Over 50 percent applications in Bengaluru PU Colleges are for commerce. Here's why

Bengaluru students are seen to find commerce a safer stream to choose as there is anxiety with regard to the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test for Medical and Engineering courses 
Students choosing Commerce over Science
Students choosing Commerce over Science

Anxious that they might not bag a seat in professional courses as there would be national level entrance exams for both engineering and medical courses from the year to come, Bengaluru students find Commerce a fail-safe option to consider.

Pre-University Colleges in the City are flooded with applications and the demand for commerce seats has only been on the rise say college staff. 16-year-old Spoorthi R S aspired to study MBBS and further pursue Neurology. However, she finds Commerce a better option now. For many other students like her, the fear of whether they would bag an all India quota seat has forced them to chose commerce.

"Karnataka might have one of the highest numbers of colleges for medical and engineering. However, with the introduction of the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test, I am unsure if I can bag a seat. We believe that a similar common entrance exam would be introduced for engineering as well. It might be challenging," she says. Many other students like Spoorthi express similar anxiety when they visit colleges for counseling prior to the admissions, says college authorities. Pallavi, Principal, Sindhu PU College says that out of the 600 applications that the college has received, at least 60 percent are for commerce.

PU trends: Commerce seats are in great demand

"When I meet students they often tell me that getting seats in medical and engineering is likely to get tougher in the years to come and hence, they prefer commerce. Only those with a firm mind to get into premier institutes in the country or those wanting to pursue research are opting for science combinations," Pallavi explains. Combinations such as Computer Science, Statistics, Business Studies and Accountancy and Computer Science, Economics, Business Studies, and Accountancy are most sought after by students.

Pallavi opines that availability of jobs in plenty is yet another reason for the increasing demand for commerce. "Parents and students who come for counseling often ask us what the next 10 years would look like professionally if they pursued a certain course. Unlike the previous years, there are very few queries on options for higher education. The focus is on getting quick jobs," she adds.

When I meet students they often tell me that getting seats in medical and engineering is likely to get tougher in the years to come and hence, they prefer commerce...

Pallavi, Principle of  Sindhu PU College

Consider this. At MES College, a pre-University college known best for its science courses, out of 8,000 applications that they have received, over 3,000 are for commerce. Dr. L Ramu, principal, MES Main College says the cut off per cent could be as high as 94 for commerce as there has been a growing demand for the course. "We witnessed this trend last year as well. There has been a greater demand for commerce," he added. Dr. Ramu explains that as not all students are aware that a certain percent of seats are reserved for Karnataka students, there might be a lot of fear. Besides, he says that as the standard of education is better in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, students here might fear their chances of getting a seat in the all India quota.

 We witnessed this trend last year as well. There has been a greater demand for commerce

Dr L Ramu, Principal of MES Main College

Sukumar Rai, a parent who came to seek admission in the college for his son believes that studying medicine is no easy task. "To begin with, they will have to take the common entrance exam. We are also unsure if they would be mandated to do rural service. On the other hand, commerce paves way for a lot of opportunities. One can consider a post graduate management course as well," he says.

In government colleges as well, commerce seats see a great demand. A senior staff member from the Government PU College for Girls, Malleshwaram said that better job assurance and early returns are the reasons students state. Combinations with computer science are most sought after according to the staff member.

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