What next after B.Com?
Most of you, if you haven’t yet decided the area of study to make your career in would be perplexed to choose their future roadmap. Most students like millions in the country end up pursuing a MBA, without giving a second thought. As a third year commerce student recently put it while communicating with me, “It is a safe bet”. Yes, it is a “safe bet” but with “conditions” attached! Most students ignore these “conditions” & choose to look at the rosy side of the picture. In today’s competitive world we need to be a bit more pragmatic rather than following the “herd mentality”
Have you thought of alternative career opportunities, other than a MBA?
What if you don’t score good grades in the entrance exams? What if the college which you are able to get isn’t one of the top colleges in the neighborhood? Does your college run a MBA program which is AICTE (All India Council of Technical Education) recognized? What has been the placement record & what is the average package been offered to the alumni? – All these questions make a student perplexed. All they have thought about is to pursue a MBA! Do you have a “Plan B?” if Plan A doesn’t work?
A career in the banking sector – Plan B
As most students grapple with the questions listed above, I would like to share with you an alternative career opportunity for those who are keen to make a career in the banking sector. The banking sector, for long, has been the “blue eyed” boy of the financial services sector in India. A bank job brings with itself career growth, financial stability, social prestige etc.
Most of us, in India, would jump to an opportunity to make a career in the Banking sector & would start our preparations to crack the competitive exams conducted by IBPS (Institute for Banking Personnel Selection). The “traditional mechanism” is as follows – IBPS conducts exams for public sector banks & regional rural banks across India. These exams are based on a MCQ mode with negative markings for every wrong answer. They in turn would conduct personal interviews of those who successfully clear the written exams. As far as the private sector is concerned, they have their own exams – MCQ pattern, group discussion & personal interview.
Whether it is the public sector or the private sector, the exams are competitive in nature & require a lot of hard work & preparations. However, there is an “alternative mechanism” to get an entry in the private sector banks, by pursuing a Post Graduate Certification in Banking (PGCB)
PGCB, what is it?
A PGCB is an alternative route available for those who are keen to make a career in the banking/NBFC sector. PGCB (A Banking Course after Graduation)is an autonomous certification offered by institutes who want to bridge the gap between the “expectations of the industry” & “what is taught in the class”. The program is a part time classroom training program focusing on banking topics, wealth management & other products, soft skills & overall grooming. Those students who successfully clear the examinations & the interview are placed with either a private sector bank or a NBFC.
To conclude
PGCB is a good alternative career opportunity, for those who are keen to make a career in the banking sector. So, before you sign up for any professional program, after your graduation, make sure you answer the question, “What If…” Always have a Plan B in place.
