The document discusses the evolution and significance of commerce education, detailing its objectives and history from its inception in the 19th century to its contemporary relevance. It emphasizes skill development for business careers and the importance of preparing students for practical applications in commerce and industry. Furthermore, it outlines key features of the commerce curriculum and the nature of commerce as economic activities focused on profit and the exchange of goods and services.

1. Commerce Education
Ani Vadakke Purayil
M.Com, M.Ed. NET (Com),NET (Edu),SET
Faculty
Department of Teacher Education
Kannur University
Kannur, Kerala.
anivpknr@gmail.com

2. Commerce Education
As a branch of knowledge, Commerce imparts experience
of business world at large in all its manifestations. It
prepares its learners for personally fruitful and socially
desirable careers in the field of business
The role of education is changing very rapidly due to
changes in society. Education is in great demand and
technology is changing and so is curriculum. The
subject of commerce is skill oriented and life centric in
nature.
Commerce curriculum is more relevant because business
provides maximum employment opportunities; hence
maximum exposure and emphasis must be given for
skill acquisition in students

3. Chesseman (1904) defined Commerce Education As:
"Commerce education is that form of instruction which
both directly and indirectly prepare the business man
for his calling."
Fredrik G. Nichols defined Commerce Education As:
"Commerce education is a type of training which, while
playing its part in the achievement of the general aims
of education of any given level, has for its primary
objective the preparation of people to enter upon a
business career, or having entered upon such a career,
to render more efficient service therein and to advance
from their present levels of employment to higher
levels.”

4. • History of commerce education
• In order to define the objectives of commerce education, it may be
important to go a little into its history. The origin of commerce education
can be traced to the 19th century. It started with the teaching of skill
based courses of ‘typing’ and ‘book keeping’, to meet the emerging
manpower requirements in these areas. With an increase in commercial
activities and expansion of banking, insurance, transportation and other
related services, the nature and scope of commerce education changed.
• From a vocational bias in the initial years, the focus changed to providing
liberal business education. Some experts even gave different objectives for
different stages or levels of education.
• Prof. Dasgupta (1959) used three different expressions to indicate
‘business education’, at three different levels.
• At the junior level (higher secondary stage), it was referred to as
‘commercial education,’ covering specific skills programmes; at the first
degree stage, the term used was ‘commerce education’, to cover general
stream courses for preparing semi professionals and at ‘post graduation’
level, it was termed as ‘Professional Business Education’, with the aim of
preparing experts in specific areas.
• In other words, commerce education, at less than degree level was
referred to as ‘commercial education’ or ‘vocational business education’.

5. commerce education In India
Introduction In India commerce education began in the year
1886 with the establishment of a commercial school in
Madras by the Trustees of Pachiyappa's charities. The
Madras Government by about the same time instituted
examination in commerce. A school of commerce was
established in Calicut in 1895 by the Government of India.
Commerce classes started in Presidency College, Calcutta, in
1903 and later became the Government Commercial
Institute. Between 1903 and 1912 commercial institutions
came into existence in Bombay and Delhi providing for skill
formation in typewriting, short-hand and business
methods. Collegiate level education began with the
establishment of the Syndenham College of Commerce and
Economics in Bombay in 1913.

6. • Objectives of Commerce Education
• • To develop skills such as conceptual skills, technical skills and practical
skills in the field of industry, commerce, management and accounting.
• • To prepare a student for a career in business or to start a business
enterprise of his/her own.
• • To give each student enough opportunities to acquire relevant
knowledge about business and economy.
• • To familiarise students with current business processes and practices.
• • To familiarise students with the behaviour of markets, products as well
as finance.
• • To develop skills in the use of information technology for business.
• • To develop capability in each student to identify business opportunities,
analyse their risk-return possibilities and support business development in
socially desirable avenues with strong moral commitment
• • To develop in students a business attitude and skills to be precise and
articulate, considering its ethical side.

7. • To provide knowledge of principles, practices,
procedures, etc. about business, trade and industry
and its relationship with the society;
• To provide basic knowledge of technological tools
including computers and its application in business;
• To develop an understanding of the environment in
which we live and undertake various activities relating
to business;
• To develop basic skills needed to undertake different
commerce related activities;
• To educate learners in different functional areas and
develop their basic understanding about the same;
• To develop right aptitude and qualities for undertaking
business and commerce related activities; and
• To encourage the spirit of entrepreneurship and
prepare learners to enter into a business career.

8. IMPORTANCE OF COMMERCE EDUCATION
• Satisfy Increasing Human Wants Increase our
Standard of Living
• Links Producers and Consumers
• Generates Employment Opportunities
• Increases National Income and Wealth
• Expansion of aids to Trade
• Growth of Industrial Development
• Encourages International Trade Helps During
Emergencies

9. Features of Commerce Curriculum
Following are the special features to be
considered while transacting commerce
curriculum.
• Linkage with Industry
• Entrepreneurial Values
• ICT Enabled
• Practical skills

10. • Nature and Scope of Commerce.
• Commerce is considered to be a part of business. It is that activity of
business which is concerned with the exchange of goods and services.
Some persons feel that commerce and business are synonymous. The
following characteristics will help in understanding the nature of
commerce:
• I. Economic Activities:
• Economic activities are taken up with a motive to earn profits. Commerce
deals with those activities which are undertaken for profit. So only
economic activities are included in commerce. It is the motive which is
important and not the activity. Some activity may both be economic and
non-economic. A trader buys goods to sell them again and earn profit
while a consumer buys goods for consumption.
• II. Exchange of goods and services:
• Commerce involves an exchange of goods and services for profit. The
goods may be produced or procured from other sources. The purchase of
goods should be to re-sell them. It means that goods should be purchased
for trading purposes.

11. • III. Earning Motive:
• The motive for undertaking trading activities is to earn profit. Profit is an
incentive or reward for undertaking commercial activities. Any activity
which does not have the incentive of profit will not be a part of
commerce. If a trader gives some goods as charity then it will not be a part
of commerce because profit motive is missing. But if the same trader sells
goods to customers, it will form a part of commerce because profit motive
is present. So earning motive must be present in activities or transactions.
• IV. Creation of Utility:
• Commerce creates place and time utility in goods. The goods may not be
consumed at the place of production. These may be needed at different
places. The goods are taken to those places where they are in need.
Transportation facilities help in creating place utility in goods. The goods
are also needed at different periods of time. It may not be possible to
produce goods whenever they are demanded. The producers go on
producing goods as per their capacity.
• V. Regularity of Transactions:
• The transactions should be regular. No isolated transaction will be a part
of commerce. The sale of old furniture for replacing it by new is not a part
of commerce. At the same time the sale of furniture by a furniture trader
is commerce since the transactions are regular.

12. • References
• Madegowda, J., "Commerce Education at Cross Roads", a
paper presented at the II-State Level Conference held in
Davangere in July 1997.
• Teaching of Commerce J.C. Aggarwal, Vikas publication,
New Delhi
• Teaching of Commerce, Seema Rao, Anmol prakashan,
New Delhi
• http://books.google.co.in/books?id=jIYaD4JMp5c
• C&pg=PA1&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=4#v=onepage&
• q&f=false Y.K.Singh book : Teaching of Commerce