The document discusses the importance of co-curricular activities in commerce education. It states that co-curricular activities are an integral part of the school curriculum and help develop students' overall personality. Some key co-curricular activities that are beneficial for commerce students include operating a school bank, forming a commerce club, maintaining a commerce library, and setting up a commerce laboratory equipped with various teaching resources. The document emphasizes that co-curricular activities supplement formal learning and help students gain valuable skills and experiences.

1. ASSIGNMENT
CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES IN COMMERCE
Submitted by
SABITHA. R.S
COMMERCE

2. INTRODUCTION
Co-curricular activities form an important part of the educational programme
in the present times. Giving its observation about co-curricular activities. The
Mudaliar commission states “A school is not merely a place of formal learning,
whose main concerns is to communicate a prescribed quantum of knowledge,
which is primarily interested in training its pupils in the gracious art of living”.
Above observation clearly explains the functions of school as a centre of
educational growth and excellence. It also shows that it is obligatory, on the part
of the school, to develop students personality and shaping up of their character.
To obtain these aims we have to move out of the four walls of the class-room
and introduce some well oraganised and well planned programmes of co-curricular
activities. The information gained through such programmes
supplements the information gained through the regular schools courses in the
class.
Co-curricular activities are also very helpful in the study of commerce.
Commerce teachers should try to achieve a balanced development of different
tasks and abilities of the students by involving them according to their interest in
the variety of activities. Students may be taken to different banks, insurance
companies and other commercial and industrial establishments. Various office
appliances and accounting machines used in an establishments have valuable
educative values.
Education is not merely concerned with a mastery of the 3 R’s. it is
concerned with integrated development of the personality of an individual his
physical, cultural, aesthetic, social, mental and emotional aspects. The secondary
Education commission observed, “we would like the school to see if it can provide
a richly varied pattern of activities to cater to the development of children’s entire
personality.”

3. PRINCIPLE OF ORGANISING CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
The need and importance of co-curricular activities discussed in previous
article makes it clear that co-curricular activities are an integral part of school
education. Such activities are organized in school with following objectives in
mind.
1. To provide equal opportunity to all the students to take part in such
activities.
2. To enrich their interest and understandings of the contributions made by
other streams to the teaching of commerce.
In organizing such activities the following points be kept in mind.
1. Such activities should always be executed through the active and
willing co-operation of the students, staff and school management.
2. Different age group of students of commerce be always kept in
mind while organizing co-curricular activities for them.
3. The time spent on such activities should be reasonable.
4. All efforts should be made to keep a proper balance within the
activities of each individual students and the programme of the
department as a whole.
VALUES OF CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITES
Co-curricular activities are supplementary and complementary to curricular
activities. Such activities are of immense values to students, to teachers, to schools
and to the business community.
Some of these activities are listed here:
1. Helps to develop proper individual and collective responsibilities with
desirable qualities of leadership(in students)
2. Helps to develop the ability to work with others.
3. Helps to develop the leisure time advantageously.
4. Helps to train them to become good citizens of the country.

4. 5. Helps to train the students as how to plan and direct their own enterprises
and to exercise initiative and judgment.
6. To create confidence in students to rely on their own capabilities to do the
work.
7. To faster a spirit of self-reliance in work when they grow old and settle in
different walks of life.
Important co-curricular activities related to commerce teaching are as
under.
1. Commerce club
2. Commerce magazine or school magazine with a section on
commerce.
3. Market studies and surveys field trips.
4. Debates, discussions and symposiums etc.
5. Running of school bank
6. Running of school co-operative store
7. Educational visits to place of commercial importance.
8. Essay competitions
9. Book Reading contests.
10. Undertakings projects.
SCHOOL BANK
It would be desirable if such a bank is run by all the schools imparting
instruction in commerce. The commerce teacher may be asked to give proper
direction and work as director of such a bank. It such a bank is run carefully it will
help to familiarize the students about the operations and functioning of a bank. It
is also possible to provide training to students in different banking activists such as
issue of cheques, clearing of cheques, depositing money in the bank, filling in pay
slips for cash and cheques, maintaining and settling accounts and preparing final
accounts and Balance sheet. Commerce teacher has to see that all commerce
students work in such a bank by rotation.

5. COMMERCE CLUB
Commerce club may be formed for undertaking several tips of co-curricular
activities relating to commerce work. They may organize debates and discussions
on current topics in commerce. Essay competitions on various topics may be
conducted. Speakers from outsides may be invited. Wall magazine may be
published. In fact scope of work is quite vast.
Following are the chief values of a well-organized club.
1. It provides opportunities to the students for enriching their experiences.
2. It supplements the curricular work.
3. It provides opportunities for the development of pupil abilities.
4. Club is very helpful in making the constructive use of leisure time.
5. Club may help in the explorations of occupational interest of the students.
6. Club provides opportunities for the practice of group planning and decision.
COMMERCE LIBRARY
If an institution permit, there should be a separate Commerce
Department Library. A Commerce Library is not only a source of learning
and inspiration for students but it also serves the various needs of the
teachers, especially of keeping themselves abreast of the catest
developments in the subject. Commerce library can be housed in the
commerce room and can be put under the charge of a commerce teacher.
Commerce library should contain the following material.
1. Visual aids needed in the teaching of commerce. Charts, diagrams,
tables, video cassettes etc.
2. Prescribed and recommended textbooks
3. Books on the teaching of commerce
4. Journals and magazines on commerce and related disciplines.
5. Reference books
6. Government notifications regarding trade and commerce.
7. Career literature pertaining to the subject
8. Course prescribed by the Examination Board

6. COMMERCE ROOM/LABORATORY
A modern teacher of commerce has come a long way from those old
days when ‘chalk and talk’ were the only aids of teaching. Modern
technology has placed different types of instructional aids at his disposal.
Apart from textbooks , there are different types of reference books,
pamphers, magazines, maps, charts, projects etc. which must be used to
make the teaching-learning process effective.
A commerce room or what a few subject specialists would like to
termed as commerce laboratory, fully equipped with modern aids, will
provide a pleasant social and cooperative environment where the
teachers and the learners feel homely. It is a must for every school.
Class-room furnishings and their arrangements have direct bearing upon
the quality of results obtained. Satisfactory outcomes can be expected
from any class-room situation only when adequate facilities are
provided. It should be furnished to provide a suitable environment for
acquiring and practicing skill needed in commerce.
A commerce laboratory should serve the purpose of a classroom, a
library, workshop, an amateur theatre, a students club, a stock-room, all
combined into one. It provides suitable opportunities to the student to
use facts in a creative and productive way to arrive at their own
independent conclusions and enable them to grow in enriched
knowledge, abilities, skill and interests.
Following are some of the considerations which necessitate the
provision of the special room or laboratory for commerce.
1. Providing ‘home of their own’ to teachers teaching commerce for
developing enthusiasm for the subject and faith in themselves and the
students.
2. Creating and maintaining an effective teaching-learning environment.
3. Providing a quick and ready functional environment by making
available work room for the students.
4. Introduction variety in teaching methods and facilitating the use of
teaching aids reading and conveniently

7. 5. Saving energy and time in carrying round equipment like charts,
maps, models, pictures and project work etc.
Equipment of the commerce room:- The room should be well-equipped
so that functional environment is created , the teacher and
the students are motivated to work. It should have the following
equipment.
1. Audio-visual material which includes epidiascope, filmstrip, magic
lantern , projector, tape-recorder etc.
2. Bulletin boards
3. Charts and graphs
4. Maps and Atlases
5. Models
6. Graphs
7. Reference books
8. Text books
9. Periodicals and magazines dealing with current events.
CONCLUSION
Knowledge and learning are undoubtedly of value but they
must be acquired as a by-product of activity because it is only then
that they can become a vital part of the student’s mind and
personality and influence his behavior. But the ‘Art of living’ is
much more comprehensive concept than the acquisition of
knowledge, however intelligently planned. It includes training in
the habit and graces of social life and the capacity for co-operative
group work. It calls for patience, good temper, sincerity, fellow-feelings
and disciple. These objective can only be cultivated in the
context of the social life and the many co-curricular activities must
find a recognized place in any school.

8. REFERENCE
1. J.C.AGARWAL, Teaching of Commerce, Vikas Publishing
House Pvt. Ltd.
2. Seema Rao, Teaching of Commerce ANMOL Publications Pvt.
Ltd. New Delhi-110002(INDIA)