Commerce has many unexplored options for students

KOLKATA: Conventional courses like CA, CFA and finally MBA may not be the ultimate careers for a student pursuing a bachelors degree in commerce.
There is a whole range of diversified career options for commerce students, but a lack of awareness is keeping them away from such courses, according to senior college professors in Kolkata.
“Most students opt for these careers because they feel they don’t have a choice, which is not true.In fact, students with a commerce background have an advantage in various other professions,� said head of commerce department in South City College Ratan Sen. For the first time, the college will host a career counselling session for the first and second year students to make them aware about the varied available options.
Sen said most students aren’t even aware that there are 29 categories in the Indian Civil and Administrative Services examinations. “Apart from masters in business administration, they can specialise in hospital management, transport management and even forestry management,� he said.
“A number of our students pursue interior decoration, fashion designing and computer courses along with B.Com (honours) so that they can be independent by the time they graduate. But they largely remain ignorant about post graduate courses like nutrition management and treasury management, which offer great career prospects,� said senior professor Indrani Saha of Sri Shikshayatan College.
The updated syllabus in the three year B. Com Honours degree course with options like finance, marketing and information technology along with accountancy will be incorporated at St. Xaviers College beginning this year.
“Regular extension lectures, exchange programmes with industries, summer courses and training programmes are the other measures which keep the students updated and informed about the changing professional scenario,� said St. Xaviers College vice-principal Felix Raj.
Most students admitted their lack of knowledge had led to a point of saturation in the conventional careers in accountancy. “There was a trend of commerce students getting into their family business earlier, but with more and more people getting into the service sector there is a need for awareness about various options available,� said a group of students applying for B.Com (Honours) at St. Xaviers College.