How to become a software engineer after 12th in India?

Software engineering undoubtedly is a very prestigious and promising career path many young people consider for themselves. What do you need to start it? In this guide, we are going to tell you all you need to know to become a software engineer based on the streams you choose.

What is software engineering?

First of all, let's define what software engineering is. The term involves the field of engineering, implying everything about developing, creating, testing, and maintaining a software piece or an app. The demand for these skills is enormously high today as all companies, from small start-ups to corporations, use all kinds of software, and many need it created from scratch. The fields where you can work as a software engineer are broadest than ever. You can apply for positions in state institutions, private companies, corporations that develop software used internationally, companies offering data management solutions, and so on.

What does software development do?

As we have mentioned above, the profession of software engineer covers many aspects of software development. Thus, you should be ready to code for the creation of the app, participate in front-end development to improve user experience, test the software for usability, and find and fix bugs.

 Depending on the size of the company and its specialization, you may be involved in developing tools and software for various purposes. Besides, if you reach a high position, you will have to participate in decision-making on the future or existing software features, improvements, integrations, managing the team of developers, setting timeframes, and so on.

What to study to become a software engineer?

Although we defined what software engineering is in general terms, you may ask yourself a question, "What should I study to become a software engineer"? And it's natural. First of all, to make your career path easier, we advise you to choose the science stream. The stream includes such exact sciences as chemistry, maths, and physics as the major subjects. Of course, the main is mathematics for you. First of all, you will have a deeper knowledge of mathematics if you opt for the science stream than if you choose any other, and that will definitely help you with further study to become an engineer. Secondly, having this degree, you will have more chances to easily apply for the next levels of education, i.e., bachelor, university or academy degree.

Bachelor's degree in Computer science - what faculties can you choose?

We have already pointed out that it is best to opt for the science stream if you are thinking about the path of software engineering after 12th grade. But what are the exact faculties you can choose from after? We recommend you pay attention to the following:

• B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) in Computer Science
• B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) in Computer Science and Information Technology
• B.E (Bachelor's in Engineering) in Software Engineering
• BCA (Bachelor of Computer Application)

Worth noting that you will be eligible for all of the faculties if your stream is science. If you choose arts or commerce, you will not be eligible for some or will have to pass an entrance test. We will cover that later in this guide.

Studying for one of these degrees, you will have an amazing basis for becoming a software engineer in the future. You will get the necessary knowledge and skills and a diploma relevant to the profession. Of course, getting a degree is only a part of the work. You will also need to learn and practice certain skills on your own.

Programming languages for a software developer

We are sure that once you choose a good graduate program, you will be bombarded with useful information that you can use in your future career. However, some skills should be obtained or at least honed on your own. This includes learning and perfecting programming language skills. The programming languages you'll need are:

• Java;
• C++;
• Dot Net;
• Python; 
• JavaScript;
• HTML;
• AJAX, etc.

The set of programming languages is defined by the industry you are going to work for. For example, web developers need to focus on HTML, JavaScript, and AJAX, while if you are going to work with software development, pay attention to C++, Python, and others.

 How can you learn those skills and hone them? The best way is to apply for the top-rated online courses and practice as much as you can. We will add the list of our favourite courses at the end of this guide.

What soft skills for software developers are the most important?

Although soft skills aren't at the top of the demanded skills in the IT industry, they are also important when you only think about how to become a software engineer after 12th in India and when you start working on your first position. They include:

- Perseverance

- Attention to detail

- Ability to work in a team

- Critical thinking

- Good problem-solving skills

- Agility

- Adaptability

- Adequate time management, 

- Good communication skills and others.

Basically, these are the skills that are useful for any other profession, but if you are going to go for software engineering courses after 12th grade, you will definitely benefit from being attentive to details and diligent.

Areas of occupation for software engineers

Software engineer's skills allow them to be involved in the following:

• Web Development;
• Frameworks Development;
• Business Information Analytics;
• Computer System Analytics;
• Information Security Analytics;
• Game Development, and others.

The area you chose is based fully on your preferences.

After 12th Computer Science: Career Options

After completing 12th grade in computer science, students have a wide range of career options to choose from. Here are some of the popular career paths:

• Software developer
• DevOps
• Applications developer
• Full stack developer
• Front-end developer
• Back-end developer
• Game developer, and others.

Basically, you can choose any profession from the IT development sector and apply for it if you have the skills of a software engineer. Naturally, it will also be based on your preferences in the learning of programming languages as they differ for different roles. Additionally, practising technical interview questions and coding exercises can help you to feel more confident and prepared for the interview process.

How to become a software engineer after 12th arts?

Arts is not the best stream to choose if you are interested in how to become a software developer after 12th. We have already mentioned that it is best to choose science. However, if you have already chosen arts, then we advise you to either:

- Apply for Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA), Sc IT (Bachelor of Science) or B.Com IT (Bachelor of Commerce) at Symbiosis Institute of Computer Science and Research, Christ University, or another. You could be enrolled in this course even if you completed 12 grade in the arts stream. However, you will have to pass a math exam. The big disadvantage of these courses is that they are less valued by tech companies who prefer B.Tech graduates. Still, by getting one of these degrees, you can work as a software engineer but in smaller companies and not the industry leaders.

- Apply for a Polytechnic course, followed by B.Tech. Unfortunately, you cannot apply for the previously advised Bachelor's Degree courses in computer science if you have finished 12th grade with the arts stream. Thus, you will have to take a longer path and apply for polytechnic IT courses that last for three years. After that, you can apply for the desired Bachelor's degree. You can be enrolled in Government Polytechnic, S H Jondhale Polytechnic, Vivekanand Education Society's Polytechnic, or others.

How to become a software engineer after 12th commerce?

The shortest way to becoming a software engineer is opting for the science stream for your 12th grade. But can commerce student become a software engineer? If, for some reason, you have chosen commerce and now wonder what to study to become a software engineer, you should know that there are two ways, just like for those who finished 12th arts:

- You can either get a bachelor's degree related to computer science, but you need to keep in mind that large corporations and IT industry leaders prefer B.Tech graduates.

- Take a 3-year polytechnic IT course, after which you will be eligible to apply for B.Tech. This way, you will have to study for 6 years to get the desired degree to become a software engineer.

How to become a software engineer after 12th science?

If you choose the science stream for your 12th grade and want to study software engineer, we can only congratulate you as it is the shortest path! Right after graduating, you can apply for one of the most popular B.Tech courses we mentioned in this guide in one of the first paragraphs. You will have to study for three years, but as a result, you will get a diploma that is valued both by large international and local IT companies. You may wonder where you can get software developer courses after 12th grade. There are plenty of options in your case:

• IIT Bombay
• IIT Delhi
• Vellore Institute of Technology
• SRM University, 
• The University of Madras, etc.

Best Software Engineering Courses After 12th

1. Applied Software Engineering Fundamentals
2. Introduction to Software Engineering
3. Java Programming and Software Engineering Fundamentals
4. Software Engineering Specialization
5. Software Engineering

We have already mentioned that to become a successful and skilful software engineer, you will have to take additional courses besides your major studies. Fortunately, today online educational platforms offer a lot of amazing possibilities for studying software development from the comfort of your home. There are various courses from Coursera, Udemy, and other popular platforms. Just choose the field you are interested in, i.e., web or software, frameworks or mobile apps, and start taking the courses. You can even find free courses and complete any chosen course at your own pace.

If you wonder, "For software engineer what qualification is needed?" just start taking courses. You will better understand the topic once you delve into the industry, and learn the principles of programming, testing, and software maintenance. 

Books that can help you to become a software engineer

There are a lot of books on coding, programming principles, software architecture, and so on. We highlighted our top, which includes the following:

• Cracking the Coding Interview - G.L. McDowell
• Clean Code - Robert C. Martin
• Introduction to Algorithms - Thomas H. Cormen
• The Pragmatic Programmer - Andrew Hunt and Dave Thomas
• Clean Architecture - Robert C. Martin
• Modern Software Engineering - David Farley
• Agile Project Management with Kanban - Eric Brechner
• Engineers Survival Guide - Merih Taze

How long does it take to become software engineer after 12th?

Here are the general steps, with their corresponding timelines:

1. Bachelor's Degree (4 years):

2. Internships (1-2 years):

3. Entry-Level Job (1-2 years):

4. Continuing Education and Certifications (Variable):

In total, it typically takes between six to eight years to build a successful software engineer career. However, this timeline can vary based on factors such as the individual's pace of learning, the specific requirements of their job, and the evolving demands of the software engineering field. It's also worth noting that many successful software engineers are largely self-taught, and may follow a non-traditional path into the profession.