What is BAT Course: A Complete Guide to the Course

Accounting is a burgeoning career and is an inevitable part of every organization. With increasing competition, it is expected of candidates to be adept with the methodologies in the industry and essential accounting tools, in addition to what a conventional degree can offer. 

Pursuing a BAT course can equip you with the essential knowledge and skills of managing an organization encompassing varied departments of Sales, Accounting, and Taxation. But, what is BAT course? This article is an attempt to answer this fundamental question in your mind, and to give necessary insight into this professional course. 

1. What is BAT course?

Before explaining what a BAT course is, we should first answer the question, what is BAT course in its complete form?   BAT course is the abbreviation for  Business Accounting and Taxation course, a certified academic program for those who wish to excel in the domain.   A few educational institutes both in India and abroad provide this course program. 

Business Accounting and Taxation course involves practical and experiential learning to help students evolve into industry-ready accounting professionals.   Usually, industry experts with years of experience in taxation and accounting prepare the modules in the training program.  

 The BAT course largely educates one about the structure of financial accounting and the financial situation of a company.   It also discusses the tax system, which calls for a company, organization, or individual to pay a part of their revenue or income to the government as a fee for developmental projects.

Before we elaborate on the coursework of the course program and its benefits for your career, we will discuss two of the most significant aspects of the course:

Business Accounting: 

Business Accounting is the procedure of auditing all the economic activities in a business.   All financial documents related to the organization are systematically assessed, recorded, and interpreted in business accounting.   Accountants analyze economic events like investments and transactions through the bookkeeping technique. 

The number of people performing the accounting depends on the size of the business.    One person is enough to do the task in a small business, whereas large organizations may need different teams.    An accounting report guides an entrepreneur to make decisions based on the financial health of the organization.

Taxation:

Governments worldwide follow the process of taxation.   Taxation comprises levying charges on a person, a group of people, or organizations to generate revenue for developmental projects in the country.   The term “taxation” is a verb meaning the act of collection of a fee, and the resultant income is called tax. 

Payment of taxes to the authorized officials or the government is a linchpin of all civilizations.   This payment is involuntary and is not associated directly with a particular service provided in return.   People pay tax on physical assets like transactions, property, and the sale of stock or homes.   Income, capital gains, property, corporate, sales and inheritance are all different types of taxes.

2. Difference between Business Accounting and Financial Accounting:

To understand “What is BAT course” and the kind of accounting skills you master through it you should know the difference between business accounting and financial accounting.

Accounting has been in practice for ages now starting from the period of Sumerians. Small companies, large business establishments, and other markets use accounting equally. Accounting is an extensive and evolving field and based on how it is practiced, accounting is divided into two, namely financial accounting and business (managerial) accounting. Here we will discuss the fundamentals of these two divisions of accounting and the main differences between them.

What is Business Accounting?

Business accounting is also called managerial/management accounting, and focuses on the requirements of the business rather than accommodating the external accounting standards. It includes various modeling activities, and projections and is often used as a guide to decision-making in businesses. Another use of business accounting is the evaluation of business performance it facilitates. Business accounting is not mandatory and small businesses often overlook this type of accounting in their financial activities. However large businesses and enterprises, include business accounting while making decisions to produce efficient business strategies.

What is Financial Accounting?

Financial accounting, however, is mandatory by law or regulation and has a set of accounting norms that all accountants should follow and apply to the financial records of the business. In India, accountants follow the regulations as per the Indian Accounting Standard that harmonizes standards of international accounting and reporting. Ind As standardize the entire accounting proceedings of the economy. These accounting standards allow all companies to follow the same methods of recording transactions. They are also an attempt to help all in the business sector to understand the entire system of accounting with ease.

Further, there are two kinds of financial accounting, which are accrual accounting and cash accounting. Cash accounting concentrates only on corporate dealings that involve cash. A corporate bookkeeper consistently credits or debits the cash account in all journal entries, and it relies on the transaction. Accrual accounting, however, records whole transactional data, notwithstanding monetary outflows or inflows. Unless cash accounting goes further consider all transactions constituting all operating activities of a business.

Major differences between Business Accounting and Financial Accounting are:

• Financial accounting tries to adhere to financial standards like Ind As while business accounting concentrates on the internal requirements of the business.
• Financial accounting concentrates on the finances of the company, while business accounting focuses on one or two definite segments in a business.
• Financial accounting particularly uses historical or past data while business accounting concentrates more on guiding the business decisions for the time ahead.
• The results and data related to financial accounting must be precise and valid, while in business accounting practices estimation of data and results and making trends that can be demonstrated for the organization’s decision making.

3. 3. Taxation in India:

While answering “What is BAT course?” it is necessary to discuss the tax system in India which will be an important topic in a professional course on BAT. Governments charge taxes on their citizens to create income for initiating projects to advance the economy of the country and to enhance the standard of living of its residents. The Constitution of India assigns the Central and State governments the power to levy taxes.  All taxes charged within India require endorsement by a Parliament of State legislature passed accompanying law.

Types of Taxes:

Taxes are of two distinctive types, direct and indirect taxes. The differences become apparent in how these taxes are carried out. You pay some taxes directly. These taxes include dreaded income tax, wealth tax, corporate tax, etc. The other taxes are indirect taxes like the value-added tax, sales tax, service tax, etc.

But, besides these two traditional taxes, other taxes have been brought about by the Central Government to satisfy a specific agenda. ‘Other taxes’ are charged on both direct and indirect taxes like the Swachh Bharat Cess tax, infrastructure Cess tax, and Krishi Kalyan Cess tax, among others.

• Direct Tax:

Direct taxes are the taxes you pay directly.  These taxes are charged directly to an individual or an entity and cannot be assigned to anyone else. One of the bodies that supervise these direct taxes is the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) which is a unit of the Department of Revenue. To help it with its duties, CBDT has the support of different acts that govern different aspects of direct taxes.

Examples of direct taxes  are:

• Income tax
• Capital gain tax
• Securities transaction tax
• Prerequisite tax
• Corporate tax
• Minimum Alternative Tax
• Fringe Benefits Tax
• Dividend Distribution Tax
• Banking Cash Transaction Tax

• Indirect tax: 

By definition, indirect taxes are taxes that are charged on goods or services. In contrast to direct taxes, they are not charged to a person who pays the sum directly to the government, instead they are levied on products and it is an intermediary, the person selling the product who pays it. The most common examples of indirect tax can be VAT (Value Added Tax), Sales Tax, Taxes on Imported Goods, etc. Indirect taxes are levied by adding them to the cost of the service or product thus pushing the cost of the product up.

Examples of Indirect taxes are: 

• Sales tax
• Service tax 
• Goods and Service tax
• Value Added Tax:
• Custom duty & Octroi
• Excise Duty

• Other taxes:

Small cess taxes in India other than the direct and indirect taxes come under other taxes. Even though they aren’t considerable revenue generators and are not dealt with as such, these taxes aid the government to support several initiatives that concentrate on improving the fundamental infrastructure and maintaining the public well-being of the country. The taxes under this classification are chiefly referred to as a cess, which is taxes the government charges to generate funds for specific objectives as per the discretion of the Finance Minister.

Examples of other taxes are: 

• Professional Tax
• Property Tax – Municipal Tax
• Entertainment Tax
• Stamp Duty, Registration Fees, Transfer Tax
• Education Cess/Surcharge
• Gift Tax
• Wealth Tax
• Toll Tax and Road Tax
• Swachh Bharat Cess
• Krishi Kalyan Cess
• Infrastructure Cess
• Entry Tax

Also read: What is the GST certification course?

4. BAT course scope:

To answer the question “What is BAT course” you should also be aware of the possibilities awaiting you after the completion of the course program. Business Accounting and Taxation course program enlighten you on three central aspects of Commerce namely accounting, taxation, and business. Thus the course is beneficial for students of Accounting, Taxation, Commerce, or Finance. The following are some of the benefits of pursuing a course in BAT:

• A Post Graduate Diploma in Business Accounting and Taxation is one of the finest short-term programs one can pursue after a degree in Commerce or any other discipline. 
• BAT course provides students with the awareness of Accounting technical systems like System Application Product (SAP) which again intends to train them to be on par with certified MBAs and CAs.
• The rising need for accountants in India led to the design of the BAT course program. Hence the program adequately coaches commerce graduates, preparing them to venture into the domain of Accounting and Taxation. 
• The employers of BAT course graduates are MNCs and  elite organizations in India
• The course program opens many avenues to the students as it discusses more than accounting and includes financial reporting and auditing. 
• Business, accounting, and taxation courses comprise some of the key aspects like MIS Reporting, ERP software, QuickBooks, SAP, payrolls, auditing, and GST. 
• The income of a BAT course graduate in India comes anywhere between two lakhs and eight lakhs in Indian Rupee.

Know about the Best Business Accounting and Taxation Courses in India

5. Roles and responsibilities of a Business Accounting and Taxation professional

The roles and responsibilities of a Business Accounting and Taxation professional give you a clear answer to the question “What is BAT course” as the program prepares you to perform these responsibilities. Business Accounting and Taxation comprises various roles and duties. The following are the principal functions and roles of a Business Accounting and Taxation professional:

• Keeping Books of Accounts

Keeping a systematic record for every transaction about Finance, Receivables, Inventory, Payables, etc is the basic function in Accounting.

Maintaining an account book helps management determine the profits or losses, the financial situation of the company, the managerial process, and plans for the future.

• Internal Audit

Internal audit concerns an independent service to assess an organization’s internal management, corporate processes, methods, and practices. An internal audit helps in attaining compliance with the different laws applicable to an institution. It is done periodically to secure the company from any kind of misappropriation of funds, fraud, error in books of accounts, etc.

• Taxation

Filing taxes is a significant function in the field of accounting. A candidate is obliged to pay taxes without delay, file tax returns, file the tax payment documents, and much more for an institution. They also advise individuals and organizations on lessening the tax burden by making proper investments.

• Cost Accounting

Cost Accounting comprises examining the costing system of a company by analyzing and summarising the cost data of the organization. Cost Accounting is carried out to curb the costs and allocate funds suitably to the various activities and processes in the company.

• Management Accounting

Management Accounting comprises advising the management of the organization and evaluating the finances of the company, thus helping in the decision-making process, planning, controlling of authority, etc.

The following are some of the careers that a candidate who trains in Business Accounting and Taxation can practice:

• Accounting Assistant
• Accounting Supervisor
• Accounting Manager
• Senior Accountant
• Junior Accountant
• Auditing Assistant
• Accounting Administrator
• Tax Assistant
• Tax Manager

Also read: Career and Salary after a BAT Course

6. What is BAT course: Syllabus

With a diverse curriculum, a BAT course is a rigorous certification program providing a thorough knowledge of Accountancy and Taxation. It includes a balanced mix of theoretical and work knowledge of account keeping and bookkeeping to help students get a didactic perspective. 

The classes for the course program are conducted through both online and offline classes. A glimpse into a well-structured program curriculum would give you further understanding of the “What is BAT course”. Check out more about the BAT Course details.

Many leading educational institutions offer a BAT course in India. Thorough research has gone into making the curriculum for the BAT course program to help students upskill and receive the best training possible. Further, the modules of the BAT program here are in the form of short actionable tips making it easy for an average person to understand the concepts clearly.  Below, given are the modules included in the BAT programs:

Modules:

• Basics of Accounting and Accounting in Tally
• Basics of GST and GST in Tally
• Basics of TDS and TDS in Tally
• Payroll and Payroll with Tally
• Income Tax with Tally
• Advance Excel and MIS Reporting

Also read: Top 6 Online Business Accounting and Taxation Courses

7. What is BAT course: Key features

A Business Accounting and Taxation certification course is a job-oriented course and requires a 360-degree approach to every aspect of the domain. The following are some of the key benefits of the professional training in BAT by IIM Skills: 

• One twenty hours of self-study lectures which you can watch and learn any number of times
• Practical assignments for hands-on learning of the aspects of BAT
• Weekly assessments of the assignments and personalized feedback to the students from industry experts
• Dedicated placement cell for complete support for job search and placements
• Master Certification from IIM Skills, which is internationally recognized making you eligible to work with employers and clients worldwide
• Pre-recorded online classes for detailed and practical training on BAT
• Well-researched teaching methods and syllabus that are updated periodically and industry-validated
• Interactive live sessions to inculcate in students team playing skills which are much in demand in the current job market
• Industry experts led intensive training that provides actionable insights to students to optimize their productivity and excel in their career
• Personalized attention to the students during the live sessions for a thorough understanding of the concepts and to recognize their strengths and weaknesses and improve accordingly
• Backup classes for the sessions you miss due to unavoidable situations
• Free lifetime access to an LMS with updated study materials for students to upskill regularly
• Quick doubt clarifications for thorough learning  through the discussion forums
• Post-training assistance like interview grooming and resume preparation to boost your confidence to enter a new job 
• The professional course with industry-relevant knowledge is offered to you at reasonable pricing
• You have the option to attend a demo class to assess whether the teaching method is suitable for you

8. 8. Duration of the BAT Course

The duration of a course is an important factor when choosing a professional certification or course program. The duration of the BAT course cannot be avoided while answering “What is BAT course”. The program duration of the Master BAT course at IIM Skills is one and a half months. 

The duration of a professional course like BAT varies according to the institute you choose. However, a candidate’s dedication and focus also play a big role in mastering the skills and concepts. So we can conclude the average duration of the Business Accounting and Taxation course to be three to four months.

9. 9. BAT course eligibility:

While answering “What is BAT course” it is important to mention the eligibility of a candidate enrolling for the course program. Usually, the eligibility for a Business Accounting and Taxation course program is a degree in the Commerce background. The course especially benefits candidates with work experience that is less than two years or freshers. 

To know more read: What is Business Accounting and Taxation Course Eligibility?

FAQ: 

1. What is BAT course?

BAT course is Business Accounting and Taxation Course which is a certified academic course that many top-notch institutes in India offer.  It intends to inculcate in students awareness about key imperatives of Accountancy.

2. Can I get a job after the BAT course?

After completing an intensive course in BAT you can choose from a wide range of promising job profiles like a corporate legal assistant, tax consultant, finance manager, company law assistant, tax analyst, and accounts executive, to name a few. The average salary for a BAT graduate usually comes to around ₹ 4 LPA.

3. Can I do a BAT course after the 12th?

It is advisable to complete graduation before enrolling for the BAT course. This course program will be easier to learn for students from a commerce background as it discusses accounting and taxation comprehensively.  However, most institutes allow graduates from any background to enroll in the training program.

Conclusion:

Business Accounting And Taxation Courses are generally known as BAT is a professional certification program, that top-notch institutes in India conduct to impart concise knowledge to students and professionals in divergent finance disciplines. This course program trains one in topics like GST, Tally, TDS and payrolls, stock markets, and shares which are inherent to the finance sector. 

A BAT course primarily imparts knowledge about practical accounting and how it works in business organizations. A candidate doing a BAT course program will have a thorough knowledge of the usage of accounting software, tally. For those who are already working in the financial and accounting sectors, the course program will benefit by getting them better job opportunities. It also helps both commerce and non-commerce graduates to start a freelance job in accounting or to take up a full-time job in the same. 

We have discussed in the article some of the basic aspects of taxation and accounting the prior knowledge of which would benefit you while you enroll for a BAT course. We have also discussed the scope of the course program, job opportunities, and the significance of the course program as such.  We hope that the article helped you to formulate a clear answer to the question “what is BAT course” and to enroll for the same without doubts. Happy learning.