B.COM VS BCA- Which one is right for you?
After Class 12, a student is faced with the major dilemma of choosing a suitable degree course for themselves. They have to choose the course based a number of factors ranging from their interest to the future prospects offered by that particular course. Nowadays, students are not restricted to their course of study which they had opted for in Class 11 and 12 and can choose to change their stream to almost anything else. Two of the most popular courses offered by colleges and universities across the country are B.Com and BCA. Both these courses can be approached by students of any stream, however, in some cases, a few restrictions apply. Here we will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of both the courses to help students make an informed choice and so that they can proceed on their chosen career path with confidence. Bachelor of Commerce (B.COM) Bachelor of Commerce or B.com, as it is popularly known, is a very popular course of study today. It is offered by almost all the colleges and universities of India. One can pursue B.com after successfully completing the 10+2, as B.com is a three-year degree course. Admission is taken at the discretion of the colleges, either one has to sit for an entrance exam or through their Class 12 marks. B.Com includes corporate accounting, financial accounting, auditing, related laws, mathematics, financial management, security analysis, portfolio management, marketing, organizational behavior, taxes and so on. It is a centered around Mathematics, so one should have a very strong background in maths to be able to pursue and complete this course successfully. B.Com is a very rewarding course. It opens out several lucrative job prospects. Many B.com students go on to prepare and sit for CA or Chartered Accounting exams. Many go on to study further and pursue MCom. Others still sit for the bank or clerk exams. Another popular option that students opt for is MBA after B.Com. Fresh graduates can even get jobs as accountants. Therefore, B.Com is a great career choice for those interested in this field and especially those who have a flair for Mathematics. Bachelors in Computer Application (BCA) Bachelors of Computer Administration is a professional three-year degree course, offered by several reputed institutes. A BCA course can be pursued by anyone from any background after the successful completion of their 10+2 exams. Many universities, however, conduct internal entrance exams for admission to this course. Mathematics may also be a requirement levied by some universities as an eligibility to get admission to this course. BCA is a computer-centric course. It is often considered to be at par with a B.tech degree. Computer programing languages like Java, C/C++, FoxPro, Visual Basic are a part of the curriculum of BCA, as well as Linux Shell programming, code construction, logic construction, and software development. Hence, it is preferred if the student has a background in computer science, as it would help in grasping the concept in a faster and better manner. After successfully completing BCA, a student can go on to pursue MCA. There will also be several job opportunities available to the students by the IT firms like Wipro. We can, therefore, see that between the two courses, B.Com seems to be a better option if the student wants to keep his options open in a variety of fields. After graduation, he’ll be able to consider joining any one of these varied fields. However, BCA is good for students who want to pursue a computer-related career. It also has many options but they are not as varied as those offered by B.com. It is up to the student to decide what he is really interested in and what he wants to pursue later in life. If someone is not very sure, then it is advisable to take up B.Com as he can switch to a variety of streams later. BCA is appropriate for those who have clearly decided they want to pursue a career related to computer software. Another thing to keep in mind is that BCA as not as widely offered as B.com and it is relatively more expensive than the latter. Hence, it is very important to take these factors into consideration, before deciding upon a set career course.