Admission to the undergraduate courses in Delhi University is in full swing post the announcement of the first cut-off list. As the anticipations builds up, curious students are filled with doubts and queries about the future that awaits them. To give them a peek into one of the most popular courses in DU, News18.com spoke to Pinky Kumari, Assistant Professor of Commerce at Shri Ram College of Commerce about the importance, prospects and scope of B.Com (Hons.). Excerpts from her interview…
What are the prospects and scope of B.Com (Hons)?
B.Com (Hons) is one of the most sought after courses among commerce students. One can get a job as an accountant, business analyst or financial analyst, or in HR profile or in consultancy with private firms. One can also opt for the banking sector after finishing B.Com or pursue a Master’s degree. However, I would also recommend they pursue professional courses such as CA, CS, CMA, Actuarial science or MBA as it increases career prospects in case one wants to stay in the private sector.
Do you think B.Com (Hons) is best for students who want to do study MBA?
If one has decided to pursue MBA, it’s commendable as they have their goal in mind but generally there are no such criteria for a course being the most suitable for MBA. With B.Com (Hons), one might have an added advantage. In MBA, some of the fundamental subjects such as accountancy, management, finance, HR etc are going to be the same as those in B.Com (Hons) (obviously the level would be different), and one can use their learning at the undergraduate level in their MBA whereas engineering students may not find much use of the skills acquired during their Bachelor’s degree.
What is the difference between B.Com (Hons) and B.Com (Programme)?
B.Com (Hons) and B.Com Programme have almost similar subjects, but the difference lies in the level of study and market value of the course. The level of study is comparatively higher in B.Com (Hons), as in the subjects are more detailed and it also provides specialization opportunity in subjects like accounts and finance whereas there is no such opportunity in B.Com Programme. Programme course familiarizes one with the commerce domain whereas honours course enables one to build business oriented skills. Also, the career prospect of B.Com (Hons) is better than B.Com (Prog.). It is valued more by industries and offers better placement opportunities and pay packages.
For students who change streams, how difficult is it to cope with B.Com (Hons)?
Students of science/arts stream may find it difficult to grasp the subjects in the beginning especially in case of accountancy and economics, but this is not something which can’t be managed with hard work and extra time. So, I would suggest them to go through the basics of these two subjects. Class XI accountancy is a must read for them. Rest of the subjects would be new even for the commerce students, so in that case they should not face much difficulty.
How does one manage CA/CS with B.Com (Hons)?
CA and CS are popular choices for commerce students and a majority of them pursue it along with their B.Com (Hons). The level of learning and understanding in these professional courses is comparatively higher than B.Com (Hons). But the similarity of subjects like accounting, financial management, taxation and corporate law may ease the burden of students to some extent. However, managing two things at a time may become hectic and overburdening and how well one is able to do so depends on his/her personal caliber and time management skills.
What would be the ideal way of preparing for UPSC with B.Com (Hons)?
UPSC aspirants can begin by reading NCERTs and newspapers. If you are not in the habit of reading a newspaper, do build it over time. And their learning in bachelor’s degree, especially Indian economy is helpful in GS-3 paper and also if they are opt for commerce as an optional subject. Their knowledge of management can be used in the ethics paper. Developing writing skills and time management is a must for success in this examination.
How different is B.Com (Hons) from Commerce at 10+2 level?
We cannot say that Commerce at 10+2 level is different from B.Com (Hons), rather it acts as a base for B.com (Hons). The subjects in Commerce at 10+2 level are repeated, but they will be studied in more depth and detail. Students will have accountancy, business studies and economics spread across different semesters under different names. For example, the Management Principles and Application, a third semester subject is similar to business studies and there is financial as well as corporate accounting and micro & macro-economics. To sum up, the only difference lies in the duration i.e. 3 years, number of subjects and the difficulty level of the subjects.
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