Commerce with Maths vs. Commerce without Maths: Which One is Better?

Introduction: Commerce With or Without Maths

Commerce students may not be required to take Mathematics as a core subject, but they cannot completely avoid mathematical thinking. Subjects like Accountancy demand strong arithmetic skills and analytical ability, while Business Studies and Economics require logical reasoning and critical thinking. Economics, in particular, includes a significant Statistics component.

That said, in the PUC Commerce stream, subjects like Mathematics, Statistics, and Economics are often offered as electives. Students can still pursue a wide range of successful college programmes and career paths even if they choose not to take these subjects, depending on their interests and goals. In this blog, we will explore which is better – Commerce with or without Maths.

Which Is Better – Commerce With Or Without Maths?

Available Course Combinations

In PUC, Business Studies and Accountancy are compulsory subjects.

 Students can choose two elective subjects from the following options – 

The elective options and course combinations vary between colleges. Further, even if the course combination is available, a student’s eligibility will be determined by the minimum cutoff marks and seat availability in the college. Most colleges offer at least one course combination without Mathematics. 

Criteria For Choosing Maths In Commerce

Students with the following qualities should consider choosing Mathematics in commerce – 

• Enjoy solving problems and abstract thinking.
• Have good numerical aptitude.
• Want to work in fields such as finance, banking, or business management.
• Have good scores in 9^th and 10th-grade Mathematics. 

Criteria For Not Choosing Maths In Commerce

• Students who are uninterested in the subject or lack strong mathematical skills.
• The college programme after PUC does not require Maths as a compulsory subject in PUC.
• Students who feel that they have better chances of scoring higher marks by dropping Mathematics. 

Entrance Exams That Require Mathematics

Many competitive entrance exams test the quantitative skills and logical reasoning ability of students. Although Maths may not be an eligibility criterion for signing up for these exams, the syllabus will be based on PUC Mathematics. Some important entrance exams are – 

• The CA Foundation Exam for the Chartered Accountancy certification course is conducted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). 
• Common Aptitude Test (CAT) for MBA programmes in India
• Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) for MBA programmes in foreign universities.
• Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) for graduate and postgraduate courses in foreign universities. 
• Common University Entrance Test (CUET) for some college programmes in central universities, such as B.Com (Financial Markets), B.Com (Hons), B.Com (Accounting and Taxation), etc. 

Courses That Require Maths Vs. Don’t Require Maths

College courses that require Maths as a compulsory subject

• B.Com specialisations such as –
  • Finance & Accounting
  • Banking & Finance
  • Business Analytics
  • Corporate Accounting
  • International Finance
  • Risk Management
  • Strategic Finance
• B. A. Economics (Honours)
• Bachelor of Business Administration / Management Studies (BBA/BMS) (PUC Maths is compulsory for these courses at some colleges)
  • Logistics & Supply Chain Management
  • Corporate Finance
  • Finance & Business Analytics
• B. Sc. (Finance / Statistics / Data Science)

College courses that do not require Maths as a compulsory subject – 

• Bachelor of Hotel Management (BHM)
• Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA) (PUC Maths is compulsory for this course at some colleges)
• B. Com 
• BMS
  • Tourism & Hospitality Management
  • Branding & Entrepreneurship
  • International Marketing
  • International Business
  • Digital Business
  • Event Management
• Bachelor of Journalism & Mass Communication (BJMC)
• Bachelor of Mass Media (BMM)
• B. Com LLB

Career Scope With Vs. Without Maths In Commerce

Career scope with Maths in Commerce

• Chartered Accountancy
• Actuary
• Investment Banking
• Data Analyst 
• Economist
• Certified Management Accountant
• Financial Market Analyst
• Banking
• Derivatives Trader
• Stockbroker

Career scope without Maths in Commerce

• Management – Human Resource, Marketing, Business Development, Product Manager
• Company Secretary
• Lawyer
• Public Relations
• Advertising
• Journalism/ Mass Communication
• Hotel Management
• Retail Management
• Digital Marketing

Verdict: Commerce With Maths Vs. Commerce Without Maths

Students who have opted for mathematics in Commerce are eligible to pursue any of the courses that students who haven’t opted for Maths.

Although the entry requirement may not have Maths, the syllabus covered in PUC is studied in several college programmes, especially in business management, finance and accounts, and capital markets-related fields. 

The quantitative aptitude section of all competitive exams for Commerce students is based on the PUC syllabus. 

Students appear for these exams right after the 12^th board exams for professional certification and undergraduate programmes. It is easier to study the core concepts simultaneously for both exams.

How to decide?