COUNSEL QUERIES

Dance as a career

I am in SYBCom and also a part of a dance academy. I have been dancing for four years now.Through my academy, I go for many shows as a dancer and I earn a good sum of money. Apart from that, I know that my career lies in dance. So now I'm wondering whether I should continue in college or should I just focus on my dance? I don't need a degree in commerce to advance in dance. – Sheena Verma Dear Sheena, I can understand your plight, since you see no use for your university degree as of now. But I would like to say that is a very short term view you have. You need to look at a future in terms of a larger picture. Think about it. A degree never hurt anyone. Yes, of course, your dance moves do not depend on your degree, but who knows, you might get another opportunity where a degree might be a must. Say, for example, you get a chance to go abroad for dance education. They might need you to be a graduate.

Also, say if you plan on writing your profile anywhere, a graduate sounds much better than SYBCom pass.

So I would request you to evaluate your options better and try to finish your degree, since you have only a year left. That also, BCom is relatively flexible and does not take too much of your time. Plus, this is one year of college that you may not get back, so you might as well use it to meet with friends, hang out and enjoy life. It will show you that money is only one part of life.

Additionally, in college, you'll get a chance to participate in so many events and showcase your talent. Who knows, an opportunity might come up from your dance in college for you!

So, I genuinely believe that the benefits of you completing this last year of college are far more than leaving it midway.

Management studies

I want to pursue my graduation in management studies (BMS).What is the admission procedure and what is the difference between regular BCom and BMS? Will I be able to work immediately after BMS or will I have to pursue further education? – Prateek Chaterjee

Dear Prateek,

BMS is an undergraduate programme the full form of which is Bachelor's in Management Studies. It is a programme offered by many colleges affiliated to the University of Mumbai. The duration is three years. Admission to this programme us based onthe marks you score at the plus two examinations (HSC or equivalent). There are different cut off percentages for different streams - arts, science and commerce.

Try and look up which colleges you would like to apply to and what was the cut off there last year. That way you may have an idea.

The BMS programme is a specialised course which focuses on all aspects of management, including principles, law, environment, financial management, logistics, economics, cost accounting, organisational behaviour and much more over the three years, which are divided into six semesters. The idea is a offer the students a good grounding in the field so that they can apply the knowledge in which ever area they choose to work in.

A big difference between BMS and BCom is the fee structure. This is because BCom programme receives finance from the university and hence the fee is lower. BMS is part of a self financing course so the fee is a little higher. On the other hand, this programme will have industry practitioners come in and teach the students.

You are very likely to get first hand information about how the corporate sector works and what skills are needed for which kind of job. Most colleges also conduct several projects for BMS students, so they gain hands on practical experience which they can apply when they go for internships.

The decision of what to study is a very personal decision that the student has to make. The programme will equip you with skills to get to work after graduating. Many colleges also help

out with placements for their students. Over a period of time, if after gaining a few years of work experience, you can opt for a postgraduate programme.

Many times, students want to finish their academic education in one shot so they opt for further studies immediately after graduation. That's what I mean about it being a very personal decision. I do know that most students who opt for BMS are happy with the programme in terms of what they learn.

Interest in social media

I want to pursue a career in social media, because it is the order of the day.Will BMM be a good idea? I am confused. I'm not sure that if I take up BMM, will it be better to take advertising or journalism in the last year. Please advise. – Virag Jhaveri

Dear Virag,

It's nice to see that you know what you want to work in in the future. I am assuming that you are comparing the Bachelor's in Mass Media (BMM) programme to a regular undergraduate programme like BCom or BSc or BA. I think it's a good question.

My advise is that if you get admission to a college of your choice, then yes, studying BMM will help you in working in social media. Today, social media is really rampant and it is one of the fastest ways in reaching a large number of people in a very short span of time. Since it is all a part of mass media, it will help.

For choosing a specialisation, you don't need to worry from now. During your first two years, you will be able to understand that syllabus better, so you will have enough time to choose.You will study both, Introduction to Advertising and Introduction to Journalism, as subjects. These will help you understand the basics and decide further. I also want to mention that working in the field of social media will be possible in both, for that you don't have to worry.