I recently came across a stat that really surprised me: only about 27% of Indian adults are considered financially literate. For a country producing so many commerce graduates every year, that feels… worrying.

For commerce students, though, this also feels like a missed opportunity.

We study accounting, economics, business, finance — but many students still struggle with basic things like budgeting, understanding investments, or managing debt. There’s often a big gap between theory and real financial decision-making.

Why financial literacy actually matters (beyond exams)

Career-wise:
Employers don’t just want people who can pass exams. They want people who can read financial statements, understand cash flow, and make data-driven decisions. These skills genuinely make candidates stand out in banking, corporate finance, accounting, and consulting roles.

Personal finance:
Knowing how to budget, save, and avoid bad debt early on reduces stress and builds long-term stability. A lot of financial mistakes happen simply because no one teaches this stuff properly.

Entrepreneurship:
Many businesses fail not because the idea is bad, but because money is mismanaged. Understanding costs, pricing, cash flow, and risk is critical if you want to start something of your own.

Modern finance:
With fintech apps, digital payments, online investing, and even crypto everywhere, financial literacy is also about avoiding scams and using technology responsibly.

How are students supposed to learn this?

Most colleges don’t teach it practically. So students end up learning through:

• Financial news & YouTube
• Online courses
• Trial and error (sometimes expensive errors)