St. Joseph's College of Commerce B.Com Review By Rohit Kabra

Established in the year 1972 as an independent identity, St. Joseph’s College of Commerce is one of the prime institutions in Bangalore. In 2004, it was made an autonomous institution and is one of the earliest institutions to attain autonomy in the state. The college offers undergraduate and post-graduate education. It has received an A grade accreditation by NAAC. The institution was named as ‘College with potential for excellence’ in the year 2010 by UGC. It is one of the highest-ranked colleges in the country for commerce education. Ever since its inception, the college has strived to be a state-of-the-art commerce education institution. The institution not only helps students pursue academic excellence but also build a value-centered perspective and character formation for holistic development as individuals. I pursued Bachelor of Commerce at the institution from 2014-2017.

Admissions for the B.Com program are based on merit and all eligible candidates can apply. Further, there will be an entrance test and an interview to understand students’ interest and understanding. There is also a sports quota for admissions in this college for state and national level players. The only problem is with the fees. It’s slightly on the higher side and I wish that management do something about it.

The curriculum is well-designed to accumulate both theoretical and practical knowledge. It might seem heavy at first, but it is effective in giving a better understanding and prepares us for future jobs. The classes are interactive and engaging. College timings are good and we used to have only about four hours a day in the last year. This allowed us to pursue internships or other courses hand-in-hand. There used to be an internal assessment, mid-term exams, and end-semester exams every year.

The college has made it compulsory to pursue internships so that students get good exposure to the work environment and gain practical knowledge. The college ensures that the students who find it difficult to perform well academically are given special attention. The college fee may seem a little expensive in comparison with other colleges. However, the facilities and the quality of education we are provided with are worth it. There are plenty of scholarships offered by the college for merit and economically deprived students. However a lot is still left to be done because fees of the college is on the higher side.

The institution has a well-experienced, highly-qualified faculty. They are supportive and are always ready to help out students who seek more academic help. The faculty imparts in-depth knowledge by giving real-life examples. They are easily approachable and I have had some insightful conversations with them. Most of them are friendly and have a good relationship with students. They are impactful in making us resourceful professionals and have success in our careers.

The college holds conferences with several experts from the industry to provide useful insights and prepare us for the future.

The placement cell is active on the campus. The college provides essential guidance to appear in recruitment including communication skills and building a robust CV. The institution attracts several major recruiters to its campus. Some of the common recruiters on the campus include Goldman Sachs, EY, KPMG, TCS, and Deloitte among others.

The average salary package offered on the campus is about Rs. 4.5 lakhs per annum. The highest salary offering was about Rs. 13 lakhs per annum. There are extensive internship programs provided by the college placement cells from the second year itself. The stipend on these internships depends on the job and the company. The alumni network is exceptional in this college.

The hostel facility is limited for boys and not available for girls. Hostels are well-maintained and tidy. The food provided was good and hygienic. The hostels have a strict time curfew. They turned a hostel into an auditorium and thus, hostel facilities are sparse in this college. However, the college is located in a prime location in Bangalore. Hence, it is easier to find apartments, bachelor rooms, or paying guest facilities around the college.

I shared an apartment with my classmates and it was quite affordable. All essential amenities are located nearby the college. Still one will have to say that accommodation in Bangalore is little costly and hence people who are not economically sound avoid taking admission in the college. Bangalore University Hostel is a good option for the outsiders as it is cheap, near the college and also has some good facilities.

The infrastructure of the college is abundant. There are constant renovations and upgradations brought to the infrastructure to stay on course with improving technology and facilities. The classrooms are spacious and are equipped with audio-visual aids. There are both online and offline libraries with a vast collection of reference books and textbooks. The computer labs are well-furnished and are equipped with modern software and hardware. There is a Wi-Fi facility across the campus. There are two big auditoriums for conducting several events and activities. There is a boardroom and conference hall in the college.

The sports facilities are great on the campus too. There is a basketball court, football field, gymnasium, volleyball court on the campus. The college has gained a reputation for its sports teams across the nation. There is a canteen within the campus that offers decent food at good prices. The medical facilities on the campus are great and very responsive. College has taken care that students participate in sports and therefore they keep bringing the new sporting equipment on regular basis.

The campus is located in the heart of the city and is easily accessible from all over the city. The campus is a happening place all-year-round with several cultural, management, sports, and educational activities in place. Kalotsav, Cipher, Chanakya, and Dhwani are some of the main events that are conducted on the campus. The institution encourages its students to take part in these events to explore their interests apart from academics. The campus has a great crowd with students from different parts of the country and the world studying here. The college has a strict policy against ragging, discrimination, and harassment. There are active gender-equality, anti-ragging, and harassment cells on the campus. There is also an active student body to raise concerns and issues to the administration. Our seniors helped us with academics and career guidance.

The campus has made the best use of technology, while also taking measures to go greener. The premises are clean and well maintained. It is a great place for socializing and interacting with individuals who share similar interests. Several workshops are held every year to expose us to current happenings in the industry. Numerous organizations come forward to provide scholarships and benefits to students who are in need, including free food on the campus. The college organizes several social outreach programs, which are great for giving back to society. The institution has international collaborations for improved skill development, value-added education, and teaching-learning methods.