Non-CS branch plan¶
~7 min
In short¶
You study ECE, EEE, mechanical, civil, or another branch, and you want a software job. The first question is not "can I learn to code?" It is which companies will let you apply at all, and under what rules. Eligibility differs by company, year and source, so this page starts there, then gives a free learning route and an optional degree route with published fees.
Caveat: eligibility rules change, and sources conflict with each other. The rules below come from third-party guides and posting snippets, not from a company's current official notice. Before you act on any rule, open the company's current notice yourself.
What the eligibility sources say¶
These are summaries of the sources checked on 18 Oct 2026.
- TCS NQT. Third-party guides list B.E., B.Tech, M.E., M.Tech, MCA and M.Sc from recognised institutions, with about 60 per cent aggregate. One says all engineering streams qualify. Age and backlog rules differ between sites (https://prepinsta.com/tcs-nqt/eligibility-criteria/, 2026). The primary TCS NextStep notice was not reachable.
- Infosys. Several guides say all engineering branches qualify, but the cut-off is 60 per cent in some and 65 per cent in others (https://prepinsta.com/infosys/eligibility-criteria/, 2026). The primary page was not verified.
- Wipro NLTH. All engineering branches, with 60 per cent in 10th, 12th and the degree, per one 2025 third-party article. Backlog rules vary (https://faceprep.in/article/wipro-national-qualifier-test-2025-exam-dates-test-pattern-syllabus-eligibility-criteria/).
- Amazon, campus SDE I. A reposted posting names computer science, computer engineering or a related field (https://apna.co/job/1215388559, reposted, not live-checked). Experienced SDE I postings list a CS degree as "or equivalent" (https://amazon.jobs/en/jobs/2928007/sde-1, 2026 snippet).
- Google. Experienced India software postings accept a bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience (https://google.com/about/careers/applications/jobs/results/122710813273137862-software-engineer, 2026 snippet). Its student internship asks for computer science or a closely related field, per a Google document. The live Google page was not checked.
The pattern, as inference from these sources: service companies say all engineering branches qualify, product companies' campus postings often say computer science "or related", and experienced hiring often accepts "or equivalent practical experience".
Read the current notice first¶
Before you spend a week preparing for a company, open its careers page, read the basic qualifications, save a copy, and ask your placement cell whether it is visiting this year. Log the date you checked.
Gaps to fill¶
Fill the gaps with free material:
- Programming with a project in it: CS50x, free and with no prerequisites (https://cs50.harvard.edu/x/, checked 18 Oct 2026).
- Command line and git: MIT's Missing Semester (https://missing.csail.mit.edu/).
- Data structures and algorithms: MIT OpenCourseWare's algorithms course (https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/6-006-introduction-to-algorithms-spring-2020/), plus the DSA section.
- Web and general practice: freeCodeCamp (https://www.freecodecamp.org/learn) or The Odin Project (https://www.theodinproject.com/).
An optional degree route¶
If you want a structured degree in software, the IIT Madras BS in Data Science and Applications is one option, with published fees. It is not required for a software career.
- The qualifier application deadline for the January 2027 term is 29 Jan 2027. The site also lists January, May and September intakes (https://study.iitm.ac.in/ds/, checked 18 Oct 2026).
- Published fees for joiners from the January 2026 term are INR 48,000 for the Foundation level only, INR 1,29,000 for Foundation plus one Diploma, INR 2,10,000 for Foundation plus two Diplomas, INR 2,86,000 to 3,10,000 for the BSc degree, and INR 3,86,000 to 4,50,000 for the BS degree (https://study.iitm.ac.in/ds/academics.html, checked 18 Oct 2026). Check the site for any change since then.
- Fee waivers of up to 75 per cent apply to families with income below INR 5 lakh a year, for India only, according to the same page.
Read the full terms on the official site.
Targets, in order¶
Work down this list in order. There is no deadline. Skip a row you already have and come back to a row you are not ready for.
| # | Target | You can move on when |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Check eligibility for five target companies and save the notices | Your log has five rows with dates and rules |
| 2 | Shell and git basics from Missing Semester | You can make and push a commit |
| 3 | CS50x first half, a small program every week | You have a working program that reads a file |
| 4 | CS50x second half, final project started | You can explain the final project in five minutes |
| 5 | Python or Java reading, one problem per week in DSA | You can solve an easy problem and explain it |
| 6 | Data structures: arrays, strings, hashing, linked lists | You can solve a medium problem with a hash map |
| 7 | First software project, with a database | The project runs and has a readme |
| 8 | Trees and graphs; timed sessions once a week | You can finish a timed easy-to-medium set |
| 9 | Core subject notes: operating systems and databases | You can explain a process and a SQL join |
| 10 | Second project, with an API or a web page | You can name the trade-offs in its design |
| 11 | Resume rewrite for software roles; applications to eligible companies | Each eligible role is in your log |
| 12 | Mock rounds with a friend, and a plan for the next cycle | You know your next three fixes |
Try this¶
What to do this week: Choose five companies you would like to work for. For each, open the careers page, find the current eligibility text for your branch, and copy it into your log with today's date. If a rule is unclear, write the question down and ask your placement cell.
Sources¶
- TCS NQT and Infosys eligibility, third-party guides: https://prepinsta.com/tcs-nqt/eligibility-criteria/ and https://prepinsta.com/infosys/eligibility-criteria/ (2026)
- Wipro NLTH eligibility, third-party article: https://faceprep.in/article/wipro-national-qualifier-test-2025-exam-dates-test-pattern-syllabus-eligibility-criteria/ (2025)
- Amazon SDE I, search snippet: https://amazon.jobs/en/jobs/2928007/sde-1 (2026)
- Google India software engineer posting, snippet: https://google.com/about/careers/applications/jobs/results/122710813273137862-software-engineer (2026)
- IIT Madras BS in Data Science and Applications: https://study.iitm.ac.in/ds/ and https://study.iitm.ac.in/ds/academics.html (checked 18 Oct 2026)
- CS50x: https://cs50.harvard.edu/x/ ; Missing Semester: https://missing.csail.mit.edu/ ; MIT OpenCourseWare 6.006: https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/6-006-introduction-to-algorithms-spring-2020/ ; NPTEL: https://nptel.ac.in/ ; freeCodeCamp: https://www.freecodecamp.org/learn ; The Odin Project: https://www.theodinproject.com/ (all checked 18 Oct 2026)