Software Engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with the design, development, implementation and maintenance of computer software.
If you are interested in computers or programming languages or you are good at Mathematics, then pursuing a software engineering course can be a great career option for you.
Software Engineering professionals play a key role in technological innovation and development. In the modern era, technology and software applications are the backbone of businesses worldwide. This makes software engineers highly sought after across diverse industries, including Technology, Finance, Sports, Entertainment, Medicine, and many others.
Software engineering is one of the hottest career options after 12th, candidates can pursue various diploma or undergraduate (UG) degree courses in computer science and engineering leading to the roles of software engineers.
Software engineers are among the highest-paid professionals in India and Abroad. Graduates are offered roles such as a software engineer, software architect, software developer, computer programmer and AI engineer etc.
What is Software Engineering?
Software engineering is a branch of computer science engineering that involves designing and developing of software application to meet the users or business needs.
A practitioners of software engineering are called Software Engineers. A software engineer applies the principles of software engineering in designing, development, maintenance and testing of a computer software and related projects.
Software engineers are usually specialized in computer science and engineering and information technology. They possess good knowledge of programming languages, which is the backbone of the software development.
The course curriculum of software engineering, comprises of subjects related to computer technology and programming languages. These include operating system, data structures, database management system (DBMS), web technologies, algorithms, artificial intelligence and cloud computing.
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The field of software engineering is appropriate for those candidates who have creative minds and want to develop something new using computer programs. Today software engineering is playing a key role in almost every sector.
Software Engineers can design different kinds of software which includes video games, applications for businesses & operating systems.
Do you know?
The term “Software Engineering‘ was first invented by the Anthony Oettinger and in 1968 it was used by the Margaret Hamilton for the world’s first conference on software engineering.
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Duties of Software Engineers
- Work in a team of developers in several projects.
- Develop well-optimized and efficient source code for the latest software applications.
- Produce software tools and amalgamate it to a fully functional software system.
- Maintain and test software to ensure that it is working properly.
Software Engineering Courses
How to become a software engineer?
One can become a software engineer after qualifying the full-time professional course in the computer science or related field. A number of courses at bachelor and master level are offered in this field.
Have you passed 12th with PCM?
If yes, then you can pursue a bachelor’s or a diploma course in this field. Below we have listed popular diploma and undergraduate programs leading to a role of a software engineer.
Diploma Courses
Candidates can pursue diploma courses in software engineering. The diploma courses are of 3 year’s duration and covers theory as well as practical work.
Here is the list of diploma courses that candidates can pursue after 12th:
- Diploma in Computer Science Engineering
- Diploma in Software Engineering
- Diploma in Information Technology
Learn More about – List of Diploma Engineering Courses
Undergraduate Courses
The undergraduate courses (UG) are very popular among the aspirants. Candidates can pursue B.Tech, BCA, B.Sc (IT) courses after 12th.
The duration of these programmes is 3 to 4 years.
- Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) in Computer Science and Engineering – 4 years duration
- Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) in Information Technology – 4 years duration
- Bachelor of Computer Application (BCA) – 3 years
- Bachelor of Science in Computer Science/Information Technology (B.Sc CS/B.Sc IT)- 3 years
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Master’s Courses
Candidates can pursue master courses in computer science & engineering and related discipline. Below is the list of popular master courses.
- Master of Technology (M.Tech) in Computer Science and Engineering – 2 years
- Master of Science in Information Technology (M.Sc IT)- 2 years
- Master of Computer Applications (MCA) – 2 years
PG Diploma Course
- Post Graduate Diploma in Advanced Software and Network Technology
- Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Applications (PGDCA)
Software Engineering Specializations
- Web Development
- Mobile Application Development
- Cloud Computing
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
- Cybersecurity
- Data Science and Analytics
- Game Development
- DevOps
- Embedded Systems
- Internet of Things (IoT)
- Blockchain Technology
- Full-Stack Development
Eligibility Criteria
For admission to diploma or UG courses in computer science and information technology, candidates has to fulfil the eligibility requirements. The eligibility criteria details are as follows:
UG Courses Eligibility
- Candidates must pass the higher secondary examination (10+2) with PCM group, for admission to diploma or B.Tech or B.Sc (IT) courses.
PG Courses Eligibility
- For admission to master courses, bachelor’s degree in the relevant field is required.
- Candidates need to qualify entrance exams like GATE, NIMCET or CUET PG for admission to the PG courses.
Admission Process
The admission in UG and diploma courses is done on the basis of qualifying entrance examination conducted by the respective authorities at national or state level.
The admission in undergraduate programmes like B.E./B.Tech or B.Sc IT is done on the basis of JEE Main 2025 and CUET UG 2025 etc.
Admission in master’s courses like M.Tech or M.Sc IT is done on the basis of GATE 2025 or CUET PG examination. Many private Universities/institutions also conducts their own entrance examination for providing admission to their master programs.
Some of the reputed engineering entrance examination are mentioned below:
Also Check:
Top Engineering 2025 Entrance Exams
Skills required to become a Software Engineer
- Excellent Debugging skills.
- Problem Solving Skills
- Proficiency in programming languages like C, C++, Java, C#, Python etc.
- Excellent knowledge of computer hardware and software.
- Good knowledge of CASE (Computer Aided Software Engineering) tools.
- Team working skills
- Good communication skills
Top Colleges in India
Top colleges offering courses in software engineering and related discipline are as follows:
- Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay
- IIT, Hyderabad
- IIT, Kharagpur
- IIT, Delhi
- IIT, Kanpur
- IIT, Madras
- IIT, Guwahati
- National Institute of Technology (NIT), Kurukshetra
- NIT, Durgapur
- Amity University, Gurgaon
- BITS Pilani
Jobs & Career Scope
“Software and IT field is one of the top recruiters in India and Abroad”
The India’s IT services market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.49% resulting in a market volume of US$44.02bn by 2029. The growth in the IT industry is driven by the increasing digitalization, high demand of software development, cloud computing solutions and digital transformation of various industries.
There is a huge demand for skilled software professionals in the industry. Graduates with good programming skills are valued highly and have the opportunity to work in the field of software development, cybersecurity, blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI) and data science etc.
Graduates have plenty of job opportunities available in the IT industry. Many top tech companies like Google, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon recruit professionals directly through the campus placement.
In top tier colleges like IITs, NITs and other CFTIs many top MNCs hire software professionals at very handsome salary package. Graduates can also explore opportunities in public sector as many PSUs recruit software/IT professionals through GATE exam score.
The job opportunities are also available in Banking and financial institutions. The IT professionals are hired by banks, NBFC’s and insurance companies for managing their day to day IT operations.
Professionals can also work as an Entrepreneur and start their software consultancy firm and offer their services to the clients in India and abroad.
Some of the common job titles offered to software engineers in India and abroad are:
- Software Developer
- Software Executives
- Software Architect
- Computer Programmers
- System Analyst
- Project Manager
- Information Systems Manager
Some of the reputed companies that recruits software engineers are listed below:
- Meta
- Adobe
- Apple
- Oracle
- Infosys
- Accenture
- TCS
- Persistent
- Cognizant
- IBM
- Symantec
- Microsoft
- Wipro
- HCL Infosystems
Software Engineer Salary
“Experience plays a crucial role in the IT field. Once you gain valuable experience, high-paying job opportunities tend to follow naturally”
In India, a fresher can start his career with an average salary of ₹4 to 6 lakhs per year. If you have experience and expertise in a particular domain you can earn anywhere between ₹6 to 12 lakhs per year.
The salary largely depends on candidate’s skillset and the company’s one is working. Professionals working in top tech companies like Google, Meta, Apple & Microsoft are paid a high salary packages that could range between ₹25 to 50 Lakhs per annum.
IT and Software professionals have good chances of getting jobs abroad. Candidates can find good career opportunities in USA, UK, Australia and many European countries.
Books & Study Materials
Here, we have listed some books that helps you in the study of software engineering:
- Software Engineering Eighth Edition – by Pearson
- Software Engineering Design: Theory and Practice – Carlos E. Otero
- Software Engineering – Udit Agarwal
- Fundamentals of Software Engineering – Rajib Mall
- Software Engineering – A. Zakiuddin Ahmed
FAQ’s on Career in Software Engineering
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