If you are a +2 graduate thinking of pursuing further studies in the management stream, there are lots of programmes available for you.

In Nepal, Management is the second-most sought after career in higher education, after Education, as it prepares students to take up managerial responsibilities in every sector. The education provides students with managerial and entrepreneurial skills, leadership qualities and problem- solving abilities. The management-stream choices in the bachelor’s level include Bachelor in Business Administration (BBA), Bachelor in Business Studies, Bachelor in Hotel Management, Bachelor in Information Management, Bachelor in Travels and Tourism Management, and Bachelor in Event Management, among others. However, among management students, the BBA is the most preferred course, which was introduced in the country some 15 years ago.

With the restoration of democracy 1990, Nepal adopted liberal economic polices that accelerated the pace of the establishment of industries, banks, insurance companies and large business complexes. The increase in the number of commercial entities also increased the demand for qualified managers who could lead both a business institution’s administrative and business activities together. The credit for introducing BBA in Nepal should go to Kathmandu University. In 1997, the increasing demand for qualified management professionals spurred KU to introduce BBA courses in the country. To provide studentswith a degree that would sell well not only in Nepal but also abroad, KU introduced the 120-credit-hour course, which is the most preferred managerial course globally.

The success gained by KU led Pokhara University to include a BBA programme from the very beginning of its operation in 2000, and that was followed by Tribhuvan University’s joining in (TU) in 2002. Similarly, the BBA and MBA were the programmes that the Purbanchal University started its service with. At present, there are over 70 colleges -38 under Pokhara University, 18 under TU, three under KU and the remaining under Purbachal University-that are offering the programme with the affiliation from the four universities. Similarly, there are dozens of colleges that are teaching the subject with affiliations from different universities from India, the UK and Australia. At present, around four thousand students can get enrolled in BBA colleges across the country.

The BBA programme aims to prepare students to become competent, skilled, confident and socially responsive professionals who can effectively take on managerial, entrepreneurial and leadership roles in business es and social organisations in today’s competitive environment. It offers a wide range of concentrations and elective courses to match the students’ individual interests that align with the demands of the market. With proper academic and course planning, students can take advantages of specialisations in two functional areas (administration and business ) of management within the same time period.

To cater to the students’ needs, many colleges have started tailoring their curriculum to keep up with the changing market. According to Kanal Regmi, principal of Nobel College, Kathmandu, the college’s BBA programe provides students with an opportunity for learning, gaining exposure and networking through its internship programme, which make them competent before they venture into the job market. In addition, unlike in many other courses, the students from the BBA faculty can easily transfer credits to foreign colleges, which is not easily achievable with other programmes. The other factor that makes this college’s programme highly sought is that students from all other faculties can also take the course.  

Nepali students have also started opting for a BBA degree because most BBA programmes have a very respectable graduation rate. While the pass rate for the other faculties is hardly 40 percent, the success rate of the BBA programme is above 80 percent in all the universities. Unlike other programmes, most BBA programmes start their academic sessions on the designated start dates, and follow up with timely exams, whose results are published on time too. Similarly, there are ample job opportunities for the BBA graduate.

“A BBA graduate with good marks never has to worry about finding a job,” says KP Panta, principal of Rajdhani College, adding that the entrepreneur skills taught in the programme also helps those that would rather start a business of their own.

The BBA encompass both theoretical and practical knowledge. It’s an applied course that aims to prepare manpower capable of handling mid-level managerial work. The programme usually includes general business courses and advanced courses for specific concentrations. Some of the areas of specialisation in the BBA are Marketing, Finance and Accounting, among others. Furthermore, it is an academic programme that offers a job-oriented curriculum, which integrates various disciplines from the social sciences, mathematics, management and information technology.

The degree also offers enough breadth in complementary academic subjects to prepare students to function effectively in complex organisations, small to medium enterprises or the public sector. The four-year graduation timeframe also helps the students to accumulate a total of 16 years of schooling, which is the minimum number of years that students need to have under their belt if they want to join a master’s programme in universities abroad. The eight-semester programme under the affiliation of four universities within the country cost from Rs 260,000 to Rs 500,000, depending upon the colleges and universities they are affiliated with, while the colleges under foreign affiliation charge from Rs 0.6 to 1.5 million for the four years programme.

Eligibility required for joining a BBA programme
a) Prospective students should have completed 12 years of schooling or its equivalent, with at least second-division marks from any university, board or institution recognised by TU.

b) Prospective students need to pass a written test: the CMAT (Central Management Admission Test), conducted by the Dean’s Office under the Faculty of Management.

c) Prospective students need to clear the interview with the concerned college.

source:Ghimire Binod(2013),"The broad-based business major", the kathmandu post,11 Dec 2013
photo courtesy: the kathmandu post