Commerce or Non-medical? Find out the career scopes and the way forward

Commerce and science are two distinct streams for higher studies. Both come with their own set of challenges and rewards in the long run. This article deals particularly with the difference in the career scopes of Commerce and the Non-medical stream.

We will methodically approach each stream and look at its nuances and the details which will help a student make an informed decision.

The period of decision making after the 10^th boards is a confusing one, and shouldn’t be procrastinated. So if you wish to explore your possibilities and know what lies ahead in each path, it’s wiser if you do a thorough research about the subjects on offer and your own strengths.

Subjects on offer in Commerce stream

• Accounts
• Business studies
• Economics
• Mathematics
• Statistics
• English
• Computer science/Information practices

The options on offer are varied and differ from one board to the other. The major and most preferred options are Mathematics and Computer science as they build up a base for a wide career graph which one could experiment with if they wished to.

Subjects on offer in Non-Medical stream

• Physics
• Chemistry
• Mathematics
• English
• Optional(Varies from one state educational board to another)

The most preferred options have been Computer science, Economics, Physical education, Home science and Fine arts.

Now that you have a clear understanding of the core subjects on offer, we will now discuss the higher educational and subsequent career options for each stream.

These will be divided into careers which are designed strictly for a student of a particular stream and then some which have an interdisciplinary fluidity to them. These fluid careers don’t require the expertise of a particular stream and can be pursued with the knowledge of anyone major (and common) subject.

Career options with Commerce stream

B.Com/B.Com(Hons)

The Bachelor of Commerce is a 3-year degree which covers most of the industrial topics related to the commerce background. It serves as a good base if one wishes to go forward in the corporate sector or pursue higher education. It also serves as a good major degree if a student pursues other professional courses (which we discuss later on) on the side

B.E/B.A(Hons) Economics

With the precarious condition of the economy of the world, the higher education of this subject has gained more importance than ever. It is a professional course which paves the way for a government as well as private sector jobs in the profiles of consultancy, analysis, banking, management, and administration.

Bachelor of Business Administration/Management (B.B.A/B.B.M)

This is a three-year course which explores core business subjects which serve as a great platform if you wish to make a career in the business development and management sector. It also provides a solid base if a student goes for higher studies such as M.B.A.

Bachelor of Management (B.M.S)

Bachelor in Management Studies is a 3-year course which is a practical degree in management practices and concepts. It consists of core managerial subjects

Bachelor of Finance and Accounting (B.F.A)

Bachelor in finance and accounting is an industry-oriented 3-year course. Along with preparing a student with expertise in the said streams, it also provides a solid structure to base your higher education on.

Chartered Accountant (C.A)

Chartered accountancy is one of the most sought-after and challenging courses in our country provided by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). This is a professional course which makes it possible to pursue careers in the field of a financial auditor, analyst, tax consultant, advisor, etc.

Cost and Management Accountant (C.M.A)

Cost and management accountancy is another professional course offered by the Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICWAI). It trains the students in the professional approach to cost auditing, recording, planning and controlling.

Company Secretary (C.S)

Provided by the Institute of Company Secretaries of India, Company Secretary is a professional course which is open to students after 12^th boards. This provides expertise in the legal and regulatory framework of any organizational body.

Apart from these major courses and career streams, there are others which provide equal exposure and expertise in the professional sector. These are:

B.A. in various art courses, B.Sc in Hotel management, B.Sc in statistics, degree courses in Mathematics, Bachelors in computer application, event management, journalism, fashion designing, education sector, social work, etc.

Career options with the Non-Medical stream

Subject-specific careers in the Non-Medical stream

Physics

If a student is interested in Physics, they could choose to pursue the following academic streams focusing solely on it:

• Astrophysics
• Nuclear and Atomic physics
• Molecular physics
• Optical physics
• Meteorology

Chemistry

For  a student willing to specialize in Chemistry, the following are good options:

• Chemical engineering
• Biochemistry
• Nuclear chemistry
• Medicinal chemistry
• Astrochemistry

Mathematics

This is a field that overlaps through all the three streams, namely science, arts, and commerce. The following are the subject centric options it offers:

• Applied mathematics
• Computational mathematics
• Complex dynamics
• Fluid mechanics
• Image processing
• Statistics

We then arrive at Engineering, which is probably the most popular career path worldwide when it comes to students of the non-medical background.

List of Engineering courses available in India

• Computer science engineering
• Electronics and communication engineering
• Mechanical engineering
• Civil engineering
• Textile engineering
• Automobile engineering
• Environmental engineering
• Aerospace engineering
• Production engineering
• Manufacturing engineering
• Aeronautical engineering

B.Sc degrees have the immense scope and career options after engineering. This is a three to five year (depending upon the university) course which has the research-oriented and interdisciplinary courses to choose from:

• Physics
• Chemistry
• Mathematics
• Computer science
• Agriculture
• Electronics
• Biotechnology
• Environmental science
• Hotel management

Now we shall discuss the stream fluid courses we talked about earlier. These courses and the subsequent career paths are open to students from every stream. Thus they are more important to consider as they diversify one’s options range and keeps avenues open if a student wishes to discontinue his/her chosen stream in the future.

Career option available for both Commerce and Non-Medical stream students

Law

Students from both the streams can also opt for the law as a career. They could choose to pursue B.A L.L.B, B.B.A L.L.B, B.Com L.L.B followed by an LLM. Or they could also go for integrated courses like MBA-LLM.

Defense

The NDA trains its students for the three divisions- Navy, Airforce, and Army. Non-medical students can appear for its entrance exams and thus get admission through merit. The course duration is 3 years after which they are sent for training and joining. While some divisions within it might require knowledge of science, the majority of them are open to students from every stream.

Computer and IT

Quickly becoming the most sought-after discipline, the IT sector now occupies a big chunk of the job market. More students are getting drawn towards it due to the obvious boom in the IT sector in recent years.

Career options under Computer and IT Industry

• Software developer
• Web programmer/developer
• Software analyst
• Software engineer
• Database administrators

Actuarial Science

Provided by the Institute of Actuaries of India (IAI), actuarial science applies practical mathematics and statistics in the field of insurance, business and research. It assesses risk and trends in the financial market and given the precarious condition of the global markets, it is fast becoming a career in demand.

How Unstop (formerly Dare2Compete)helps:

Whether you choose science or commerce, the one thing that remains common is the effort you need to put in. And when it comes to a bright career, the effort you put in should be in the absolute correct direction.

It requires systematic and efficient planning plus management for students to reach whatever goals they set. Coaching and tuition can only help to an extent, what truly makes a difference is the amount of self-study the student agrees to put in. Another factor that matters is credible information and educational help sources for the students.

This is where Dare2Compete helps.

A provides information about various educational competitions across the country from every discipline under one roof. These competitions work as a good simulator of ideas and boost the confidence of the participants regarding their expertise on the choice of subjects. The students can keep track of the upcoming competitions and have a one-stop destination for all the information regarding them.

Further, Dare2Compete also provides information about the various scholarship programs and competitions on offer by the govt. and private organizations plus universities. Students can avail these opportunities to help their higher educational dreams sail.

Students can also take part in the various quizzes (both online and otherwise) on the website. These quizzes are designed for every discipline and are a fun way to learn and revise the concepts present in the textbooks. If a student wishes so, they could also participate in quizzing competitions held across the nation (the information of which is also provided on the website).

Finally, there is a dedicated section of the website which contains career-related and educational articles which aim to help ease the ever-present confusion in a student’s mind

This article talked about the non-medical and commerce stream, and their respective career paths. From the subject specific to subject fluid, we discussed every popular option open to students. However, one should not limit themselves to only these and research further about various interdisciplinary courses which are establishing with the advent of technology and globalization.

Whether you wish to stick to a conventional and well-rooted field or feel like experimenting with your stream, it should be an informed decision rooting from your own free will. Consult experienced adults about it, but don’t get influenced by their coercion or peer pressure.

Best of luck!