The demand for Master of Computer Application (MCA) course appears to be on the wane.
It was once considered as one of the most sought after courses among the students. There was a period when the colleges received at least 10 applications for one seat. Considering the huge demand, most of the arts and science colleges in Tiruchi started the MCA courses. A few colleges introduced M.S (IT) courses so as to admit students, who could not be given MCA seats.
However, the course does not seem to enjoy premium status any more. Indications are that it has lost it sheen. Self financing colleges that have MCA course found it extremely difficult to fill up seats during the current academic year.
There are reports that a few colleges have received almost nil applications for the MCA course, forcing the managements to keep their fingers crossed.
Since the trend had been witnessed over the last few years, some colleges have withdrawn the course. A few others, who have received just a handful of applications, have set the ball in motion on withdrawing the course for the current academic years.
“We have received just 10 applications for 40 seats. We cannot scale down the faculty strength if we continue the course with 10 students. It multiplies the pressure of managements on meeting the expenditure on faculty,” says a secretary of a city’s leading college.
Though the availability of the course in many colleges of the Bharathidasan University and other universities was said to be the reason for the problem, it is said that students had reservations on spending three years for a PG course.
All other IT courses were said to have received good patronage among the students. The applications have outnumbered the available seats. The MS (IT), which is a two-year course, has received good response among students as usual. If the MCA course is remodelled as a two-year course, it may again get the patronage, he said.
