B.com is still a HOT CHOICE
Why is it that the course is still selling in some colleges, while in others it has plunged to the nadir? Sumit Bhattacharjee finds out
Time and again it has been reiterated at various education related forums that one should recognise their latent talent and keep their mind focussed while taking a decision on their career path. But the advice seems to fall on deaf ears, as the herding concept appears to take the lead.
But that has not been the story for Madhumita Satish, immediately after her tenth she decided that she would do a degree in B. Com (Bachelor in Commerce), a course long forgotten. And today, she is a happy that her decision was not wrong. After completing her plus two from a corporate college in Visakhapatnam, she has joined the course in one of the top colleges in the country Lady Shri Ram College in New Delhi. The youngster says, “It was a transformation for me.”
It is not that the course has lost its sheen - it is still a hot choice, probably one finds admission in a top college such as Lady Shri Ram, Miranda House, Delhi University, St. Xavier’s or Presidency in Kolkata, Loyala or Presidency in Chennai, Fergusson College- Pune or Xavier’s in Mumbai, says Madhumita. And for that one needs to plan and prepare well in advance, as the cut off marks are pretty high in these college, she says.
But why is it that the course is still selling in some colleges, while in others it has plunged to the nadir. There are many reasons says, the Dean (Internal Quality Assessment) of Dr. L. Bullayya College K. Satyanarayana. The professor says, “Primarily, the ebbing factor is due to the all- round fall in standards- right from college standards to the quality of students and faculty.” Because of the mushrooming of engineering colleges, especially in Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring States such as Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, the quality of students for courses like B.Com has drastically fallen. “But this is not the case when it comes to the top colleges. They have been successful in maintaining the standards,” he adds.
Another reason that plays a dominant factor is the examination pattern and teaching methodology, says Prof. Riaz Mohammed, Dean (Management Programme) of the college.
“The teaching methodology in the top colleges is quite different when compared to the rest. They follow the case study and project report sort of methodology, whereas in the other colleges, the traditional theory classes system is still being followed. The top colleges are in tune with the industry trends and the industry-academia interface is very high. And that is one reason why the campus recruitment drive is highly successful in these top colleges,” he explains.
On the examination model, Prof. Riaz points out that we still follow the traditional model of questions that emphasise on theories, whereas the top colleges follow the case study perspective.
The professor further adds that most of the top colleges are autonomous and hence they have the liberty to change and design the course to suit the requirements. Apart from the course structure, teaching methodology and examination pattern, the factor that really makes the difference is the ambience and peer quality. “The ambience by itself calls for transformation. The quality of peers is very high and engaging. On a daily basis we prepare for seminars and talks and that keeps us in touch with the industry and trends, which is an essential factor, when it comes to recruitment.
The teaching environment prepares us for any higher studies, be it chartered accountancy or civil services.”
If the course has to survive or re- emerge as a potential stream, value addition is essential. “We can no longer depend on the age- old concepts and teaching methods,” says Prof. Satyanarayana.
On what can be done, Prof Riaz says, “Communication skill sessions can be embedded into the programme and papers such as six sigma, corporate ethics and emotional ethics at work can be added. It is not just adding a few papers, but the delivery mechanism and the methodology should be made effective.”
A few colleges in Andhra Pradesh have added such values to the course, but more needs to be done to make it look better so that it can regain its lost glory, says Prof. Satyanarayana.thehindu.com