The phenomenal growth of computers in all fields has opened jobs at different levels, including software. Indian software engineers have made a mark and it is for this reason that the software industry has been registering a growth of 40% a year. Software professionals are in great demand abroad too and many Indians are employed in the world's biggest software companies.

Relevantly skilled manpower, considered as one of India’s primary edge in the global IT markets, has remained one of the key concerns and challenges for the country’s IT sector. While India currently boasts one of the world’s largest, most qualified pools of scientific and engineering manpower, growing global demand for appropriately skilled, industry-oriented professionals and a gradually enlarging demand-supply gap, are expected to test to the limits, India’s IT manpower development capabilities.

The country is at an important juncture in its history, having completed the transition from an agrarian economy to a fully-fledged, first-world economy, operating at the leading edge of contemporary technology. A key element in taking the country forward and maintaining its growth momentum, will be the provision of a highly skilled and competent global workforce.

Having apt IT and management skills, in fact, is assuming an ever-greater importance, in the current day environment, where the IT sector is emerging as a major driver of the Indian economy.

The IT software and services industry in India grossed annual revenue of Rs. 24,350 crore (US.7 billion) during 1999-2000, according to the annual industry survey by the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM), the apex body of IT services industry in India.

NASSCOM predicts an exponential growth in the software industry at an annual rate of about 60 per cent over the next decade. And software export is growing at a growth rate of 57 per cent p.a., with future projections pegged at a growth rate of 60 per cent.

The boom is not restricted to the software development sector, but the IT enabled service sector (like Medical Transcription) is also going to be Rs. 81,000 crore by the year 2008 from the current Rs. 2,400 crore.

All this means, there will be a huge demand for qualified IT professionals over the next decade and beyond. Moreover, the IT industry is actually global with job possibilities in USA, Southeast Asia, Japan, Germany and other countries.

One of the careers which has gained importance in the last few years is the Master of Computer Applications (MCA). All over India there is a craze to get into them, the demand being fuelled by the phenomenal growth of the software industry. Infact, in these times of an economic slowdown, software is one sector which has gone against trends, registering a good growth rate.