Computer Hardware Maintenance: Courses, Eligibility, Colleges, Salary and Job Profile
Are you planning a career in computer hardware and networking maintenance?
Do you know the best colleges and courses in Computer hardware maintenance?
Are you worried about the course fee?
All these questions are answered below in this article. Here we have compiled detailed information on courses, colleges, admission process, fee, and job scope for a career in computer hardware maintenance.
Keep up with us to know all about computer hardware and networking maintenance in one place.
Do you know how two computers are connected to data sharing over a network?
It is the work of a computer networking expert who takes care of the computer system’s hardware and networking issues.
Computers have become an essential part of our life. It has become the backbone of almost all our works. We are directly or indirectly using the services related to computers and their applications. The computer hardware components are responsible for software operations, calculations, storage, and smooth working. Computer hardware maintenance engineers or experts design these components.
What is computer hardware maintenance?
Computer hardware professionals analyze, design, develop, and research hardware components. They ensure that components operate together to enable the computer system to work efficiently.
Computer hardware is the various components of the computer system, which helps the system to run optimally. These hardware components are RAM, keyboard, drive, graphic card, motherboard, chips, printers, circuit board, etc.
The job as a computer hardware professional requires in-depth knowledge about the different computer components and its functioning. That is a course in this field is necessary to land yourself with a decent job.
Let’s explore which courses one can enroll for a career in computer hardware maintenance.
What are the courses in Computer hardware maintenance?
Computer hardware maintenance courses aim to train individuals at the functioning and usage of various hardware components of the computer system. There are programs in different categories like Diploma courses, Bachelors’s courses, and Masters’s courses. One can also enroll in a certificate course in computer hardware maintenance.
Diploma courses
The duration of the course is 6 months to 1 year. This is a brief course in computer hardware maintenance. One can take admission after passing class 10th. The programs under this category are:
- Diploma in Computer Hardware Maintenance
- Advanced Diploma in Computer Hardware Maintenance and Networking
- Diploma in Computer Hardware and Networking
- Diploma in Computer Networking Technology (DCNT)
Bachelors courses
The duration of this program is 3 years. This is an undergraduate course in computer hardware. You can apply for this course after passing class 12th. After completing the course, you will be awarded a Graduation degree in computer hardware maintenance by the respective university or college. The programs in the bachelor’s courses are:
- BCA in Hardware & Networking
- B.Sc in Hardware & Networking
Masters courses
This is a specialized course in computer hardware maintenance. Only graduates who have a degree in computer hardware or a related field can apply for this program. The duration of this course is 2 years.
- M.Tech in Network Engineering
- Postgraduate Diploma in Hardware & Networking
- M.Sc in Hardware and Networking
Certificate courses
The duration of the certificate courses in computer hardware and networking is of 6 months. This course is not as detailed as other courses. Yet, it can be an excellent option to add a new skill to your resume. The programs offered are:
- Certificate in Hardware and Networking
- Certificate in Computer Hardware Maintenance and Networking
- Certificate in Hardware Technology
- Certificate in Hardware and Network Engineering
- Advanced Certificate of Hardware and Networking Professionals
Eligibility criteria
Though the basic eligibility criteria are the same throughout India, but it may differ in some cases. The common eligibility criteria for admission to computer hardware courses are:
- One should have a passing certificate of class 12th from a recognized university or board.
- Students who wish to enroll in Diploma courses can take admission after class 10th. In this case, they must possess a passing certificate of class 10th from a recognized board or university.
- For admission to B.tech and M.tech in computer hardware programs, one must pass either a national level entrance examination. Some colleges also take their own admission tests.
- You must cross the cut off with a high margin to be able to get a place in the merit list of top colleges.
Necessary skills for Computer Hardware Expert
A computer hardware maintenance job profile expects you to have inventive and systematic capacities. A great deal of the work in this field needs investigating and getting imperfections and plan irregularities and prescribing suitable changes to the components.
- Students hoping to become PC equipment engineers must have programming aptitudes and be able to handle electronic hardware quality control and investigation abilities.
- They must be able to make a detailed report on the analysis of the component or equipment. This report is then discussed with the seniors.
- One must be able to identify the issues and technical errors in the component so as to report it to the customers.
- You must have good problem solving skill to meet the client’s needs.
- One should have good communication skills.
- Aspirants of this field should have expertise in the technical workings of the computer system.
- You should always be prepared to work in teams so that you can identify and solve computer related issues efficiently and quickly.
- One should be familiar with computer hardware and its functions.
- You can get a CompTIA A+ certification. It focuses on PC hardware, software, security, and networking.
- A Cisco certificate in Routing and switching adds a star to your resume in this field. It aims to train individuals to diagnose repair and restore networking issues.
Admission Process
Admission to various courses in computer hardware maintenance is made on a merit basis. Below are the admission process and step by step guide on how to apply in the computer hardware maintenance courses online.
- The diploma course only considers the marks of class 10th. There is no entrance test for Diploma courses. Though the merit list in the top colleges is made based on the marks scored in the class 10th.
- Certificate courses are also open to all and don’t require any entrance test or interview.
- The admission to Bachelors’s courses in this field requires one to pass the entrance examination. Some universities or colleges take their own entrance test for admission.
- One needs to pass the cut off set by colleges to be eligible for admission.
- Explore the top colleges offering courses in computer hardware maintenance.
- You should always apply to the colleges through their official website. Applying to colleges from other unauthorized websites could lead to fraud.
- Colleges update prospectus and release admission forms online every year on their college website.
- Before applying to the course, you should first read the prospectus for admission charges, course fees, and curriculum.
- Click the online admission form submission link.
- Fill all the details correctly.
- Scan and submit documents if asked any.
- A small amount of registration fee is required.
- The registration fee can be paid online through Net banking or other online payment methods.
- Once the payment is completed and form is submitted successfully, you will get confirmation with the admission number on your registered mobile and e-mail.
- Download the submitted form and registration fee payment receipt for future reference.
- In the case of the entrance examination, the dates regarding admit card, entrance test, and cut off are all notified on the respective website.
- You need to download the admit card in the stipulated time given to appear in the entrance test.
- Cut off is also released on the official college website.
- Only those students who pass the cut off marks and score highest marks make it to the final merit list.
Course fee
The fee for the course in computer hardware maintenance is around Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 5,00,000. However, fees may be higher in popular private colleges. So always check and confirm the charges of the college before admission. There are other charges as well, like mess charges, semester exam fees, hostel charges, etc.
Syllabus of Computer hardware Courses
The course is set according to the course you choose. It is always recommended to go for a Bachelors course in computer hardware.
Topics taught in the different course are:
- Fundamentals of Information Technology & Operating Systems
- Basics of Electronics & Microprocessor
- Pc Assembling & Troubleshooting
- Programming in C
- Communication & Soft Skills
- Hardware Lab-I (PC Assembling & Troubleshooting)
- Computer Networks
- Windows 2003 Server Administration
- Linux Administration
- Database Administration
- Software Lab-1 (Windows 2003 Server & Linux)
Best Colleges for Computer Hardware Courses
The top colleges in India offering a course in computer hardware maintenance are:
- Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
- Manipal Institute of Technology
- College of Engineering Pune
- Dayanand Sagar college of engineering Bangalore
- SRM Institute of Science and Technology Chennai
- RV College of Engineering Bangalore
- Vellore Institute of Technology Vellore
- Delhi Technological University
- BMS college of engineering Bangalore
Computer Hardware Job profile
Due to advancements in technology, one can expect to get good job opportunities in the computer hardware sector. A computer hardware expert’s primary responsibility is to develop and maintain PC components for the system to work efficiently. The other duties of computer hardware professional are:
- He is responsible for designing computer hardware.
- He also supervises the production and manufacturing of computer hardware equipment.
- He has to perform tests to verify the hardware equipments.
- He has to constantly update computer components to make it run smoothly with the latest software.
- His duty is to provide support to technicians and other technical support personnel in the team.
- He has to ensure that the computer works smoothly and efficiently.
Companies or firms that hire computer hardware professional are:
- Software companies
- Call centers
- Hardware manufacturing companies
- System design companies
- Hardware repair shops
- Hospitals
- Banks
- IT companies
- Colleges
- Universities
- Telecom companies
After completing a bachelors degree in computer hardware maintenance, one can get placed as:
- Router Operator
- Hardware Executive
- Network Engineer
- System Engineer
- Cabling Designer
- Network Designer
- Back up Operator
- Storage Specialist
- Hardware Consultant
- Technical Support Executive
- Design Engineer
- Systems Integration Engineer
- Project Engineer
- Field Service Engineer
Although big hardware companies require a Masters Degree in computer hardware for a good package job position.
Top companies hiring Computer hardware professionals
The companies that hire computer hardware experts with good pay are:
- Intel Corporation
- Acer India (Pvt) Ltd
- Dell
- Casio India Company
- HCL
- TCS
- Infosys
- Wipro
- Accenture
- Amazon India
Career in computer hardware maintenance – Salary
The initial salary of a computer hardware technician or engineer starts at Rs. 40,000 monthly. It can go as high as Rs.8,00,000 per annum. If you have a specialized degree in hardware components with good experience in the industry, you can get placed with the popular companies that offer a handsome salary.
Computer hardware maintenance career is a good option in today’s world of computers and networking.
Get enrolled in one of the courses today and take your future to a brighter path.