Entry level: Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3.5 lakh a year. You can go on to earn in the range of Rs 5 lakh to Rs 8 lakh a year after working for four to six years
Middle level: Rs 8 lakh to Rs 20 lakh a year
Senior level: Rs 15 lakh to Rs 50 lakh a year

9am: Reach office, check e-mails, plan for the day
10am: Check the scheduled jobs running on the server. Troubleshoot for any failures
11am: Contact system software vendors if the failures are due to system software and work out resolutions
Noon: Analyse changes requested by the client 
1pm: Lunch
2pm: Meet team to discuss the changes and allocate work  among team members
3pm: Work on the tasks assigned, which include research / development / client interactions
5pm: Review the project activities and ensure everything is going as per plan 
7pm: Go home

• Thorough understanding of the basics of software programming and associated areas
• Ability to think logically
• Strong communication skills
• Ability to work in teams
• Good problem-solving skills
• A programmer also needs patience, persistence and the capability to perform analytical work

• If you are a tech freak, this is the career for you
• The challenge the job offers is worth taking up
• The money is good
• A time bound job
• Often you have to work for long hours to meet deadlines
• If you are working on international projects you may have to work at odd hours because of the time difference
• It’s a desk job and requires you to stare at the computer screen all day. Not good for your eyes and your fitness levels

You have to study physics, chemistry, math in Class 12 and sit for the various engineering entrance examinations. Then you can pursue BE/ BTech. Also, provided you are a science graduate, you can do MCA or MSc (computer science).

Apart from this, postgraduates and engineering graduates from streams other than computer science can do computer courses from private institutions such as NIIT, Aptech, CMC, etc to become computer programmers.

• IITs, multiple locations
• Delhi Technological University, New DelhiNetaji Subhash Institute of Technology, New Delhi
• University of Delh
• University of Pune
• NIIT