Information Technology deals with all the aspects of communicating information and its technology. It is also called IT and is the study, research, implementation, development, and management of all computer-based information systems as applicable to the software and hardware of the computer. Information technology engineering is all about storage, conversion, transmission, processing and recovery of all the kinds of information using electronic computers.
To be an engineer in IT, you should earn a B.E. or B. Tech. degree in IT engineering from a reputed university. You can also earn a diploma in IT as well. To enroll in a reputed college you have to appear for the entrance exam that is conducted by various boards on national and state level in the country.
One can further continue studies to earn a master's degree in IT.
Qualification
To be able to enroll in a reputed college, you have to pass 12th class with 50% aggregate marks and have physics, chemistry and math as the mandatory subjects. After this, you will have to appear for the entrance exam and upon scoring the needed marks, you will be allotted a seat in the college. If you want to pursue diploma, then you have to pass 10th class with 50% aggregate marks.
Academic program
B.E. or B.Tech. is a four-year program that comprises eight semesters, while the diploma is of six semesters. Further education for the master's degree will take two more years after graduation, that is, four more semesters. Some of the specialized fields in information technology courses include Computer Science, Databases and Information Systems, Networking and Communication, Software Engineering, Embedded systems, Geographic Information Science (GIS), and IT and Society.
Colleges
You can find many colleges at the state level and national level as well. Every candidate has to appear in an entrance exam for even the state level colleges or the national level colleges. The IIT colleges conduct their own entrance exam. Apart from the IITs, a few other prominent engineering colleges that offer courses in Information technology include various NITs, IIITs, Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology (DA-IICT), Nirma University - Institute of Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) and Sir M. Visvesvaraya Institute of Technology.
Scope and career in Information Technology
There are lots of opportunities for graduates in IT. Companies that are in software and hardware development, application and testing employ professionals in IT.
Those in the IT sector can work in IT giants like Google, Infosys, Adobe, Microsoft, TCS, Mahindra-Satyam, Tata Elixi, BHEL, Unisys, BSNL, VSNL, Cisco systems, Airtel, Alcatel, Siemens, BEL, Accenture, Sasken Communication, Robert Bosch, and many more.
One can go in for research or join the private/public industries, government departments, commercial organizations, and also, the manufacturing sector. This is the only sector where one can see a large growth in the coming years. The internet is forever going through advancement and change, and therefore skilled engineers are needed for the growing industry.
Remuneration
The IT sector is one of the most rewarding fields. Someone just out of college can earn around Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 20,000 every month. But with more experience and skill, salary rises quickly. At the management level, one can earn around Rs. 1 lakh or more every month. Besides, there are perks and other benefits that various companies offer.