
Areas of Competencies for National Skill Competency Test of IT Graduates
1. Computer Networks and Cloud Computing (Weightage: 10%)
The following topics are included in this competency area:
- Data Communication
- Computer Networks
- Data Link Layer
- Network Layer
- Transport Layer
- Application Layer
- Wireless Networks
- Cloud Computing
- Network Security (Networks Perspective)
- Next Generation Networks
2. Programming (C++ / Java / Python) (Weightage: 10%)
This area covers the following programming concepts:
- Programming Fundamentals
- Data Types and Variables
- Operators and Expressions
- Control Structures
- Functions / Methods
- Input / Output Handling
- Strings and Text Processing
- Arrays and Collections
- Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)
- Memory Management Concepts
- Exception and Error Handling
- Modules, Packages and Libraries
- Advanced Programming Concepts
- Concurrency and Parallelism (Introductory)
- Debugging, Testing and Optimization
- Software Development Practices
3. Data Structures and Algorithms (Weightage: 10%)
This section includes the following topics:
- Foundations of Data Structures and Algorithms
- Linear Data Structures
- Non-Linear Data Structures
- Searching Algorithms
- Sorting Algorithms
- Hashing
- Tree Algorithms
- Graph Algorithms
- Algorithm Design Techniques
- Advanced Data Structures
- String Algorithms
- Complexity and Optimization
4. Operating Systems (Weightage: 5%)
The operating system section includes:
- Introduction to Operating Systems
- Operating System Structures
- Process Management
- CPU Scheduling
- Thread Management
- Concurrency and Synchronization
- Deadlocks
- Memory Management
- File System Management
- Secondary Storage Management
- Input / Output Systems
- Protection and Security
5. Software Engineering (Weightage: 10%)
The following topics are included:
- Introduction to Software Engineering
- Software Process Models
- Agile Software Development
- Software Requirements Engineering
- Software Project Management
- Software Design
- Software Architecture
- User Interface Design
- Software Implementation and Coding
- Software Testing
- Software Maintenance and Evolution
- Software Quality Assurance
- Software Metrics and Measurement
- Software Configuration Management
- Software Risk Management
- Software Security Engineering
6. Web Development (Weightage: 10%)
Topics included in this section are:
- Introduction to Web Development
- Web Architecture and Protocols
- HTML Fundamentals
- CSS Fundamentals
- Advanced CSS and Responsive Design
- JavaScript Fundamentals
- Advanced JavaScript
- Frontend Frameworks and Libraries
- Backend Development Fundamentals
- Server-Side Programming
- Databases for Web Applications
- Web Security
- Web Performance and Optimization
- Web Testing and Debugging
- Deployment and Hosting
- Web APIs and Integration
- Modern Web Development Practices
7. AI / Machine Learning and Data Analytics (Weightage: 10%)
This competency includes the following topics:
- Introduction to AI, Machine Learning and Data Analytics
- Mathematical Foundations
- Python for AI and Data Analytics
- Data Collection and Pre-processing
- Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA)
- Supervised Learning
- Ensemble Learning
- Unsupervised Learning
- Model Evaluation and Validation
- Feature Engineering and Selection
- Deep Learning Fundamentals
- Advanced Deep Learning
- Natural Language Processing (NLP)
- Computer Vision
- Big Data Analytics (Introductory)
- Model Deployment and MLOps Basics
- AI Ethics, Security and Privacy
8. Cyber Security (Weightage: 5%)
This area covers:
- Introduction to Cyber Security
- Security Fundamentals and Principles
- Cryptography Basics
- Network Security
- Operating System Security
- Web Application Security
- Malware and Attack Techniques
- Authentication and Access Control
- Secure Software Development
- Wireless and Mobile Security
- Cloud and Virtualization Security
- Digital Forensics
- Incident Response and Management
- Security Monitoring and Auditing
- Cyber Laws and Ethics
- Emerging Trends in Cyber Security
9. Databases (Weightage: 10%)
The database competency includes:
- Introduction to Database Systems
- Database System Architecture
- Data Models
- Relational Database Concepts
- Relational Algebra and Calculus
- Structured Query Language (SQL)
- Advanced SQL
- Database Design and Normalization
- Transaction Management
- Concurrency Control
- Recovery Management
- Indexing and File Organization
- Query Processing and Optimization
- Database Security
- Distributed Databases
- NoSQL and Modern Databases
- Data Warehousing and Data Mining (Introductory)
10. Problem Solving and Analytical Skills (Weightage: 20%)
This section includes:
- Introduction to Problem Solving
- Problem Understanding and Analysis
- Logical Reasoning Fundamentals
- Algorithms and Flow Control
- Data Representation and Abstraction
- Pattern Recognition and Generalization
- Mathematical and Quantitative Reasoning
- Algorithmic Thinking
- Critical Thinking and Decision Making
- Debugging and Error Analysis
- Complexity and Efficiency Awareness
- Problem Solving Using Programming
- Data-Driven Problem Solving
- Creative and Innovative Thinking
- Real-World Problem Solving
- Communication and Documentation of Solutions