The School of Computer and Systems Sciences was established at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, in 1975. It is one of the most prestigious institutions in the area of computer education. The school offers programmes of instruction and research leading to MCA, MTech (MPhil) and PhD degrees. Around 12,000 students, including applicants from SAARC countries, appear for the entrance exam every year. The institute has an excellent placement record with graduates getting placed in companies such as IBM, CSC, Flextronics, Siemens, HP, CSG, Accenture, Cadence and GE Caps.

The courses are designed to provide theoretical background as well as practical experience in computers. Optional courses allow the students to choose a field according to their area of interest. The areas in which research is carried out at the school include database systems, artificial intelligence, computer networks and distributed computing, numerical analysis, computer graphics, mathematical modelling, statistical methods, optimisation techniques (operational research), OOPS and advanced DBMS (OODBMS and distributed DBMS).

The students undergo intensive training on the latest PCs and workstations. This, coupled with the best possible faculty, provides the right infrastructure for producing excellent software developers, IT managers and computer engineers. Scholarships worth Rs 600 per month are awarded during the fifth and sixth semesters to students who have met the prescribed grades / course requirements.

Application forms can be obtained from the administrative office of the university on payment of Rs 120 in cash or by sending a demand draft of Rs 200, payable to Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, to Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Mehrauli Road, New Delhi-110067. For further details, log on to the website (www.jnu.ac.in).

Eligibility

Graduates in any discipline with at least 55 per cent marks and adequate competence in maths.

Entrance exam

JNU holds the MCA entrance exam in several cities across India in the month of May.

Pattern of exam

The test is a three-hour objective-type paper on maths and computer science. The topics covered include trigonometry, statistics and probability, modern algebra and matrix theory, elementary numerical analysis, theory of equation, logical ability, calculus and analytical geometry, fundamentals of computers, real analysis, elements of data structures, differential equations, computer organisation and C language.

How to prepare

To crack the computer science section, interested students could prepare from books like Computer Science by Smita Arora, Computer Science with C++ by Ahmad Alisa, Computer Science with C++ by Mukherji and Basu, Computer Architecture and Organization by B.Govindraj, Logics for Computer Science by Arindama Singh and Encyclopaedia of Computer Science and Technology by Kamal Sharma. MCA guides by Arihant, Upkar and Pearsons publications are also helpful.

For the section on mathematics, applicants could consult books like Quantitative Aptitude by Abhijit Guha and Arun Sharma, and Mathematics by R.S. Agarwal.

Students would also find a book called Pearson’s Guide to Quantitative Ability quite useful.

sample test paper

Mathematics
If A and B are two matrices such that A+B are both defined, then A and B are:
a) both null matrices
b) both identity matrices
c) both square matrices of the same order
d) none of these
In a collection of six mathematics books and four physics books, the probability that three particular mathematics books will be together is:
a) 1/8 b) 1/10
c) 1/15 d) none of these
The focus of the parabola y2 = 8x and the equation of the directrix are respectively:
a) (2, 0), x = 2
b) (-2, 0), x=2
c) (2,0), x=-2 d) none of these

Computer science
Which term refers to the speed at which information is telecomputed?
a) interface speed b) cycles per second
c) baud rate
d) megabyte load
Software programs that allow you to legally copy files and give them away at no cost are called:
a) probeware
b) timeshare
c) shareware
d) public domain