B.Sc vs B.Com vs BA: Which is Better?

Among the vast variety of degrees that are offered in colleges across India, BA, B.Com, and B.Sc are some of the commonly opted by aspirants. All three, i.e. Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce, and Bachelor of Science are three completely different degrees, offering a completely different combination of courses, resulting in career opportunities altogether different from each other.

In this article, we will talk about the differences and similarities between the three degrees and what the three degrees compared to each other. You can check out the basic eligibility criteria, course structure, types of courses combinations, and much more through the article.

Highlights of B.Sc, B.Com, and BA Degrees

Check out the highlights of BA, B.Com and B.Sc degrees that are offered in India.

About Bachelor of Arts (BA)

The Bachelor of Arts (BA), is a non-professional degree that offers undergraduate education to aspirants in different fields. BA colleges in India offer the course as a three-year undergraduate programme which can be pursued as a Honours, General, or a Pass course.

In India, the degree is combined with a subject or topic of the aspirants’ choice, mostly in fields such as Liberal Arts, Social Sciences, Humanities, etc. It is among the top most-opted degrees in the country as well. As part of the BA curriculum, students are to study 5 compulsory subjects in combination with elective subjects, chosen from the subject pool of the university.

Many students across India opt to pursue higher studies in different disciplines such as in a Master of Arts (MA) course, MBA, LLB, B.Ed, and other degrees/courses that offer admissions to BA graduates. The curriculum in most BA Colleges in India requires students to undertake research opportunities, enhance their analytical and critical thinking abilities as well as their communication skills.

About Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com)

Along with BA, B.Com or Bachelor of Commerce has been a popularly opted course across India. With its incredibly lucrative and secured career prospects, especially in the government sector, students opt for B.Com.

Like BA, B.Com is also a 3-year undergraduate course offered in various B.Com colleges across the nation. The Bachelor of Commerce course has been designed to train and qualify the students on the different aspects of commerce, finance and banking. Along with focusing on subjects such as Accounting, Commerce, Economics, Finance, B.Com students will also explore subjects in Marketing, Human Resources and much more.

Commerce colleges across India offer B.Com in two different degrees, i.e. B.Com (Hons) and B.Com or also known as B.Com General or B.Com Pass. The following for either of the degrees are equally high, however, for B.Com (Hons) students must have cleared Mathematics as a compulsory subject in the qualifying exam.

About Bachelor of Science (B.Sc)

Among the various undergraduate courses, colleges in India offer a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) degree as well. Unlike BA and B.Com, a B.Sc degree is usually conducted for a duration of four years. The 4-year degree is highly research-oriented, encouraging students to go over and above the curriculum subjects and topics to enhance their grasp over their course.

Like BA, students can pursue a range of subjects and specialisations in different Pure Sciences, Allied Sciences, and Allied Medical/Paramedical Sciences. The curriculum of a B.Sc course comprises 6 semesters of theoretical and practical exposure to the specialisation. However, the last few months of the course is spent through hands-on training through internships, if the course calls for one. Each college will define the curriculum for the course depending on the rules and regulations stipulated by the government.

Depending on the B.Sc course opted by the student, a B.Sc degree can be highly research-oriented or career-oriented. For instance, Pure Science courses are research-oriented, meanwhile, allied medical or paramedical science courses are career-specific. The career prospects for B.Sc degree graduates are high as specialised professionals in different fields are in dearth in the country.

Eligibility Criteria: B.Sc vs B.Com vs BA

One of the major areas where the three degrees differ the most is the eligibility criteria required to take admissions to any one of the UG colleges in India. All three degrees require different skill sets and academic qualifications in order to be enrolled in one of the courses. Here are the differences in eligibility criteria between the three degrees.

NOTE- Many B.Com College prefers students with a background in Commerce.

Admission Process: B.Sc vs B.Com vs BA

Being home to over a billion people with a large portion of the population comprising of young individuals at the age of consuming education, various admission methodologies and techniques are opted by colleges and universities across India. For all three degrees, students will be asked to comply with certain admission regulations and processes in order to facilitate fair admissions among the students.

In India, there are two commonly opted methods of shortlisting and selecting candidates for admissions, which include selection through Entrance Test Scores or Merit-based. Along with these, based on the admission policy of the college offering the course, the candidates may be asked to sit through other selection processes as well, which commonly includes a personal interview and/or group discussion.

Check out the different admission processes valid for the three degrees below.

Entrance-Based Admissions

In India, there are three levels of entrance exams conducted for admissions to various courses, especially for engineering and medical courses, which include National Level Entrance Exams, State-Level Entrance Exams, and University-level entrance exams.

The three levels of entrance exams indicate the applicability of scores among the colleges of India. In other words, scores obtained in a National Level entrance exam will be applicable across different colleges in the country, meanwhile, state-level entrance exams will be applicable to particular states. Similarly, university-level entrance tests scores will be applicable in colleges and institutions affiliated or constituent of the university itself. It is important to note, for both National and State-level entrance tests, a competent authority will name the colleges where the scores are applicable.

For B.Sc degree mainly, colleges and universities will offer admissions based on the scores obtained in an entrance examination at either state-level or University level. However, many B.com and BA colleges in India also offer admissions based on the scores obtained by aspirants in the University-level entrance exam.

For State-Level entrance exams and certain University level entrance exams, candidates will be asked to sit through a counselling session or a wait for the merit lists to be released by the competent authority. As per Counselling Session and Merit List trends, shortlisted candidates will be offered a seat in a course and college based on their ranks or scores obtained in the exams.

Meanwhile, a few universities conduct entrance exams as the basis of calculating the merit of the students. In other words, to level the playing field, all aspirants are required to sit for an entrance exam, which along with their past academic performance will lead to enrolment into the course and college of the aspirants’ choice.

Merit-Based Admissions

Under merit-based admissions, Universities/Colleges/Institutes offer admissions based on purely the merit of the candidates using different parameters. These parameters mostly comprise of the past academic record of the candidate along with their performance in a personal interview and/or a group discussion.

Merit-Based admissions are usually followed for the selection of candidates for BA courses mostly, however, few colleges and universities also offer admissions to B.Sc and B.Com courses as well under merit-based admissions.

As stated above, Colleges and universities offering admissions in the degrees under merit usually use the past academic performance of the candidate, their performance in a personal interview and/or group discussion along with other parameters which will be dictated by the college in concern.

Prior to applying to any college or university in either of the degrees, i.e. B.Sc, B.Com or BA, candidates are advised to go through the admission processes and policies of the concerned college.

Career and Future Prospects: B.Sc vs B.Com vs BA

The career scope after pursuing either of the three degrees is immense across India and globally. Depending on the subject or specialisation that they choose, the career prospect of a graduate of any of the degrees will vary. Check out the degree-wise career scope as outlined below.

Career and Future Prospects of B.Sc

As stated above, B.Sc programmes can either be pursued for higher education or career prospects. B.Sc in Pure Science and certain Allied Health Science courses are research-oriented programmes, meanwhile, most B.Sc Allied Health Science courses are career-oriented.

For instance, B.Sc in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, etc are programmes designed for a research-oriented career path. Meanwhile, B.Sc in Nursing, Optometry, Ophthalmology and others, are career-oriented programmes. Depending on the course that you choose, your careers prospects will vary and yield different career paths and growth opportunities.

Many B.Sc graduates also end up pursuing higher education at PG and doctoral level as well. This opens up a large number of career opportunities in the field of research and education. Moreover, the annual packages and the positions that are offered to a B.Sc graduate with a PG degree are higher as well.

Those who graduate from any one of the B.Sc degree programmes will be able to pursue a career path with an initial annual package ranging between ₹2,00,000 - ₹4,00,000. Again, the salary and benefits shall vary depending on the fields chosen by the candidate as well as the place of employment and employee position.

Career and Future Prospects of B.Com

One can say that the career prospects of a B.Com graduate would be better than that of a BA or B.Sc graduate. However, that is not the case, as the competition, you would face after graduating B.Com would be comparatively higher than the other two degrees.

As stated above, B.Com graduates are offered lucrative opportunities and career paths in different sectors. With the help of clearing various State-level recruitment exams, B.Com graduates will be able to pursue a Government Job that offers a profitable career. In the private sector, for those who graduate B.Com, especially from a B.Com specialisation, the career prospects are equally good.

Apart from pursuing a career, B.Com graduates will also be able to pursue higher education in different fields as well. Some of the popular higher education choices include M.Com, MBA, LLB, B.Ed, etc. Pursuing such courses will open career opportunities in new fields such as law, management and teaching.

After graduating B.Com, candidates will be able to pursue a career path that offers an annual package ranging between ₹2,50,000 - ₹6,00,000. Inevitably, the salary will vary and be dependent on various factors such as employment sector, job profile and the skills and knowledge of the candidate.

Career and Future Prospects of BA

In India, a Bachelor of Arts graduate usually opts for higher education, as the trends suggest. A BA graduate will be able to pursue a wide range of higher education courses in different fields ranging from management, law, journalism and mass communication, arts and humanities.

Being a research-oriented degree, BA graduates usually opt for a skill-based or professional course at the postgraduate level. Among the options available to the students, trends suggest LLB, MBA, PGDM and B.Ed have been the most commonly chosen courses after BA. Many students also Opt for MA programmes as well, following which students opt for Doctoral programmes as well.

Depending on the specialisation chosen by the candidate will determine the career path, scope and growth opportunities as well. If you pursue higher education, your value as a prospective candidate automatically increases due to the additional educational qualifications and skills obtained as well.

A BA graduate with an apt PG degree will be able to grab a job profile with an annual package ranging between ₹2,50,000 - ₹6,00,000. However, if you wish to pursue a career right after graduating from BA, then depending on the specialisation you graduated in, you may be able to earn anywhere between ₹1,50,000 - ₹4,00,000 a year.

And thus, these are some of the major differences between pursuing the three degrees. The career opportunities, areas of employment, fields of specialisation, eligibility requirements, academic skill requirement, skill and professional development are all different under the three degrees.

If you are interested in pursuing any one of the degrees, i.e. B.Sc, B.Com or BA, then you may fill out the Common Application Form available on our website and apply for a college of your choice.

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