From next year, Bengaluru Central University to offer six combos in commerce stream

BENGALURU: The Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) course at Bengaluru Central University is no longer about just finance and accounting. Thanks to new combinations introduced in the stream, undergraduate commerce students will get to learn concepts like logistics and supply management, insurance and even actuarial science.
Three new combinations will be available in BCU and affiliated colleges from the academic year 2020-21, promising students skill-based education and helping them land jobs.
According to the BCU department of commerce, students opting for the combinations will have the skills of a chartered accountant, hands-on experience in dealing with GST, stock markets and other practical aspects of the commerce sector.
The university will offer six courses in the commerce stream from the next academic year to meet the overwhelming demand from students as well as market expectations. “In all colleges, BCom seats are filled to the brim. The demand is immense, and we wanted to match the demand with our courses,” said prof S Japhet, vice-chancellor of BCU.
This is the first time that a state university is offering so many courses in one stream. In addition to usual combinations like BCom regular, BCom honours and BCom in finance and accounting, BCU will offer BCom in business data analytics, logistics and supply and, insurance and actuarial sciences.
‘For multifaceted graduates’
Actuarial science is a discipline that applies mathematical and statistical methods to assess risk in insurance, finance and other industries and professions. According to prof M Muniraju, chairman and dean of faculty of commerce and management in BCU, though colleges offer a BSc degree in the discipline, BCU is including actuarial science in BCom to make sure the graduates are ‘multifaceted’.
“These courses will help students from an underprivileged background enter the market with skills that will land them a job. With hands-on skills in all areas, they will be able to earn at least Rs 20,000 as freshers,” Muniraju said.
Practical classes
The courses will include practical classes in computer skills to help students understand GST computation and usage, banking transactions and working of the stock market, and get trained in software. “It’s the first time that we have introduced practical classes in the course. The syllabus was revised as per the demand of the industry and students,” said prof Japhet.
1-week training for teachers
Japhet said workshops will be organised to familiarise teachers with the special papers. Field experts with industry experience will train them for one week.
In the coming year, BCom in hospitality and tourism management is also expected to be included in the syllabus. “We will revise the syllabus as per industry requirements,” Muniraju said.
The university had introduced aviation management in bachelor in business administration (BBA) last year. It plans to start BBA in entrepreneurship next year. “Students will be able to start their own business with the courses,” he added.