not that I am regretting my decision but it's just a feeling.
> 
> Will that be a good idea if I do MBA from some top institutes via CAT examination after completing MCA? When I say top institute I  mean the likes of IIMs/MDI  if I really decide to go for it.



Yes you can consider that. Many people do MBA after BCA. Even MBA after MCA. If you want to be in the Management you can join MBA. You can be Project Manager and all. 



> I also aspire to grab a senior government position like IAS/IPS It may just sound funny but that's all what I think about. I know it will require lots of efforts from my end and I am ready for that but just need proper guidance and motivation which I feel I always lacked!



It doesn't mean if you have done MCA you can't be IAS/IPS. Though it'd seem odd, and many people would ask you why did you do MCA? You could even have done some general Master Degree if you only wanted to grab Masters.

Ignore...You have done what you wanted to do. You can even try on GPO / Cyber Crime Cells if that's what you are interested in..!! One of my friend after doing B.Tech, he's now Server Admin at GPO. So it doesn't mean if you are in IT, you can't be into Govt Jobs. Govt. Sectors needs IT Persons too..!! Ofcourse if you want to be in IT.



> Please guide how should I follow and live life happily (BTW I am still happy with my life). Also these two years are the last years of fun in terms of college life and after that there will be too little time to do anything, I don't want to waste this time as I know I will never ever get this time again in my life. I really want to make good use of it and not regret later on. I regret of not doing so in my school time and don't want to repeat this again as this is almost the last chance.



Think of the things, which you enjoy most. Or enjoyed most in this course of BCA and MCA. And once you realize that, you can go for summer courses or specialized courses in the meantime. And as you are in 2nd Sem, you have lots of time to think what you enjoy most.



> I am little shy, often inexpressive, often demotivated and some times feels I am headed for no where and out of this world! How to overcome from these negatives which are now almost permanent in my life



Doesn't matter. You'll overcome this once you get into job. I'm a introvert too. Previously more introvert. And this programming jobs suits me. I don't have to interact with much people 



> Before I end I just would like to mention that I have a deep interest in photography, if that matters in any case with my above post.



Depends on you..!! And yes it matters. If you think you are into Phtography, and want to do something in that sector you can. Or if you want to be in IT there are huge options too. Like Designer if you like Drawing and all. Or DTP and things.

If you like animation, you can also be an Animator or 3D Animator if you enjoy 3D.



> Waiting desperately for some fruitful replies!
> 
> Thanks for reading and giving your time!



As I said above, I'd recommend you to think what you enjoy most. As you said "package/money is not the point of discussion", I don't think you need help to from us to decide which course have highest salary..!! Instead take options from everyone and think yourself what you enjoy most.

Otherwise life would be boring if you don't enjoy your job after a year or so.


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## anmolksharma (Mar 4, 2013)

Thanks a lot for your reply



krishnandu.sarkar said:


> Similarly, you have to choose what you enjoy?
> 
> You have perused BCA and now doing MCA. So you have gone through all the parts on BCA. Think which subject did you enjoyed most? Is it DBMS? Or Networking? Or AI? Or may be helping others to understand the subject? You may even have interest in troubleshooting PC's. Don't even ignore the small points. You can be Server Admin / Network Admin etc. There are lots of options. You can be into Tech Support if you talk a lot..!! (like girls )



My order of preference - Networking - DBMS - Technical support and so on. 




krishnandu.sarkar said:


> *
> If you like ERP / CRM type things, you can even go for SAP too..!! Which of course have high income and highly expensive to learn



We are not told anything about these courses at our university and would like to know more about these. When and how should one get into these courses? We will get 2 month break in june and july.



krishnandu.sarkar said:


> *
> Yes you can consider that. Many people do MBA after BCA. Even MBA after MCA. If you want to be in the Management you can join MBA. You can be Project Manager and all.
> It doesn't mean if you have done MCA you can't be IAS/IPS. Though it'd seem odd, and many people would ask you why did you do MCA? You could even have done some general Master Degree if you only wanted to grab Masters.
> 
> Ignore...You have done what you wanted to do. You can even try on GPO / Cyber Crime Cells if that's what you are interested in..!! One of my friend after doing B.Tech, he's now Server Admin at GPO. So it doesn't mean if you are in IT, you can't be into Govt Jobs. Govt. Sectors needs IT Persons too..!! Ofcourse if you want to be in IT.



Then I will keep an eye over all these areas. 

Waiting for more suggestions from fellow Digitians!


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## krishnandu.sarkar (Mar 4, 2013)

If you are interested in DBMS, master it and then go for Oracle Certifications.

Almost all Big Companies out there have DB Admin.

Choose from one which one you like most. Like SQL Server, Oracle, DB2, MySQL, PostgreSQL etc.

All the things are not told in Colleges. Google SAP. You'll come to know more..!!


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## sam_738844 (Mar 5, 2013)

Super Agree with Krishnendu da, am not going into much technical, but buddy first...remove that "I'm not good at programming" bug from your mind. No one in the world is born "Programmer" except a very very few...its more like mathematics, the more you practise it, the more lucid it will become. 

There is no "Can't"  there, there is only good, better and best...and show me a field where this disticntion is absent, moreover its always subejct to improvement. The point is, if you have set your waypoint to Information Sceince sector, there is no escaping programming, one way or the other, in different forms it will occur to you as it has to everyone. Like mathematics is the base for Science, and you have to have a fundamental understanding of it ( not deep ), programming is such a field where you need to acquire a threshold competency to properly grow and USE your MCA.

In Industry there are people who know S**T about programming and yet they are doing stuff...but that doesnt mean you have to be them...There are two level of intelligence you'll found in IT when you'll get a job, one is the hands-on group, who are in every possible way connected to the "code" and they can see it, run it, change it and delete it according to their role, but they may lack end-to-end knowledge.

 the other is the "Business Intelligence", they dont look at "code", they understand the operational and functional business of the total unit, they can be Management bodies, ex hands-on, typical economists, Statistics PIC, any or all of them...that part is how i call "zero programming" zone. Estimation, risk analysis, mitigation, quality assurance, PMO jobs...etc etc...but to get there...there are hurdles, everyone had to start somewhere, there are worhtless managers, bad leads, unnecessary hierarchy, lobbies, preferences, bell curve everywhere, but its a ladder one must step into where the stairs of raw technology ends and business administration starts. Hope you get my point.

Your path, whichever you may choose, CCNP, DB Cert, Oracle/SCJP, ETL, CRM, BI, DWH anything...even SAP has its own language, there is nothing to scared of when it comes to programming...but you must know so. and its not hard, trust me there is no NASA out there, unless you want google logo in your tshirt or similar, a 5/10 coding skill can take you to most places. First identify your desire, goal and then go forward with it, dont try to visualize where you'll be good at in future, try to KNOW what you are good at NOW.


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## rakesh_ic (Mar 5, 2013)

I dont know if i can ever inspire anyone or dont even know what I have chosen my career path to be the right one (untill I discovered the "thing" within me). So here is my story which I think can partially fit into/match with yours.

I was a graduate (BSC with main subjects as electronics, maths and computer science) from an overly popular (read infamous) Osmania University (black listed for fake certificates) affliated college which had pupil whose only aim in life was to spend thier dad's hard earned money and spend time anywhere and everywhere outside the classrooms.

Obviously, I am not a "super" student to go to classes all alone and listen to lecturers while my classmates spent time outside the campus. I completed graduation with 70% marks and got out with the graduation in hand. 

Now the options of MSC, MBA and MCA were thrown at me. * I went ahead to choose MCA thinking of the monetory prosperity *ahead. I am not even sure if i can ever get a job even after i complete MCA. My friends and family pushed me towards MBA as they knew that I am pretty active and has the energy to perform on the field than in air conditioned cubicles. But some gut feeling drove me to choose MCA.

Then I was into MCA (again the college is affliated to OU university) and *for the first two years, I spent realizing that all I could do is to read through the theory and I suck at coding.* Obviously, out of the subjects I had in my first two years (including Java and COBOL), *I have never ever could code a simple palindrome function leave alone problem solving.*

I made up my mind that I am gonna be a goner here in my class and I will have to study more attending some other crash courses before claiming a job (or even apply for one) because I am terrified to even look at a code (forget about understanding it and code it). Which means I might be ending up in a small company (if clicked) by MCA - 3 + 1 yr course of SAP or anything = 4yrs (1 yr after my classmates start working).

This feeling aggrevated when *I was able to clear the 1st round of Satyam entrance (ofcourse Satyam was in good shape then) and couldnot crack the interview as he asked me to put a psuedocode of recurssive fucntion on the paper *(obviously, i started shivering in front of him literally for my own embarrassment). And when I came back to my class, people started teasing me for the same (one Mr Anil whom i cant forget for the same reason, poked me more)

In the third year, we got a chance to visit an offcampus interview with Infosys (the simplest of the  exams to crack), and out of the 30 members from my college it was only me who could crack the first round and went onto get the job. I turned a Zero to Hero there (in my college). That still dint resolve my own issue with programming.

I joined Infosys training and was subjected to more of terrorizing activities of coding. Failing the exams here means, you are out of the company which also means shame on me and my parents as they are subjected to answer on why was I out of Infosys. Though I struggled hard here (managed to crack all theory exams, the pass marks is 65% here ) *but still flunked in final practicals (what do u expect from aperson with "programming phobia"). *I somehow byhearted the programs as if its another theory essay writing competition and cleared on border in the next attempt.

I was into production environment, was asked to code, struggled, laughed at, all for an year and in this year I realized my true potential.

I might not have coded anything in my life till then, but I cracked the first round in both the interviews I have attempted. How?? *My analytical skills.*

Can I do anything with the skill at all?? Will my coding skilled be horned with analytics?? oh yes it can be. Because coding is nothing but problem solving. you have an issue, there should be a solution. In coding you have multiple solutions and one best solution. I tried solving problems slowly and steadily. Now I can say after 6 years of industry experience, I am a coder who has spent all his past 6 years in development (not support, pure coding) and do not hesitate in picking up any language for that matter.

During MCA, I studied java and COBOL. I was trained on VB and C++, after coming to production, I was cross trained to AS400. Worked on AS400 and even on ESQL C. which means, *your analytical skill is all that matters, not the language of programming.*


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## sam_738844 (Mar 6, 2013)

@OP...try to perceive the above example...See how one has become one with the naturality of the being. Like i said programming is nothing to be feared of. Just evolve with it, slowly carefully but continually. Its a bloddy war out there man, u cant afford to fear the sword forever, everyone feels it damn heavy for the first time, but once learnt to lift it , the only thing you would want with it, is to RISE.


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## anmolksharma (Jun 20, 2015)

Hi guys, right now I am working in one of the largest service based IT major since last 4 months. This is my first job which I got as campus placement. Our training was for .net development but now the project which I have got is for maintenance profile using Oracle Siebel. If I put more pressure on them, they might move me to resource pool which will be even worse than not having any project! 

I am not very happy with the profile and as a MCA fresher they are not entertaining my request to change the project or at least switch me to manual testing so that I could be at least be in touch .net codes.

What you suggest? Should I continue in this profile? How this will affect at the time of switching to different company after two years? Bond period will start from July. Should I be looking for another company? 

OR often I feel I should quit this job and do MBA from my state university school to have better and wider range of job prospects.

In IT, most service based companies are stuck with maintenance projects. What about TCS etc? Worth trying? 

PS - To be really honest I am not happy at all with my job and thats why want to do MBA and move out of IT. 

Some counselling/guidance much appreciated.


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## krishnandu.sarkar (Jun 20, 2015)

anmolksharma said:


> Hi guys, right now I am working in one of the largest service based IT major since last 4 months. This is my first job which I got as campus placement. Our training was for .net development but now the project which I have got is for maintenance profile using Oracle Siebel. If I put more pressure on them, they might move me to resource pool which will be even worse than not having any project!



Well moving to resource pool is a bad idea now. There's not much projects out there. So chances are you'll be bench. [NOTE : I'm not saying it for specific company, but as a global generalized statement. So this can be false for few]



> I am not very happy with the profile and as a MCA fresher they are not entertaining my request to change the project or at least switch me to manual testing so that I could be at least be in touch .net codes.



Well, take the bitter truth. They won't. They never did and they never will. You are just a fresher, and for them, what you did in college is nothing, and they paid you and invested on you for your training for making you useful for them.

Yes, I know, peoples like us, always believe that, if we are put into what we love we'll be much more productive. But HR's don't have that time to go to each one and take their preference. Also they don't even think about you. What they are interested in, is revenue. So if there is resource crunch and requirement in QA, then they will train you in QA and put you there.

It doesn't matter what you are interested in. What matters for them is only revenue.

And regarding moving to manual testing, no bro. It's not like you debug the code and test. Manual testing is a whole different thing. I'm not sure how they do it in your project, but what happens is, the code base is deployed on a server where they do the tests. QA's even do not have permission to see the code in TFS. And moving to QA means, you will never ever be able to see a single piece of code.

So probably your idea of manual testing is not what you want.

But if you mean Unit testing, yes that's different case because it's written and performed by the developers.



> What you suggest? Should I continue in this profile? How this will affect at the time of switching to different company after two years? Bond period will start from July. Should I be looking for another company?
> 
> OR often I feel I should quit this job and do MBA from my state university school to have better and wider range of job prospects.



I'll leave that decision to you. If you want to go for MBA profile and if you are interested in that to a U Turn, it's your choice. 



> In IT, most service based companies are stuck with maintenance projects. What about TCS etc? Worth trying?



Well, it's same bro. All the Indian IT Service companies are same. They all work in same mode. It's just the different sides of a river.



> PS - To be really honest I am not happy at all with my job and thats why want to do MBA and move out of IT.
> 
> Some counselling/guidance much appreciated.



Well, then think wisely and take your step. I can't suggest what you should do. Because that may not work out for you, or even when you reach the point you may again feel it's not your cup of tea. So you should decide that yourself.

If you want to be in IT, then you can think of becoming Business Analyst if you go for MBA or if you want to move out, take your step


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## anmolksharma (Jun 21, 2015)

krishnandu.sarkar said:


> Well moving to resource pool is a bad idea now. There's not much projects out there. So chances are you'll be bench. [NOTE : I'm not saying it for specific company, but as a global generalized statement. So this can be false for few]
> 
> 
> 
> ...


How about doing correspondance MBA from amity univerisity and continue along with this job. After 2 years I will be having experience and management degree to be able to switch into business analyst profile. 

And how good is business analyst field. What is the promotion ladder as business analyst to project/program manager as such?


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## krishnandu.sarkar (Jun 21, 2015)

anmolksharma said:


> How about doing correspondance MBA from amity univerisity and continue along with this job. After 2 years I will be having experience and management degree to be able to switch into business analyst profile.
> 
> And how good is business analyst field. What is the promotion ladder as business analyst to project/program manager as such?



Well yes you can do that. But probably you'll have to shift company. Because in MNC's they won't entertain you even after 5 years, that also for 180 deg profile change. You may convince them within IT, but from IT to BA, no way!!

If you do get that opportunity, consider yourself lucky to have some great Managers and HR's you came across in your company.


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