After Class 12: Career options in Commerce stream

When it comes to job opportunities, Commerce graduates have an edge. Explore your options in study and work!



WHAT do steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, PepsiCo Chairperson Indira Nooyi and Kinetic Motors’s Joint MD Sullaja Firoda Motwani have in common? Besides being established names, all of them are Commerce graduates.

Not that their illustrious careers were scripted while studying. But their Commerce background definitely aided in setting the stage. It familiarised them with financial foundations of a company, besides acquainting them with core financial underpinnings that result in smooth functioning of really successful corporations.  

Radhika Goel, a third-year student of Delhi’s Shri Ram College of Commerce might just be a leader-in-the-making. With a high level of commitment and an enterprising attitude, she too could be trained into taking on the financial reins of a company, someday. “The course is interdisciplinary in nature,” says the BCom (Hons) student.

Saniya Seth who hails from a business family and is currently studying at Sanatan Dharma College in Chandigarh, says, “I wouldn’t like to give control of my company’s finances to any outsider.” This puts into perspective, her reason for choosing commerce.

BCom basics 
Commerce is a fundamental academic UG programme, besides Science, Arts, Engineering and Medicine. After completing Class 12, one can pursue Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) or Bachelor of Commerce (Hons), both three-year full-time programmes. Commerce comprises a wide range of interdisciplinary branches such as accountancy, finance, statistics, and e-commerce among others (See Box).  

In the first year of her programme, Radhika had eight subjects, followed by nine and seven respectively, in the second and third year. The SRCC student chose Political Science in her second year, over Maths and English. In the third year she chose Marketing and Financial Management and Investment Management over Human Resources and Tax. So far Radhika is well versed in the concepts of microeconomics, statistics, financial accounting, business communication, business law, corporate law and auditing among other subjects. In the third year, she is understanding the theories of financial management and macroeconomics. The curriculum in most colleges is similar to Radhika’s programme.

According to Sangeeta Lala, Vice President, Sourcing, TeamLease Services, many UG colleges are integrating industry-required knowledge in their course curriculum. She explains the reason: “Better placements for students.”
PG level and beyondAfter graduation, you can opt for a Master’s in Commerce (MCom) from any recognised university or institute. The  Faculty of Commerce and Business at Delhi School of Economics offers two PG programmes, Master’s in International Business (MIB) and Master’s in Human Resource and Organisational development (MHROD).

You can also pursue a Master’s in Finance and Control as an option in the field of Commerce at the Department of Financial Studies, South Campus, University of Delhi.

Both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes can be pursued through distance learning, such as those offered by the School of Open Learning in Delhi. Other alternatives include a Bachelor’s in Investment and Financial Accounting or Bachelor’s in Business Studies.  Some colleges like the St. Francis College for Women, Hyderabad offers a BCom in Foreign Trade.

Commerce students can also join the Indian Economic Service or Indian Statistical Service. The Union Public Service Commissionconducts the entrance exam to these services in November every year
Complementary coursesMany BCom students pursue a professional course like CA, CWA or MBA in Finance, CFA alongside, so as to enter highly skilled professions. Saniya is doing the same, and is currently pursuing the Company Secretary (CS) course. She plans to appear for ICWA Intermediate level exams in April 2011. By then she would have given her final year BCom exam and would be entitled to forgo the Foundation Level. “The Inter-level exams are in December,” she informs.

Diploma certificates for medium-skilled jobs can also be done. For example, obtaining certification in Accounting Technician Course from ICAI. IT-based courses like Tally or Cyber security are good additional qualifications for Commerce graduates.

Saniya while working as finance assistant with ESS ESS India undertook a three-week course in Business Development and ICT Innovation from the London School of Economics in August 2009. The summer school programme in London cost her Rs 1.75 lakh, inclusive of accommodation and food. It gave her additional exposure in the field. Supplementary knowledge of stock markets, currency trading, commodity training is also helpful.

Such diploma and certification courses are offered by institutes or by the knowledge arms of organisations, themselves. National Commodities and Derivatives Exchange Ltd, for example, runs NCDEX Commodity Certification Course. National Institute of Securities Markets has a 300-hour certification programme in Financial Engineering and Risk Management with a fee of Rs 1.5 lakhs. “Cyber law and computer courses related to cyber security can also be considered,” says career counselor Jitin Chawla.
Career prospectsJob opportunities exist in banks, financial institutions, outsourcing firms, insurance companies and audit firms. “A fresh Commerce graduate can start out as account assistant, in CA firm or any other small organisation,” says Jitin.

“CA practicing firms like TR Chada and Co, Thakur Vaidya Nath Aiyar and Co and Singh Suri and Co absorb a lot of BCom students. These firms usually employ grads for auditing as well as taxation assignments, accounting and research work,” says Kuldeep Singh, 31, BCom graduate and practising CA.

Corporates also recruit fresh BCom students from campuses. FMCG conglomerate HUL invited Saniya to work with their BPO and Radhika has an offer letter from Bain Capability Center, Bain India, a consultancy firm.

“Recruitment policies have changed from vertical to horizontal, a mix of graduates are required.  Commerce graduates get an edge because of the existent curriculum and exposure to varied subjects,” shares Prof. KV Bhanu Murthy, HOD, Department of Commerce, Delhi School of Economics. He advises, “It is better for students to have a general degree before going into a specialised degree.”

In the banking sector, foreign banks typically prefer skilled Commerce graduates. In nationalised banks, a fresh graduate is eligible to take a Probationary Officer exam. Government offices recruit non-experienced candidates in assistant grade. “The demand for graduates is high for sales and marketing functions by banks and insurance,’ says Jitin.

Commerce graduates also work as researchers and teachers. “Eighty percent of management faculty possesses an MCom degree,” says Prof. Murthy.
Accounting and countingPay packages depend on the organisations as well as area of specialisation. “The average salary students received this year was 4.25 lakh per annum,” says Dr. CS Sharma, associate professor and placement In-charge at SRCC.

Sangeeta of TeamLease Services says, salaries depend on the nature of organisation and type of job. “However, it ranges between Rs. 8,000 and Rs.16,000 per month for a fresh hire,” she says. Students with good communication skills tend to get paid better. They are ideal candidates for front-end functions such as customer service, marketing and sales. “The salary can be 20-30 percent higher,” says Jitin.

So, if you have the financial aptitude and are willing to develop further competency, be rest assured, as a Commerce student you will never be out of a job!

EXPERT TALK
 
N. MOHANKRISHNAN,
VP-Finance, Expertus
A qualified CA, N. Mohankrishnan,  outlines the  opportunities available to Commerce graduates. In a conversation with Urmila Rao he gives a peep into his own career journey. 
I am a commerce graduate and a Fellow Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.
KNOWLEDGE OF COMMERCEOf course it helped. While pursuing a course in the field of commerce, one acquires the knowledge of the business and its intrinsic nature - the basics at macro and micro level, the policies, the auditing, business administration and so much more.
SCOPE OF CAREER GROWTH I personally feel there is excellent scope for commerce graduates. The general attitude of glorifying science and undermining Commerce and Humanities should stop. Commerce graduates can choose a career in accounting, audit, taxation, banking, finance, insurance, investment banking, mutual funds, capital markets, equity research and retail.
SALARIESThey start in the range of Rs 2.5 – Rs 4 lakhs per annum depending on several other factors such as industry, location, etc. In recent times, major equity research/ investment bankers visit leading colleges for campus recruitments, and offer attractive packages and scope for career progression.
SOFT SKILLSI believe that this is a qualifier now. Given that the current day corporate entity is truly global, it is imperative that everyone should have good communication/ presentation skills. I observe that the colleges and  universities have realised the need for this, and are aligning soft skills training with academics. 


PROF. KV BHANU MURTHY
HOD, Department of Commerce
Delhi School of Economics

Q. What will be the next big trend in the Commerce stream?A.  The next decade will bring education into the forefront.  Due to expansion in commerce and management education, teaching will have great shortage in the future.  Most management faculty, today, have an MCom degree.
Q. What areas of Commerce are in demand?A.  Finance is bound to stay along with Finance & Marketing.  In E-Commerce the jobs are less. Entrepreneurship is a more viable option available. Research and Development provide a huge scope in areas like finance research. Corporate governance is a new, relevant field, too.
Q. What are the skill sets required?A. You need an aptitude for numbers. The problem in Commerce study is that students do not receive training in analytical skill development. Students should be prepared to develop presentation, analytical, verbal communication and better writing skills, to excel in this field.


CURRICULUM AT UG LEVEL IN LEADING COLLEGES
BCom.i. Foundation Courses*
ii. Core Papers, as prescribed in the syllabus.
iii. Elective ** (one subject from list of electives)
iv. NSS/ NCC/ Sports/Cultural Activities any one)
v. Career Oriented and Skill Development Courses (Any one)
Foundation Courses: Semester I: Hindi/ Modern European Language, English
Semester II: Advanced Hindi/ Modern European Language, Advanced English
Semester III: Computer Applications, Our Environment
Semester IV: Information Technology, Environmental Conservation
Semester V: General Studies
Semester VI: Entrepreneurship and Management

Electives**: Computer Applications, Tourism & Travel Management, Advertising, Sales Promotion and Sales Management, Foreign Trade Practice and Procedure, Commerce Professional.

BCom Honoursi. Foundation Courses*
ii. Core Papers as prescribed in the syllabus.
iii. One subject as the major from the list of electives**
iv. NSS/ NCC/ Sports/Cultural Activities (any one).
v. Career Oriented and Skill Development Courses (any one).
Foundation Courses*:Semester I Hindi/ Modern European Language, English
Semester II Advanced Hindi/ Modern European Language, Advanced English
Semester III Computer Applications, Our Environment
Semester IV Information Technology, Environmental Conservation
Semester V General Studies
Semester VI Entrepreneurship and Management

Electives**: Accounting and Taxation, Business Studies, Financial Studies
Note: This is a model curriculum prepared by  experts from a leding private university. The actual curriculum might have a combiation of papers.
source: Careers360

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