Courses after 12th Commerce: Best Career Options For Commerce Students 2023
Many students in India prefer the commerce stream. Students of commerce enjoy having a wide variety of career pathways in front of them as the field has diverse professions. They have the scope to be entrepreneurs, government employees, or work in the private sector, depending on their further training.
The skills acquired by students in their 11th and 12th standards in the subjects of Economics, Business Studies, Mathematics, Accountancy, etc., can be flexibly applied to a range of lucrative positions.
An added benefit of studying commerce is that it allows students to take up graduate-level courses in their field and makes them eligible for methods in the humanities stream.
Many students wonder what courses they could apply to once they have completed the 12th standard and their suitability and scope. This article provides information on the top career options you can consider after studying the commerce stream in 12th and choosing the right course.
What are the Best Courses After 12th Commerce?
Getting into a graduate course is the next step for getting into your preferred career. Here are the most popular courses commerce students choose to study after class 12:
1) Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com):
The Bachelor of Commerce or B.Com is one of the most well-known and popular undergraduate commerce courses after 12th commerce. After completing their class 12, students can opt for the three-year course to further study the core subjects of Finance, Business Law, Economics, Accountancy, etc.
B.Com courses are designed to teach students the necessary skills in commerce and entrepreneurship and are a good fit for individuals wanting to explore careers in the commercial and corporate sectors.
B.Com prepares and allows graduates to take up varied career pathways and specializations with a high salary potential compared to other graduate courses. If you choose to do B.Com, your options will not stay limited to a single field.
Students have an option to choose a particular type of B.Com course depending on their interests and aptitudes:
B.Com (General):
B.Com (General) is a general three-year degree with no subject specialization. A B.Com (General) student will study an overview of all subjects rather than specializing in one.
You can choose the B.Com (General) course without mathematics. Therefore this is a good course for students of commerce without maths in 11th and 12th. The entry requirement cut-offs for this course can also be lower than the cut-offs for B.Com (Hons.), making it easier to pursue.
B.Com (Honours):
B.Com (Hons.) is the more preferred choice, as it allows students to specialize in their subject of interest. Rather than a general overview of subjects, B.Com (Hons.) involves intensive study and a research project.
The course is harder to pursue and gives the students more employable skills with in-depth knowledge in subjects. It is one of the best courses after 12th for studious commerce students.
2) Bachelor of Arts in Economics:
B.A. Economics is a three-year undergraduate course and is one of the most sought-after courses among commerce and humanities students alike. The course focuses on the various aspects of economics and gives an in-depth knowledge of its theories, applications, and principles.
The various core topics covered in the course are Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Mathematics Methods, Statistics, Indian Economy, and Development Economy. Students can choose to study in-depth including Political Economy, Economic History, International Economics, etc.
As economics is an essential part of the commerce stream, it is attractive to commerce students who want to pursue careers such as Economist, Market Analyst, Finance and Budget Analyst, etc. The course prepares students to join jobs in both government and private sectors.
3) Bachelor of Statistics (B.Stat):
The Bachelor of Statistics is a three-year undergraduate course offered by the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI). This course is suitable for commerce students who want to pursue a career as statisticians in various research institutions or labs, private industries, and government sectors.
The course is competitive and reputable, desirable for the commerce stream students who want to study mathematics and statistics further. The program will allow students to understand the fundamentals of theory, methods and application of statistics, and other areas like computer science.
The Indian Statistical Institute is quite reputable, making the course a good choice for commerce students interested in the subject.
4) Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A):
The Bachelor of Business Administration or B.B.A is an undergraduate-level course completed in three years. It focuses on management and administration skills, making it a highly desirable course for commerce students seeking lucrative managerial positions in the private sector.
The core subjects offered are Business Law, Business Strategy, Finance, Accounting, Marketing, Communication, Economics, Entrepreneurship, and Human Resource Management. Other than these subjects, there are various subjects that students can elect depending on their field of interest.
The B.B.A course also acts as a foundation for the postgraduate level course of M.B.A. or Masters of Business Administration, which significantly improves employment prospects of the student and the scope of bagging high paying jobs.
5) Chartered Accountancy (C.A.):
The C.A course is pursued by many students from the commerce stream in the aspiration of the coveted position of a Chartered Accountant. C.A. is a professional course offered by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in India and comprises three levels. It is one of the top career options after class 12th for commerce students.
It is a suitable course for students who want to go for careers in Auditing & Assurance, Tax Consultancy, Accounting Services, Accountants & Finance Outsourcing, and Financial Reporting.
After clearing their 12th board exams, students can register for the CA-Foundation exams, which is the entry-level exam of the C.A. course. Students will be required to clear three exams to become a CA. These are the CA Foundation exam, the CA Intermediate Exam, and the CA Final exam.
This course allows students the flexibility to pursue higher education such as CFA, MBA, and more. Other than that, C.A. has a vast scope, and professionals can choose to work in a firm, a government department, or start their private practice.
6) Cost Management Accountancy (C.M.A):
The Cost Management Course is a famous professional course for commerce students after the 12th. The course is conducted by the Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICAI) and has three levels. The three levels are the Foundation Course, the Intermediate Course, and the Final Course.
The student can register with the ICAI after clearing their 12th and clear the previous level of the C.M.A. course to move to the next exam.
The course mainly focuses on developing the students skills in Strategy, Management, Regulatory Framework, and Financial Reporting. Commerce students want to go for job opportunities in Accounting, Financial Management, Taxation, Financial Consultancy, Systems Analysis, etc.
If you have an aptitude for analysis and evaluation, you can perform well in this field and consider this course after class 12th.
7) Company Secretary (C.S.)
Company Secretary is a professional course offered by the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI). Students who have completed their 12th can register with the ICSI to pursue the course.
This course is an attractive choice for commerce students because of the high value of its credentials and the scope of lucrative jobs and is viewed as one of the top courses to do after 12th.
Students have to complete several programs and a practical training sequence to clear the requirements of being certified as a Company Secretary. The programs are the Foundation Programme, the Executive Programme, the Professional Programme, and the Management Training. Each program has to be completed to enter the following schedule. After the completion of the course, you can be registered with ICSI as an Associate Member.
8) Certified Financial Planner (C.F.P.):
Certified Financial Planner (CFP) is a professional course offered by the Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB). The certificate course is one of the top courses after 12th in commerce for students interested in Financial Planning.
Students who take up the course have to clear five exams based on six modules dealing with Financial Planning, Retirement Planning, Risk management, Investment Planning, Tax planning, etc. The course can take anywhere from 6 months to 2 years to complete, depending on the students potential.
After the certification, individuals can find top jobs in the financial sector as advisors, analysts, fund managers, etc., making the course one of the high-paying career pathways to pursue.
9) Actuary Science:
Actuary Science courses can be pursued by commerce students who are interested in assessing financial risks. This course provides students with a thorough understanding of statistical and mathematical methods needed to assess economic conditions. It is a good course option after 12th commerce and can lead to some of the most coveted job positions in the financial sector after successful completion.
The Institute of Actuaries of India (IAI) offers the actuarial science course in India and has no fixed duration. Students have to clear an entry-level exam called the Actuarial Common Entrance Test (ACET) to qualify. This course has 15 subjects divided into the CT, CA, ST, and SA series. The student requires to clear only the CT series to become an Associate Member of the Society. Still, it will be necessary to remove all the subjects to become a Fellow Member of the Society.
10) Bachelor of Law (L.L.B.):
The Bachelor of Law or L.L.B. is one of the most pursued courses in India and is one of the best career options for students after 12th commerce. The degree course is offered as a 3-year course for students who have graduated with a B.A., B.Com., or B.Sc., and as a five-year integrated course for students after class 12th.
If you are a student of 12th commerce who wants to go for an L.L.B. course directly after 12th, you have to pursue the five years integrated Law course. The course combines a bachelors degree (B.A., B.com., or B.Sc.) and a law degree (L.L.B.). To get into a law institute, you have to clear the entrance exam of CLAT.
This is a top course for the commerce stream as a commerce student can earn both B.Com and L.L.B. in just five years, and after completion, the student can get lucrative job opportunities in law firms or start a private practice.
11) Bachelor of Hotel Management (B.H.M.):
B.H.M. is a three-year undergraduate course popular amongst students interested in achieving a career in the lucrative field of hospitality. This course can be pursued by students of any stream after 12th but is also an excellent choice for commerce students to go beyond their subjects and are interested in hotel management. It is one of the best professional courses after 12th commerce.
Generally, students after 12th will be required to clear entrance exams and score a minimum mark in 12th exams to get admissions into the various institutes offering Bachelor of Hotel Management.
12) Bachelor of Journalism and Mass Communication (B.J.M.C.):
B.J.M.C. is a three-year undergraduate course for students looking to develop a career pathway in journalism and mass communication. Students of all streams can apply to this course after class 12. The course is one of the best courses after 12th commerce as it opens opportunities to work with news outlets, publishing, editing, public relations, etc.
This course is divided into six semesters covering topics like culture, communication, history of print and broadcasting, media management, advertising, etc. Students will gain skills in networking, writing, analytics, problem-solving, etc.
How to choose the right course for you?
It is common for students to be confused about what courses to go for after completing their 12th commerce. The subjects offered in the commerce stream are vast, so there are many options to choose from, which can be overwhelming.
Choosing the right course is a crucial step that will affect what career you select ultimately. Here are some things you should consider before making your decision:
Find your interests:
After studying the basics of all the core subjects in commerce, you should assess which topics and issues interest you the most in commerce or if you like other streams. You have a better chance to be successful at your job if you follow your interests.
Assess your abilities:
Knowing your aptitude includes knowing your strengths and weaknesses. If you understand your weak areas, you can go for courses where you wont encounter those as much. This will ensure your satisfaction and motivation in the future.
Understand your field and courses:
Once you have understood your interests and aptitude, the next step is to research your field and understand what different courses and colleges offer. Similar sounding courses can have subtle differences that can change your experience.
Conclusion
As a student of 12th commerce, you have a lot of great avenues to choose from for your future careers. The most significant part of this journey is choosing the right course, which depends on this decision. The scope of getting lucrative jobs is high, but a student should thoroughly consider their options and interests to select their preferred field and choose courses accordingly. With the right mindset and training, you can achieve your goals.
All the Best!
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