Bachelor of Information Communication Technology Education (BICTE) course is conducted by Faculty of Education, Tribhuvan University. This is an educational program open to students who have studied any subject at the secondary level (Class 11/12).
What is BICTE?
With the aim of producing skilled manpower in information and communication technology, the Faculty of Education of Terti University has launched a three-year BEd ICT (Bachelor of Education Information and Communication Technology) program since 2010 (year 2067). At that time, this course was started to be taught in five religious campuses across the country.
A year later, this course was added to eight community campuses. In the year 2015, the University revised the course and made it four years (9 semesters).
By this time, BEd ICT was being conducted in 14 campuses of the country. Again, B.Ed ICT was revised in 2021 to become BICTE.
Currently, this course is running in 28 campuses across the country. BICTE is a modified course of B.Ed ICT. But now both these courses are in operation.
Text structure
The total number of marks in the three-year BEd ICT course was 1500. In which there was an IT course of 800 marks. In the first year of that course, ‘Computer Fundamentals and Programming’ and ‘Basic Hardware, Software and C Programming’ were taught.
In the second year, ‘MIS, Data Structure and Recent Technology’, ‘Communication and Cyber Law’ and ‘Teaching ICT’, ‘Object Oriented Programming and Database’ were studied.
Similarly, in the third year, the subjects of ‘Graphics, Numerical Method and Software Engineering’, ‘E-Learning’ and ‘Java and Dot Net Technology’ were taught.
The course was restructured in 2015 to 138 credit hours. In which core IT subjects 43 percent (60 credits), Mathematics and Statistics 22 percent (30 credits), Professional Education 17 percent (24 credits), Communication Skills 9 percent (12 credits), Project work and internship 9 percent (12 credits) .
Similarly, according to the revised curriculum, core IT subjects in BICTE are 52 percent (69 credits), Mathematics and Statistics 11 percent (15 credits), Professional Education 18 percent (24 credits), Communication Skills 9 percent (12 credits), Project work and internship (6 credit) and life skills 5 percent (6 credits) subjects are taught.
What are the subjects to be studied?
Various subjects of IT and non-IT are included in the course. These are briefly discussed below:
– Core IT
In the first semester, ‘IT and Programming Concept with C’, in the second semester ‘Digital Logic’ and ‘Object Oriented Programming with C++’ are taught. Both these subjects are of 6/6 credits.
The third semester has ‘Data Structure and Algorithm’, ‘Computer Architecture and Organization’ and ‘Web Technology’, the fourth semester has ‘Operating System’, ‘Database Management System’ and ‘System Analysis and Design’. These are core IT subjects of 9/9 credits.
In the third semester, ‘Twenty First Century Life Skills’ and in the fourth semester, ‘Educational Leadership in Digital Era’ has been placed. Also, in both semesters, there is one subject each on life skills.
In the fifth semester, there are ‘Java Programming’, ‘Data Communication and Networks’, ‘Software Engineering and Project’.
In the sixth semester, the subjects of ‘Visual Programming’, ‘Computer Graphics’, ‘Digital Pedagogy and LMS’ and ‘Network and Information Security’ are taught.
In the seventh semester, ‘Artificial Intelligence in Education’ and ‘Teaching Method for ICT’ are taught. Also, any one of ‘GIS/Big Data Analysis’ and ‘Capstone Project’ should be studied as an optional subject.
In the eighth semester, there are ‘System Administrator with Linux’, ‘Python Programming’. Subjects like ‘Cloud Computing’ or ‘Multimedia Technology’ are optional. Similarly, an internship/teaching practice of 12/12 credits is held in the same semester.
– Communication skills
In the first and second semesters, English language and Nepali language are compulsory under communication skills. These are 12 credit subjects.
These subjects help to develop linguistic knowledge and logical skills in students.
-Professional Education
One/one subject of professional education is kept in each semester. Subjects such as what/why/how/when/where to teach current education are practiced in those subjects.
Under this, the subjects are ‘Fundamentals of Education’, ‘Developmental Psychology’, ‘Psychology of Learning’, ‘Fundamentals of Curriculum’, ‘Assessment in Teaching and Learning’, ‘Research Methods in Education’ and ‘Research Project’ respectively from the first to the eighth semester. is
-Mathematics and Statistics
Computer science and mathematics are complementary subjects to each other. Information and technology remain incomplete without mathematics. Considering the need of mathematics, various mathematical subjects of 15 credits have been kept in BICTE.
Under this, there are ‘Mathematics 1’ and ‘Mathematics 2’ in the first and second semesters. There are ‘Probability and Statistics’, ‘Numerical Analysis’, ‘Discrete Mathematics’ in the third, fourth and fifth semesters respectively.
– Project and Internship
Short term internships help students sharpen their skills and enhance their capabilities. Similarly, they use the theoretical and practical knowledge they have learned through the project
They can take shape. Accordingly, ‘Research Project’, ‘Software Project’ and ‘Internship’ have been made mandatory in the last semester.
Where is the study?
BICTE is taught in 9 individual campuses and 19 community campuses of the university in a total of 28 campuses. So far no private college has conducted this course. The following are the official campuses where this subject is taught:
– Sanothimi Campus, Bhaktapur
– Mahendra Ratna Campus, Kathmandu
-Virendra Multipurpose Campus, Chitwan
-Butwal Multipurpose Campus, Rupandehi
-Surkhet Multipurpose Campus, Surkhet
-Mahendra Morang Campus, Morang
– Dadeldhura Multipurpose Campus, Dadeldhura
-RRM Campus, Dhanusha
-Suryanarayan Satyanarayan Morbaita Yadav Multipurpose Campus, Siraha
Similarly, following are the community campuses where this subject is taught:
-Adikavi Bhanubhakta Campus, Tanahun
-Balakumari College, Chitwan
-Ghodaghodi Multipurpose Campus, Kailali
– Jan Bhavna Campus, Lalitpur
-Janjyoti Multipurpose Campus, Sarlahi
– Jan Maitri Multiple Campus, Kathmandu
-Kavre Multipurpose Campus, Kavrepalanchok
-Madhyabindu Multiple Campus, Nawalparasi East
– Makwanpur Multipurpose Campus, Makwanpur
-Mahakavi Devkota Campus, Navalparasi West
-Magdi Multipurpose Campus, Mygdi
-Nilkanth Multipurpose Campus, Dhading
– Shahid Smriti Multipurpose Campus, Chitwan
-Saptagandaki Multipurpose Campus, Chitwan
– Sukuna Multipurpose Campus, Morang
-Walling Multipurpose Campus, Sanja
-Triyuga Multipurpose Campus, Udaipur
– JS Murar’s Multipurpose Campus, Siraha
– Janata Multipurpose Campus Sunsari
Quota, fees and scholarships
A quota of 40 students has been fixed for BICTE courses in one shift only and 80 students in two shift campuses. But in Sanothimi campus, 120 student quota has been given. This course is taught in both academic and related colleges of the university. So the fee varies accordingly.
Generally, the fee is 25 to 35 thousand rupees per semester in private campuses and 30 to 40 thousand rupees per semester in community campuses. But since there is no BICTE in private colleges, it is very cheap compared to other IT courses.
Similarly, the campuses where this course is taught have their own scholarship policy. When that happens, the students get the scholarship accordingly. Scholarships are given according to the policy of the university.
entrance exam
Central Education Entrance Test (CEAT) is conducted by Trivi through written and interview. The exam is conducted following international test patterns and standards.
One hundred objective questions are given in this entrance exam. It includes ICT Skill Test (40%), Mathematics Test (25%), English Skills (15%) and Academic GK (20%).
Students must score minimum 40% marks in CEAT to be eligible for interview. Then they are interviewed. The students who pass that too are selected for admission according to the capacity of the campus.
The letter grading system of the University is as follows:
-90 or above with 4.0 (A+) Outstanding,
– 80 or higher and less than 90 came 3.7 (A-) Excellent,
-70 or above and below 80 3.3 (B+) Excellent (Very Good),
– 60 or more and less than 70 3.0 (B) best (Good),
-50 or more and less than 60 2.7 (B-) Satisfactory and
-F failed if less than 50
Credit Transfer
Students enrolled in this course can transfer credit to similar programs at other universities recognized by the University.
Students who have partially completed the BICTE program and wish to discontinue their studies can also withdraw from the program. In such cases, the student will be given a certificate specifying the credits earned in the course.
Future career path
After studying the course, students can make their future in various fields. Below are some of the careers students can pursue after studying the course:
– Teacher service
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) subjects are available for teaching in basic level (1-8) and secondary level (9-12). For this, through the Education Service Commission, competition for teachers and teaching in private educational institutions can be done.
– Public service
Students who have studied this course are eligible for the post of computer officer or equivalent in various categories of civil service by the Public Service Commission.
– Developer
You can become a computer programmer, web developer (frontend developer, backend developer), system admin, network engineer, database administrator etc. needed in the IT industry.
– IT Project Manager
Students can work as IT project managers, IT support specialists, cyber security analysts etc. in IT focused consulting firms, NGOs, INGOs etc.
-Opportunities in higher education
Students who have completed the course can pursue further higher education. They can study IT courses like Masters in ICT Education, Masters in Computer Application, MIT, MSc Information Systems, MBA IT, MSc Data Science.
(Professor Ghimire is working in Sanothimi Campus, Bhaktapur.)
