My BCA is a 3 year degree with a CGPA of 7.85, and competition for public university admission in Germany for a Cybersecurity master's is intense. Should I consider a private university like SRH instead?

Add SRH or a similar private university to your list, but do not abandon public universities entirely, apply to both in parallel. Your specific situation, a 3 year BCA against Germany's usual 4 year expectation, is exactly the kind of credit gap that makes private options genuinely worth considering rather than a fallback of last resort.

Public vs Private Universities for Your Profile

Why Your Specific Profile Matters Here

• Your 3 year BCA gives 180 ECTS credits versus the 240 most public master's programs expect, so many will reject you outright unless you complete a prep year or show extensive work experience.
• Your 7.85 CGPA converts to roughly 2.1 to 2.3 on the German scale, which clears smaller public Fachhochschulen but falls short of the 1.5 or better that top schools like TU Munich or Saarland often demand for Cybersecurity.
• SRH is system accredited by the German Accreditation Council, so your degree carries the same legal standing as a public university degree.

My Advice

First, check your specific Indian university's rating on the Anabin database to confirm it is recognized as H+, since that affects every application equally. Then run two tracks side by side, apply to SRH or another accredited private school as your secured safety net, while simultaneously targeting smaller regional public Fachhochschulen where the applicant pool for Cybersecurity is thinner.