What are the best post-graduation courses for a commerce graduate in India?
Thinking of postgraduation and career after graduating in a commerce background is not as streamlined as it used to be a few years ago. Times have changed and no longer the only successful pathway for a commerce graduate is a CA credential or M.Com.
The new age beckons the beginning of diversity. In addition to varied career fields, there has been a significant spurt in the popularity of post graduation courses for commerce. Now we will dive into the deep ocean of options: Options for diverse career goals and paths as post graduate courses leading to them.
Traditional/ Conventional Roads
Traditionally the courses that were considered perfect or tailor-made for commerce graduates were:
- Chartered Accountant has been the most revered title for most since the past few decades but with the increased popularity and competition, it struggles to bear the stretch.
- Masters of Commerce M.Com is the most apt path for individuals who are interested in the theoretical underpinnings of the subject and want to pursue careers in research and academia.
- Masters in Business Administration is another course that commerce graduates find interesting when they want to step into management and business administration and developmental practices. However, for most graduates the concern with an MBA is the 2-year duration and hefty fees that this course demands.
- Masters in Sciences MSC in Accounting and Finance is another course that research and academia enthusiasts usually look for, but the shortcoming here is that this course is primarily offered by universities outside India.
New Age Roads
The changing and constantly evolving nature of the economy and thus its demands has given rise to newer type of courses like:
- Postgraduate Diploma in Risk management PGDRM. This is becoming one of the most sought post graduate courses for commerce graduates who want to step into the domain of leadership and management. The 1-year PGDRM programme offered by GRMI covers subjects such as financial risk management, cybersecurity, ESG, third-party risk management, data privacy, IT risk management, corporate governance, strategic risk and more. The faculty are industry-experts and veterans who bring their expertise to the class. GRMI holds a 97% placement track record with median CTC of INR 9.25 LPA, with alumni making strides in the risk domain across top consulting firms!
- Chartered Financial Accountant: It is an international counterpart of Chartered Accountant designation in India. Its main reason for high demand is its international recognition.
What will be best?
The confusion in choosing between traditional/ conventional and upcoming new age courses is a typical and complex one, we can break and solve it down.
The simplest argument will be that traditional courses give you a stamp of standard, a general social acceptance, but new age post graduation courses for commerce graduates impart you with skills that are needed for a job role, also making you prepared for the current job market. Moreover, the new age courses help your resume stand apart in the hiring process.
Conclusion
There has been an up incline in the availability of diverse post graduation programs for commerce graduates, from PGDRM to CFA being the top ones and many more. PGDRM from GRMI is an example of the rise in specialization and skill-based education.
Even though it is a difficult task to start something new, choosing a unique career path with leap of faith are those that lead to the most staggering achievements.