Generally, in India, you can move in your career in either of the 3 branches, 1. Technical 2. Business Analyst 3. Management One needs to think where his interest lies, In case of technical, one may go like this. Software Engineer-> Sr. Software Engineer-> Technical Architect-> Sr. Technical Architect. Knowledge of UML is helpful. So Microsoft Certifications can be helpful. And also think of acquiring MVP(Most Valued Professional), so you will have very good opportunities. In case of choosing Business analyst stream, domain specific business knowledge is required. So better to go for part time MBA in the specific domain. e.g. If finance is the domain MBA with Finance would be a good idea. In case if you want to go on management side, go for PMP, consider awareness of the tools like Wizible SEM, Microsoft Project, Estimation tools and so on, it would be better to brush up your management skills and taking the lead in your organizations, sometimes handling small but multiple projects at the same time can be helpful. Also, many organizations so many times conduct trainings for their employees, so depending on your interest you can pursue that.