Institutional Configurations of Commerce Education in India: Mapping Locations, Roles, and Contributions within the Higher Education System

Authors

  • Madegowda J Kuvempu University (Former Professor)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55829/s7722b48

Keywords:

Commerce Education, Employability and Professional Education, Functional Differentiation, Indian Higher Education, Quality Assurance

Abstract

Commerce education holds a focal and growing place in the Indian higher education system in terms of enrolment and also the high level of association with the economic and professional sphere. Recent surveys have shown that commerce and management studies combined take up a high percentage of student admissions, with commerce alone accounting for a large number of undergraduate (UG) and post-graduate students across diverse institutional settings. It is in this context that this study examines the institutional configurations of commerce education in India through a systematic analysis of its structural locations, functional roles and systemic contributions in the broader higher education ecosystem.

Adopting a system-level perspective and based on institutional analysis models, this study develops a three-layered analytical model: institutional locations, functional roles, and systemic contributions. This model is applied to map commerce education among universities, affiliated as well as autonomous colleges, private institutions, open and distance learning systems and profession-related ecosystems. The study shows that commerce education is highly dispersed in institutions and functionally differentiated, where affiliated colleges constitute the mass provision of UG programs of study, universities provide academic rigour and research, and the private and autonomous institutions focus on employability and professional integration.

The study also shows that commerce education serves as a professional discipline, a gateway to employment, and a tool of socio-economic mobility. Nonetheless, it identifies key structural challenges, such as fragmentation between academic and professional streams, quality disparities, curriculum-practice misalignment, and weak research orientation. To address these challenges, this study proposes a coherent and coordinated policy direction, especially in the context of National Education Policy 2020, in strengthening institutional differentiation, increasing curricular innovation and quality assurance. The study concludes that commerce education should be recognised as a systemically important domain, which should be given continuous policy attention in helping India to further its economic and social growth.

Author Biography

  • Madegowda J, Kuvempu University (Former Professor)

    Completed M.Com from the University of Mysore in 1980, securing First Class with First Rank. He began his teaching career in 1980 as a Lecturer at the PG Centre (Davanagere), University of Mysore. Following the establishment of Kuvempu University, he served there as a Reader and Professor until his superannuation in 2018. Post-retirement, he was Professor and Dean (Academics) at Akshara Institute of Management Studies, Shivamogga, for four years; and also, Professor in the Department of Business Administration at Vidyavardhaka College of Engineering, Mysuru, for three years.

    He has published over 75 research papers and authored 25 books. He has guided 25 scholars in Ph.D programs. He has also held key administrative positions at Kuvempu University, serving as Finance Officer and Vice-Chancellor (for a brief period). Additionally, he has been an integral part of several university governance bodies, including the Academic Council, Senate, Syndicate, and Finance Committee. He has also served as Chairman of the BoS and BoE, Dean of the Faculty of Commerce, Director of the School of Business Studies, Director of the PMEB, and Coordinator of IQAC. Furthermore, he has chaired the Departments of Business Administration and Tourism Administration at Kuvempu University for a few years. With over 45 years of experience in teaching, research, and administration, he continues to make significant contributions to higher education and management studies.

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Published

09-08-2026

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 3 (2026)

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Articles

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How to Cite

Institutional Configurations of Commerce Education in India: Mapping Locations, Roles, and Contributions within the Higher Education System. (2026). International Journal of Management, Public Policy and Research, 5(3), 01-11. https://doi.org/10.55829/s7722b48

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