Difference Between BBA and B.Com

One of the most common questions that our organization receives among several career related queries is whether one should pursue Bachelor of Business Administration, commonly known as BBA or Bachelor of Commerce or B.Com after Class 12.  Though B.Com is a more traditional course compared to BBA, over the years things have changed with the economy of the country.

BBA has emerged as an important option among students after completing Class 12.  Many students are confused due to lack of proper information and guidance and often end up making a wrong choice. This article will help you clear your doubts and confusion, though of course the onus of choosing your career lies upon you at the end of the day.

What is BBA

Bachelor of Business Administration or BBA is a three year degree course which is designed to impart management education and inculcate entrepreneurship skills in a student. It is a professional degree where theoretical concepts like management information systems, fundamentals of Human Resource Management (HRM), Financial Law, and fundamentals of marketing are taught and supplemented by practical experience of case studies, industry visits, presentations and summer placements. A well structured BBA program develops a student’s intellectual and managerial skills and helps in nurturing leadership qualities and trains them to be future leaders.

Eligibility: Though eligibility criteria might differ from one institute to the other, most institutes accept students who have passed 10 2 in any stream and have obtained 50% marks in average.

Scope after BBA: The determining factor of choosing BBA over B.Com is a job in the field of management or shaping your career as an entrepreneur. So, the most obvious step after BBA is MBA or Masters in Business Administration.

A BBA degree by itself might fetch you a job at the entry level, but will not provide you with enough growth opportunities unless you follow it up with an MBA from an institute of repute.

Armed with a BBA degree, getting through some of the top B schools in the country should be a smoother one compared to others, though ofcourse cracking the CAT is a different game altogether.

MBA courses are much advanced compared to BBA programs, but now that you have your fundamentals clear at the undergraduate level, your MBA program should be much simpler.

BBA also enables you to get a job as a trainee or even as a junior executive in the fields of marketing, HR or finance. Industry experience will also give you the much needed exposure and a work experience certificate which is almost mandatory for pursuing MBA degrees in some of the top MBA schools in India.

Industries offering jobs to BBA graduates:

BBA graduates can seek job openings in the following sectors:

• Banking
• Consultancy
• Finance
• FMCG and Consumer Durable companies
• IT companies
• Advertising agencies

What is B.Com

Bachelor of Commerce or B.Com is a fundamental stream of study after class 12 in India like Bachelor or Science (BSc) or Bachelor of Arts (BA). B.Com is a three year degree course taught in most universities across India. A B.Com degree equips a student with fundamentals and concepts on Accountancy, Business Administration, Finance, Economics and Industrial Policies.

Eligibility: A student who has passed 10 2 in commerce or in science stream can pursue B.Com as an undergraduate degree. However, he or she should have Mathematics as one of the core subjects.

Scope after B.Com: B.Com is and always has been a lucrative career option among students. It is the first big step for students who wish to pursue careers in Finance, Taxation and Accountancy. It is the basic qualification required for students who want to pursue a career as CA / ICWA / CS. After completing your B.Com, a student can further his academic qualification by doing an M.Com from a recognized university. MCom is a postgraduate degree of 2 years and will enable a student to even qualify for lectureship exams like UGC NET/JRF or even state level exams. Though B.Com is not a professional course, yet if you complete your B.Com from a reputed university, you also have the option for good placement in various industries.

You can even do your MBA after B.Com and specialize in finance, if you still want to be remotely connected with commerce and you are good with numbers.

Industries offering jobs to B.Com students:

• Banks
• Consultancy firms
• Tax Practitioner
• Junior Accountant

Difference Between BBA and B.Com

Now comes the most important part, the difference between the two courses. If you are good at numbers or financial computations, then your aim should be that of a Chartered Accountant or CA. It is an extremely specialized area and a B.Com degree is the first step towards achieving that goal.

On the other hand, if you are sure that you want to pursue a career in management, then BBA is a good alternative, though you can still pursue your MBA after B.Com. However, you can get good work experience after completing your BBA in areas of your interest.

If you are planning to start your professional career immediately after class 12, BBA is a good choice as it is a professional course compared to B.Com which is a stream in the general line.

B.Com is offered in some of the more prestigious universities and colleges in India like Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) Delhi, Loyola College (Chennai), St Xavier's College (Kolkata), Presidency College (Chennai), Symbiosis Society's College of Arts & Commerce (Pune), and St Xaviers Mumbai.

BBA is offered in fewer universities compared to BCom, though many universities have started with BBA or BBS courses. Some of the colleges and universities offering BBA courses are University of Mumbai, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University or IP University, Delhi, Bharti Vidya Peeth, Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg, Deemed Univ , Jamia Hamdard, Symbiosis Pune, Barkatullah University , Bhopal, Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, Banasthali Vidyapeeth, University of Rajasthan.

Along with the option of pursing MBA, a B.Com will open doors for other commerce related careers as well.

B.Com	BBA
Traditional Course and has been in vogue since ages	Professional course and relatively new compared to BCom
Good for students who love numbers and financial accounting	Though quantitative skills are necessary, yet a student should also be good in communication skills and have strong leadership qualities
Compulsory for students wanting to do CA/ICWA	BBA will clear some fundamental concepts in management and though not a prerequisite for MBA, a course in BBA will help you in the initial stages
High percentage in 10 2 is required for getting admission in the top colleges	On an average 50% is required at the 10 2 level and you need to appear for entrance exams.
BCom degree will offer jobs of accountant, auditor, analysts	BBA can offer jobs as management trainees in various fields like marketing and sales, finance, HR