Bachelor of Education in Information Communication Technology (BICTE)

Bachelor of Education in Information Communication Technology (BICTE) Program at TU

Program Structure and Duration

Initially, Tribhuvan University (TU) introduced the Bachelor of Education in Information Communication Technology (BICTE) program as a three-year Annual System course. Later, to refine it, improve its quality and make it more time-relevant, the three-year course was converted into a four-year semester system. The total course is divided into eight semesters.

This course is offered under the Education Faculty. It is also one of the first experiments of its kind in Nepal. As society and the country have been moving toward Information Technology (IT), Tribhuvan University formulated the BICTE course as a “best course” to connect that movement with the education industry. At present, it is regarded as one of the best and a very attractive IT course in Nepal.

Curriculum Focus and Credit Hours

The latest revision of BICTE was carried out last year. Through that revision, the BICTE program now has a total of 132 credit hours. It aims to cover two to three main segments.

The first segment, since this is an IT course, consists of major courses related to IT. Almost all IT courses that are covered in any IT program you might study—whether B.Sc CSIT, BE Computer, BCA or any other IT-related degree—are covered within BICTE as well.

Secondly, as soon as we talk about an IT course, basic Mathematics also needs to be covered. As in other IT bachelor degrees, those Mathematics courses are also included here.

The third portion is that this is an IT course within the education stream. Its main objective is to enable the entry of IT Experts into the education industry. In other words, the main objective of this program is to produce well-equipped and well-knowledgeable IT manpower for the education pedagogy system and the teaching–learning process.

Education, Pedagogy, Communication and AI

Because this program lies in the education stream, there are a few subjects related to pedagogy and a few courses that cover the theoretical prospects of education.

Another aspect is related to personal development and communication. Whether you go into industry in the future or into the teaching sector, you need to mature and strengthen your communication skills; these aspects are also covered in the program.

It is also important to mention that today’s world is moving towards Artificial Intelligence. While several IT bachelor degrees are omitting that course, BICTE continues to include Artificial Intelligence within its curriculum.

Eligibility Requirements for Admission

To get admission to BICTE, you must have passed the 10+2 (plus two) level. At present, the Dean’s Office of Education has specified that you must achieve at least a C+ in each and every subject in order to enroll in BICTE. If you have not obtained a C+ in all subjects, you are not eligible for BICTE or for any other course under the Dean’s Office of Education or the Education Faculty. If you meet that requirement, you are eligible.

Streams Accepted and Entrance Examination

Whether you studied Management, Education, Arts or Science at plus two, if you have completed 10+2 in any stream and fulfilled the above criterion, you are eligible to enroll in BICTE.

However, for enrollment, the Dean’s Office has also made a provision for an Entrance examination for BICTE. You must pass this Entrance. Once you have passed the central Entrance examination of Tribhuvan University, you can fill the application form from any BICTE-affiliated college in Nepal. After passing the Entrance, you are not bound to study only at the college from which you filled the form; you can take admission at any college in Nepal.

Entrance Preparation Areas

While you are preparing for the Entrance, it is important to remember that BICTE is an open-stream course where students may come from Science, Management, Humanities or Education.

For the Entrance examination, it is therefore advisable to prepare from four main portions:

• Basic Mathematics at school level and plus two level

• Basic grammatical aspects of English

• Computer knowledge

• General Knowledge (GK)

Seat Allocation and Number of Colleges

For this program, Tribhuvan University has allocated seats to different colleges, in some cases 40 and in others 80 seats. At present, about 10–15 colleges across Nepal are running this program. Because the demand for BICTE is increasing, Tribhuvan University is in the process of adding more colleges for this program.

Program Cost and Target Group

In terms of cost, compared to other IT degrees operated in Nepal, the cost of the BICTE course is minimal. The target group of this program is those individuals who should not be deprived of an IT degree because of financial reasons.

Whether the colleges running this program are government campuses or community campuses, they all share the same objective: to break the environment in which people are unable to study IT due to high payment requirements. For this thematic reason, the cost of the BICTE course has been kept very low.

The total cost of the program is in the range of NPR 2 lakhs to 3 lakhs (2,00,000 to 3,00,000). In many other private colleges or courses, this amount is often the cost of only one or two semesters. In BICTE, within this cost of 2 to 3 lakhs, you can complete the entire four-year ICT program.

Why BICTE Was Introduced in the Education Stream

It is important to understand why BICTE was introduced within the education stream. In Nepal today, all IT degrees—such as BCA, B.Sc CSIT, BIT and BE Computer—provide certain career-related opportunities to their graduates. Students of BICTE also receive all of those opportunities.

In addition, there is an add-on in this program. If you want to enter the education sector and build a career as a teacher, the Teacher Service Commission has currently opened around 17–18 thousand vacancies, and for those positions, a teaching License is compulsory.

Teaching License Advantage Over Other IT Degrees

To obtain that License, graduates coming from other streams must study a One year B.Ed after completing their four-year bachelor degree; this is a compulsory requirement.

In contrast, after completing BICTE, you are directly eligible for the License without having to study that additional One year B.Ed. This means that BICTE students receive all the facilities available to graduates of other bachelor degrees, plus the extra benefit of being directly eligible for a License when they enter the education industry. This is very important in the current context.

Scholarship Practices

In the case of Scholarships, students in government schools or government colleges receive support according to the policies defined by Tribhuvan University.

In community campuses as well, the usual trend is that when there is a full section, Scholarships equivalent to the total fees of two students are provided. Instead of granting that amount to only one student, they calculate the total costing equal to two students and then share that cost. The idea is to distribute the Scholarship amount in such a way that everyone benefits, particularly because many students attracted to this course come from middle-class or below middle-class families.

Normally, Scholarships are distributed on the basis of board examination results.

Further Study Options After BICTE

As already emphasized, after passing BICTE you can pursue the same Master degree programs that are available after completing other bachelor degrees. There is also a Master program within Tribhuvan University itself for this stream.

After BICTE, there is M.Ed ICT. Similarly, you can study MCA, MIT or MCIS. If you wish to pursue further study, there is a corresponding Master course directly linked to BICTE, namely M.Ed ICT.

You can not only study M.Ed ICT, but also progress to MCA, MCIS, MIT and other IT-related Master degrees available in Nepal. Furthermore, you can go abroad to foreign countries for Master-level studies. For all of these options, the BICTE degree is considered eligible.

Credit Hours and Equivalence With Other IT Degrees

The first criterion for eligibility in further studies is whether the course fulfills a certain number of credit hours in IT subject courses. In this respect, the credit hours of BICTE are equal to, or even two to four credit hours more than, other bachelor degrees in Nepal.

The total credit hours of BICTE are 132. For example, BCA has 126 credit hours. That is complete in itself, but since some pedagogy components also need to be added here, BICTE has 132 credit hours.

Therefore, there is no blockage at all for further IT studies at the Master level, and BICTE is fully eligible for all such academic pathways.

Career Opportunities and Job Sectors

Career-wise, as mentioned earlier, if you want to enter the teaching profession, BICTE offers an add-on advantage over other IT degrees. The advantage it provides cannot be offered by other IT degrees. Graduates of other IT degrees, even after completing a Master degree, must obtain a License to enter the teaching profession, which is a central policy in Nepal. Within BICTE, however, you can directly sit for the License examination, meaning you do not need to study an additional One year B.Ed, because this course itself belongs to the education stream.

Similarly, if you want to go into other development sectors, into the database sector, the networking sector, the security sector or the Artificial Intelligence sector—in other words, into any innovative or development sector related to IT—this course covers all of these areas in its curriculum.

The current job market has already shown that manpower who have studied BICTE are capable of working in all these sectors. Graduates who are products of BICTE are not left idle; they are already working in each of the sectors mentioned above.

Another point concerns the Public Service Commission. For any IT-related job announced in Nepal, the BICTE degree is valid from the perspective of the Public Service Commission, and there are no restrictions. Graduates have already been involved in such positions and are currently working there.

This means that doors are open to jobs in the government sector, the private sector, innovative sectors and the teaching profession. The manpower produced by this course has already been able to settle in these sectors.

Message to Plus Two Graduates

To brothers and sisters who have just passed plus two, the following message is important.

Many of you might feel that:

• You did not study Computer in plus two

• You did not study Computer at school

• Your Mathematics is weak

• You wanted to study Computer, but did not receive proper guidance at the right time

Others may be fully informed and making careful plans, yet feel that:

• Your name did not appear in Engineering

• Your name did not appear in B.Sc CSIT

• You are going to face a Year loss

• You will be deprived of your dream to build a career in IT

For all students experiencing such problems, you are advised not to accept a Year loss. There is an equivalent BICTE course available for you. Fill the application form on time and prepare well.

It can be said with confidence that, through BICTE, you can become competent manpower able to beat manpower coming from Engineering, B.Sc CSIT or any other degree. By enrolling in the BICTE program, you can sharpen your IT career and become competitive manpower.

Today’s world is an IT world. IT has been injected into each and every sector. You need to take advantage of this situation so that your future becomes bright.

BICTE Course Offered Colleges in Nepal

Here is the list of colleges/ Campuses in Nepal

FAQ

What is the duration and structure of the BICTE program at TU?

BICTE was initially introduced as a 3-year annual system program. It was later upgraded to a 4-year semester system, and the full program is divided into eight semesters.

Which faculty offers BICTE at Tribhuvan University?

BICTE is offered under the Education Faculty.

How many credit hours does the revised BICTE curriculum include?

According to the latest revision mentioned in the article, BICTE has a total of 132 credit hours.

What does BICTE mainly aim to cover academically?

The program aims to cover major IT-related subjects similar to other IT bachelor degrees, required basic mathematics, and education-stream components such as pedagogy, theoretical aspects of education, and communication and personal development. The article also states that Artificial Intelligence is included.

What are the eligibility requirements for admission?

Applicants must have passed plus two (10+2). The Dean’s Office of Education has set a requirement of at least C+ in each and every subject to be eligible for admission into BICTE and other Education Faculty courses.

Is an entrance exam required, and what should students prepare?

Yes. The BICTE Dean’s Office has a provision for an entrance exam. The article recommends preparing four areas: basic mathematics (school and +2 level), basic English grammar, computer knowledge, and general knowledge.

Can students choose any BICTE-affiliated college after passing the entrance?

Yes. After passing TU’s central entrance, students are not required to study only at the college where they submitted the form. They can take admission at any BICTE-affiliated college in Nepal.

What is the approximate cost range mentioned for the full 4-year program?

The article states that the total cost is minimal compared to other IT degrees and falls roughly in the NPR 2 lakhs to 3 lakhs range for the entire four-year program.