Well…the year 2020 has been a roller-coaster ride till now. It all started with the happiness and merriment when the year started which was eventually substituted with stress, anxiety and fear as the country faced the Corona Virus ( popularly known as COVID-19) crisis followed by earthquake, floods, sparked border tensions with neighboring countries and locust attack in major parts of the country which have affected each and everyone of us on a personal level.
We have gone through so many ups and downs in this small span of 6 months, that we always wonder “What’s the next big thing in the year ahead ?” Well…with the board results coming out shortly, the chaos and confusion as “What Course to Choose? Why to Choose? What to Do?” will definitely be stressing the young minds.
Here, we discuss
- What is Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com)?
- Why to Choose B.Com?
- Career in B.Com
- After B.Com
As the admission season is going to start and will be gaining pace slowly and gradually over the next couple of months, it’s again that time of the year when the students are excited and yet nervous wondering whether the choices that they are going to make would be appropriate for them or not.
While some of the students have already made up their mind as What Course to pursue next and Why? Most of them would still be confused and would need help, assistance and guidance before making the final call about their career.
While some of them know their reason as “ Why to Pursue?” this particular course, most of them specifically take up the course because their friends also choose the same. While the former students are expected to excel in their field, the latter ones are most likely to succumb and fail as they themselves don’t know much about it and are not convinced as well.
In this blog, we are going to talk about a very popular career option i.e. Bachelor Of Commerce (B.COM) and the dilemma faced by the students who belong to Commerce background as well as Science background while choosing whether to pursue it or not.
Let’s start building our blocks from the very foundation and understand
Bachelor of Commerce : What it is ?
- As per reports, Bachelor of Commerce is an undergraduate academic degree which is awarded for completing a course or program in commerce.
- It is generally a 3 year long course which is divided into six distinct semesters.
- The main subjects which are taught during this time frame are Accountancy, Management, Marketing, Human Resource and Financial Specialization.
- A student who wishes to pursue this, he has to score a minimum of 45% in 10+2 from a recognized Board or University.
- In simple words, Bachelor of Commerce (abbreviated as B.COM) is a 3 year course which is offered at the undergraduate level where the students are taught in detail about the various topics of commerce ( be it marketing, finance, human resource, accountancy etc.) and are also provided with necessary exposure to know about the recent happenings in the industry.
- The degree is awarded to only those students who successfully pass all the six semesters.
Now that we know “What is B.COM ?” it’s meaning and concept, let’s take a look at why should students opt this particular course out of the bundle of courses available at the undergraduate level. This brings us to our very next point which is :
Why Bachelor of Commerce (B.COM)?
- For those students who have pursued commerce in their +2, choosing B.COM would be their next best step towards their career. During+2 , all the subjects whether it be economics, business studies or accountancy were just introduced. Their aim is only to provide an idea about what the topic is.
- When the students would opt B.COM after completing their 12th , the course would provide them knowledge and that too in depth about each and every subject and thus this is how they can decide which subject they like and which they don’t.
- Moreover, the last semester focuses on encouraging the students to pursue their interest as students have to opt from the available lot of optional subjects which they can take up according to their field or domain of interest.
- The course structure is flexible and provides enough time to learn new skills and work as a freelancer or as an intern thus gaining the much needed experience which will help him/her down the line.
- Now , those students who opted science and biology in their 12th grade and did not like the stream and want to change their field and learn from the basics and then get into the industry, B.COM would just be the right choice.
- The course structure is such, that right from the start the focus is on developing the building blocks by revising the topics which was earlier taught to students from the commerce field in their +2. With this, it becomes easy for them to come at par and compete with the people in the industry.
- Moreover, the course structure is really flexible which would allow them to think and explore more and gain experience by working as an intern or as a freelancer and gain practical experience which would help them down the line.
Coming down to the bottom line, the course is really flexible and adds tremendous value to the life of the students while they are in the learning stage which makes it worth the choice.
Now that, you know why to choose B.COM while pursuing graduation, you would be inquisitive to know about your career in BCOM. So, let us take a look at the careers.
Career in B.Com
Once you are sure about pursuing B.COM after +2 , you would also like to have a good and secure career down the line. So let’s try to understand what one needs to do and how his/her career will look after B.COM.
You need to go into a good reputed college to get the most out of this degree. I know it’s hard to get into top notch institutions but believe me , the kind of exposure and knowledge that you are going to attain will blow your mind off.
So STEP 1 is to get into a decent college.
Once you start going to the college, you will be naïve to the environment. You will feel like you don’t belong there as you can’t understand anything but keep your chin up and believe the process, pay attention to the lectures as most of the technicalities of the industries would be discussed in the class itself.
So STEP 2 is to keep the basics right.
Now once you are comfortable with the college life, look for new things that’s how you are going to grow and build your profile.
So STEP 3 is to explore new domains, learn, work and gain as much experience as you can. Never miss out on any opportunity be it participating in college fest or working as a non paid intern. Remember, all that counts.
Just by following these 3 simple steps you are going to give a good start to your career. By the time you reach the end of the course you are most likely to have good grades on paper and knowledge and skills in your armor which is going to get you into a job with a decent salary of 3-4 lakhs per annum.
Remember, the journey in this domain doesn’t end here. It’s a mere beginning into this field and for success you will have to strive continuously to gain more and more knowledge, experience and slowly and gradually you will move up the mountain.
Now that you have got a glimpse about how bright your career looks if you pursue B.COM, let’s wrap up this blog by discussing what to do after you complete the course. So, let’s take a look at it :
Career After B.Com
By the time you finish your graduation, you will be already having so many exciting options to bank on. The batch which was once segregated into front benchers and back benchers would soon be segregated into students who want to study further, the professionals who are going to take up their job, the entrepreneurs who are going to start their own startups and much more. Well, the possibilities are way too many , but let’s take a quick look at some of the most preferable career options after B.COM. They are:-
- Masters in Business Administration (MBA)
MBA still remains the most preferable choice among students once they complete their graduation. Most of the dedicated students prepare hard for the CAT exam which is an all India Entrance Exam (followed by Group Discussion and Personal Interview round) after which they get into their dream colleges such as IIMs, FMS, XLRIs etc. and pursue their specialization in the subject which excites them the most.
- Chartered Accountant (CA)/ Company Secretary (CS)
Even after completing their graduation, most of the students pursue CA/CS as it adds status and value to their B.COM degree. However, these courses are highly professional and students generally have to toil hard during the journey. However their journey is easier said than done i.e. they first have to clear foundation level, then again study and pass the intermediate level then work under a practitioner for 3-4 years after which they could appear for the final levels and only those students who complete the whole process are called CA or CS.
- Corporate Job
Some of the students after completing their graduation from reputed universities such as DU, BHU, CU etc. prefer to work in the corporate sector for a while. This helps them gain experience of how things are done practically on ground level. Also, it helps them to manage their cost of living on their own and plan for the future ahead rather than being dependent on their parents. The designations generally vary from person to person such as some work in the Sales and Marketing Department while others in the HR department and so on.
- Business
Most of the students after completing their graduation take up their family business or prefer to work on their own startup. They are like budding entrepreneurs who don’t like supremacy and want to act as per their own will. The course structure of B.COM have also exposed them and tested their entrepreneurship skills which boosts their morale and confidence and encourages them to take the risk of doing something new and that too of their own.
- Accountant
Some students who absolutely love math and accountancy together work as an accountant either in some shop or in corporate houses. While the number of students who aspire for this task is low and the reason is because it appears traditional, it takes command and grasp over the accountancy as a subject to take this up as a profession. Also, the student who wishes to do accounting has to keep up pace with the technological changes that changes the overall way of how accounting is done.
- Teaching
Some of the students who used to teach their friends in the absence of the teacher during the graduation days choose to become a teacher. Their love for the subject and the love for imparting knowledge drives them everyday. They go on to pursue their B.ED in the subject that excites them the most after which they usually teach in schools and give private tuitions.
- Freelancing
While this profession is still to gain it’s importance among the elderly in the house, most of the fresher’s absolutely love this domain. Not only this field allows them to follow their passion but also help them in earning money by working on domains in which they are interested. Most of the students after completing their B.COM use their content writing skills, graphic designing skills, influencing skills to earn money and that too with flexible working hours.
- Competitive Exams
Even after completing their graduation, most of the students want to get into the government sector and thus they start preparing for the competitive exams such as UPSC, Air Force, NDA exam and many more. They try to stay dedicated on their path and try to clear these exams to get a stable government job and that too with a decent salary.
- Banking Sector
It’s needless to emphasize how important is banking sector to us as an individual and to our economy as well. Most of the students dream of working in the banks as a manager and that’s why they spend more time on improving their personality, enhancing their general knowledge etc. After completing their graduation, they look for such vacancies in the bank and appear for the exam, clear the written round and then appear for the interview after which they get their dream job.
Well, the possibilities are way too many. Some of them would be highly enthusiastic about cricket, dancing, singing and acting and who knows one day they will become a cricketer, singer and an actor simply by following their dreams. This was just a highlight about some of the most popular career options available to you once you complete your B.COM.
The Bottom Line
Lastly, what I personally would like to conclude is that don’t expect much out of your degree. B.COM that you will possibly pursue is the first right step towards your dream career, it will set the ball rolling but it is you who will have to adapt and be flexible and hard working enough to survive in the industry and never miss out on an opportunity and that is how slowly and gradually you will move up the ladder.
