It seems as if there is a special niche for everything in finance - and banking is no exception.

If a company,

corporation, or the government has special banking needs, why not have an entire sect of banking dedicated to

them? Well, that seems to be the rationale behind investment banking. But what exactly is investment banking? And

how is it different from regular banking?

Investment Banking Definition

Put simply, investment banking is dedicated to helping large companies or institutions manage their money - whether

that be by helping them create capital, underwriting debt or equity securities, or helping with mergers and

acquisitions. Investment banks can also help with issuing stock and other transactions a corporation may need help

with.

Often, investment banks are part of a larger banking infrastructure, such as Goldman Sachs (GS - Get Report) or

JPMorgan Chase (JPM - Get Report) .

Investment banks operate as a way for large entities (which could either be companies, corporations, governments,

or other such institutions) to make big financial transactions with a little extra help. Along those lines, investment

banks will often help facilitate the finances surrounded mergers and acquisitions, and, perhaps most importantly, help

connect corporations to investors through the issuing of bonds or stocks. To that extent, investment banks often help

companies issue their initial public offerings, IPOs. In these cases, the investment bank will sell the shares on behalf

of the company on the market.

Among other things, investment banks work as financial advisors to large companies or entities, especially in advising

sales and trading between buyers and sellers of companies, and recently began offering commercial banking

services (since the repeal of Glass-Steagall in 1999).

Investment banks operate on two different groups: Product groups and industry groups.

Investment Bank Product Groups

As part of their structure, investment banks offer different product groups. While the three main product groups

investment banks offer are mergers and acquisitions, restructuring and leveraged finance, they encompass a bit more

than that. The typical main product groups reportedly are:

  Mergers and Acquisitions, M&A: The investment bank will advise or facilitate the mergers of companies with

one another.

 Leveraged Finance, LevFin: Investment banks will finance corporate activities through issuing high-yield

debt.

 Equity Capital Markets, ECM: The investment bank will advise companies or corporations on the release

and management of IPOs, stocks, bonds and shares, as well as raises and other equity concerns.

 Restructuring: Investment banks will often help restructure companies or corporations in order to increase

profitability and economy within the entity.

Investment Bank Industry Groups

Additionally, investment banks offer what are called industry groups, which cover different industries like financial

sectors, healthcare sectors, etc. Some of the principle industry groups reportedly include:

 Financial Institutions Group, FIG

 Healthcare

 Industrials

 Technology, Media & Telecommunications, TMT

 Real Estate Investment Banking

Although investment banks cover more areas than the aforementioned, they generally focus around these principle

sectors. Investment bankers working in industry groups generally have more of a marketing bent when working with

different sectors compared to their advising-heavy counterparts in product groups.

Investment Banking vs. Commercial Banking

The main difference between investment banking and commercial banking is that investment banking typically deals

with purchasing and selling bonds and stocks for companies, and also helping them issue IPOs, while commercial

banks primarily deal with deposits or loans for companies or individuals.

So, basically, investment banks deal with trading securities, whereas commercial banks do not.
However, there are still several other key differences between investment banking and commercial banking that have

to do with regulation, risk level, and benefits.

Glass-Steagall Act

During the Great Depression, both investment and commercial aspects of banks were combined, which was seen as

a negative thing that may have contributed to the depression itself. Once the Glass-Steagall Act was instituted in

1933 as part of the Banking Act to separate the two sides of banking (investment and deposit management), the

divide was created.

However, when the Glass-Steagall Act was repealed in 1999 by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, banks were once again

given the freedom to merge the investment and commercial sides together. However, despite this newfound leeway,

many large banks have decided to keep their investment and commercial banks separate.

Risk and Regulation

Another big difference is that commercial banks have stricter regulation. Commercial banks must be regulated by

several government entities to include the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or FDIC, whereas investment

banks only need be regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC - the latter of which allows for more

freedom in making decisions and investments.

Because of this difference in regulation, commercial banks are often less risky than investment banks (because they

are backed by the federal government) - but, on the flip side, investment banks provide more room to maneuver

strategic decisions than commercial banks do.

Still, the banks who have decided to combine have several pros.

Combination Benefits

While not many large banks combine their divisions, some of the benefits of combination include banks being able to

issue companies IPOs (using its investment bank capabilities) and then extend lines of credit to them (using the

commercial bank side) - which would allow the banks to then receive benefits from doling out a hefty sum and in

return, get higher commissions and trading revenue from the stock.
By having both the issuing securities and extending lines of credit sides covered, combination banks are able to

bolster the growth of companies and reap the rewards.

However, concerns still remain over the temptation of combination banks to keep undeserving companies afloat -

which was a major aspect of the bubble/burst cycle seen during the depression.

What Do Investment Bankers Do?

As the title would suggest, an investment banker helps raise capital for companies or other large entities who are

clients of the bank. The bankers often work in the investment arms of larger banks like JPMorgan Chase (JPM - Get

Report) and Goldman Sachs (GS - Get Report) .

As part of their duties, managing companies' securities, investment bankers are responsible for advising companies

on several fronts, including pricing and helping the company navigate various regulations.

Investment bankers will also often help facilitate the bank's purchase of all or some of the company's shares when an

IPO is released - but, if the financial analysts at the investment bank overvalue the stock, the bank can take heavy

losses.

History of Investment Banking

Investment banking had its inception after the Wall Street Crash of 1929, when banks and investors alike suffered

devastating losses. As one of his first acts as president, Franklin D. Roosevelt instituted the Glass-Steagall Act of

1933 as part of his New Deal. This act separated investment banking from deposit banking, and sought to restore

faith in the American banking system, detailed in the act's Article 20.

Under the blanket of the Banking Act, President Roosevelt sought to curtail the previously all-powerful banks by

ensuring they managed risk and protected their depositor's money. However, following the boom that occurred post-

1933, banks began bending the rules of the Glass-Steagall Act and started blending commercial and investment

banking activities - leading President Clinton to repeal the act in 1999 via the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Law.

This repeal led to the acquisition of JP Morgan (a mega investment bank of the time) by Chase Manhattan (a major

commercial bank) in 2000.

 However, this was seemingly the beginning of the end for investment banks.

Controversies in Investment Banking

In 2008, the banking industry loomed on the edge of total collapse as the United States economy plummeted into

the Great Recession.

After banks made too many risky loans, Bear Stearns, one of the largest investment banks at the time, fell to the

financial crisis - forcing the Federal Reserve to sell it to J.P. Morgan. Others followed, as more banks declared

bankruptcy (including long-time staple of the financial sector Lehman Brothers).

Then-president Barack Obama put precautions in place to attempt to revive the economy - namely, the Dodd-Frank

Law in 2010. The bill limited banks' sizes and laid out more precautions to keep investment and commercial banking

more separate.

However, many banks still have investment bank branches alongside commercial branches.

Best Investment Banking Options

There are dozens of good investment banks available, but many of the most revered ones come from the top banks

in general.

Among others, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America (BAC - Get Report) , Barclays (BCS) , Morgan

Stanley (MS - Get Report) , Citigroup (C - Get Report) , Credit Suisse (DHY - Get Report) and UBS Group AG

(UBS - Get Report) are some of the most popular investment banking options.

Additionally, check out TheStreet's take on the best investment bank stocks to buy right now.

Investment Banks vs. Commercial Banks: What's the Difference?

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Updated Apr 9, 2019

Investment Banks vs. Commercial Banks: An Overview

Investment banks and commercial banks represent two divisions of the banking industry, and each type of bank
provides substantially different services.

Investment banks expedite the purchase and sales of bonds, stocks, and other investments and aid companies in
making initial public offerings (IPOs) when they first go public and sell shares. Commercial banks act as managers for
deposit accounts belonging to businesses and individuals, although they are primarily focused on business accounts,
and they make public loans through deposited money that they hold.

Since the financial crisis and economic downturn beginning in 2008, a number of entities that mixed investment
banking and commercial banking have fallen under intense scrutiny. There is substantial debate over whether the two
divisions of the banking sector should operate under one roof or if the two are best kept separate.

Investment Banks
Investment banks are primarily financial middlemen, helping corporations set up IPOs, get debt financing, negotiate
mergers and acquisitions, and facilitate corporate reorganization. Investment banks also act as a broker or advisor for
institutional clients.

Big investment banks include JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Goldman Sachs (GS), Morgan Stanley (MS), Citigroup (C),
and Bank of America (BAC). Clients include corporations, pension funds, other financial institutions, governments,
and hedge funds. Many investment banks also have retail operations for small, individual customers.

Commercial Banks
Commercial banks take deposits, provide checking and debit account services, and provide business, personal, and
mortgage loans. They also offer basic bank products such as certificates of deposit (CDs) and savings accounts to
individuals and small businesses. Most people hold a commercial bank account, rather than an investment bank
account.

Commercial banks make money by providing loans and earning interest income from the loans. Customer accounts,
including checking and savings accounts, provide the money for the banks to make loans.

Customers like commercial banks because their money is secured and regulated by the government, but the interest
earned on accounts is little to nothing, particularly compared to mutual funds, stocks, and other investments.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

 Investment banks and commercial banks provide different services.

 Investment banks underwrite new debt and equity securities, help with selling securities, and drive mergers
and acquisitions, reorganizations, and broker trades.
 Commercial banks make loans to people and small businesses and offer checking and savings accounts
and certificates of deposit.
 Most financial services firms operate as either an investment bank or a commercial bank, although some
combine functions.
Key Differences
Commercial banks are highly regulated by federal authorities such as the Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Commercial banks are insured by the federal government to maintain protection for
customer accounts and provide a certain level of security. Investment banks differ because they are much more
loosely regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The Commission offers less protection to
customers and allows investment banks a significantly greater amount of operational freedom.

The comparative weakness of government regulation along with the specific business model gives investment banks
a higher tolerance of, and exposure to, risk. Commercial banks, on the other hand, have a much lower risk threshold.
Commercial banks have an implicit duty to act in their clients' best interests. Higher levels of government control on
commercial banks also decrease their level of risk tolerance.
Special Considerations
Historically, institutions that combine commercial and investment banking have been seen in a negative light. Some
analysts have linked such entities to the economic depression that occurred in the early part of the 20th century. In
1933, the Glass-Steagall Act was passed and authorized a complete and total separation of all investment and
commercial banking activities.

However, Glass-Steagall was largely repealed in the 1990s. Since that time, banks have engaged in both types of
banking. Despite the legal freedom to expand operations, most of the largest U.S. banking institutions have chosen to
operate as either a commercial or an investment bank.

There are some benefits for banks that combine the functions of investment and commercial services, however. For
example, a combination bank can use investment capabilities to aid a company in the sale of an IPO and then use its
commercial division to offer a generous line of credit to the new business. This enables the business to finance rapid
growth and, consequently, to increase its stock price. A combination bank additionally gleans the benefits of
increased trading, which brings in commission revenue.

Investment banks in the United States are continuously reviewed and regulated by the Securities and Exchange
Commission, or SEC. They are also occasionally regulated and investigated by Congress. Investment banks
technically exist because they were legally distinguished from commercial banks through prior acts of Congress.

Investment Banks and Glass-Steagall

Investment banks became an official legal designation following the Banking Act of 1933, commonly referred to
as Glass-Steagall. The Banking Act was a response by Congress to the financial calamity of the Great Depression,
where more than 10,000 banks closed their doors or suspended operations.

Proponents of Glass-Steagall argued that the financial sector would be less risky by reducing conflicts of interest
between banks and customers. Hearings were held by the Pecora-Glass Subcommittee to determine whether
depositors faced undue risks from banks with security affiliates. No substantial evidence was ever presented, and it
was determined that banking should be separated but protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or
FDIC.

This gave rise to investment-only banks. Congress defined them as banks in the business of underwriting and dealing
in securities. By contrast, commercial banks became defined as those that took deposits and made loans.

The barriers between commercial and investment bank affiliation were removed in 1999 by the Financial Services
Modernization Act, or Gramm-Leach-Bliley. In this legislation, a broader term was adopted for all types of money
intermediaries – financial institutions.

Key Congressional Regulations Affecting Investment Banks

Several other influential acts of Congress followed the Banking Act. The 1934 Securities Exchange Act provided new
regulations for securities exchanges and broker-dealers. This act created the SEC. The Investment Company Act and
the Investment Advisers Act were passed in 1940, creating regulations for advisers, money managers and others.

Following a stock market decline in 1969, concerns were raised that trading volumes were growing too large for
investment banks to handle. Congress reacted by founding the Securities Investor Protection Corporation, or SIPC.
Investment bank capital requirements were updated in 1975 with the Uniform Net Capital Rule, or UNCR. The UNCR
forced investment banks to maintain a certain level of liquid assets and provide details in quarterly Financial and
Operational Combined Uniform Single, or FOCUS, reports.

Problems with different international capital standards led to the 1988 Basel Accord. Even though it was primarily
designed for commercial banks, it was a seminal moment in creating supranational regulations for financial
institutions. U.S. Congress attempted to repeal the separation between investment and commercial banks in 1991
and 1995 before finally succeeding with Gramm-Leach-Bliley. This act allowed for the creation of financial holding
companies that could own both commercial banks and investment banks with insurance companies as affiliates.
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) was passed in 2002, which was intended to regulate executives and
empower auditors. After the financial crisis of 2008, Congress passed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and
Consumer Protection Act. Dodd-Frank brought an enormous amount of new regulations for all kinds of financial
institutions.

SEC Regulatory Powers Affecting Investment Banks

The powers of the SEC are an extension of those enumerated in Congressional legislation. Nearly every aspect of
investment banking is regulated by the SEC. This includes licensing, compensation, reporting, filing, accounting,
advertising, product offerings, and fiduciary responsibilities.

The SEC oversees the securities world and its participants, including securities exchanges, securities brokers and
dealers, investment advisors, and mutual funds. Promoting the disclosure of important market-related information,
maintaining fair dealing, and protecting against fraud are core to the mission of the SEC.

Investment Banks vs. Commercial Banks: An Overview

Investment banks and commercial banks represent two divisions of the banking industry, and each type of bank
provides substantially different services.

Investment banks expedite the purchase and sales of bonds, stocks, and other investments and aid companies in
making initial public offerings (IPOs) when they first go public and sell shares. Commercial banks act as managers for
deposit accounts belonging to businesses and individuals, although they are primarily focused on business accounts,
and they make public loans through deposited money that they hold.

Since the financial crisis and economic downturn beginning in 2008, a number of entities that mixed investment
banking and commercial banking have fallen under intense scrutiny. There is substantial debate over whether the two
divisions of the banking sector should operate under one roof or if the two are best kept separate.

Investment Banks
Investment banks are primarily financial middlemen, helping corporations set up IPOs, get debt financing, negotiate
mergers and acquisitions, and facilitate corporate reorganization. Investment banks also act as a broker or advisor for
institutional clients.

Big investment banks include JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Goldman Sachs (GS), Morgan Stanley (MS), Citigroup (C),
and Bank of America (BAC). Clients include corporations, pension funds, other financial institutions, governments,
and hedge funds. Many investment banks also have retail operations for small, individual customers.

Commercial Banks
Commercial banks take deposits, provide checking and debit account services, and provide business, personal, and
mortgage loans. They also offer basic bank products such as certificates of deposit (CDs) and savings accounts to
individuals and small businesses. Most people hold a commercial bank account, rather than an investment bank
account.

Commercial banks make money by providing loans and earning interest income from the loans. Customer accounts,
including checking and savings accounts, provide the money for the banks to make loans.

Customers like commercial banks because their money is secured and regulated by the government, but the interest
earned on accounts is little to nothing, particularly compared to mutual funds, stocks, and other investments.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

 Investment banks and commercial banks provide different services.

  Investment banks underwrite new debt and equity securities, help with selling securities, and drive mergers
and acquisitions, reorganizations, and broker trades.
 Commercial banks make loans to people and small businesses and offer checking and savings accounts
and certificates of deposit.
 Most financial services firms operate as either an investment bank or a commercial bank, although some
combine functions.
Key Differences
Commercial banks are highly regulated by federal authorities such as the Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Commercial banks are insured by the federal government to maintain protection for
customer accounts and provide a certain level of security. Investment banks differ because they are much more
loosely regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The Commission offers less protection to
customers and allows investment banks a significantly greater amount of operational freedom.

The comparative weakness of government regulation along with the specific business model gives investment banks
a higher tolerance of, and exposure to, risk. Commercial banks, on the other hand, have a much lower risk threshold.
Commercial banks have an implicit duty to act in their clients' best interests. Higher levels of government control on
commercial banks also decrease their level of risk tolerance.

Special Considerations
Historically, institutions that combine commercial and investment banking have been seen in a negative light. Some
analysts have linked such entities to the economic depression that occurred in the early part of the 20th century. In
1933, the Glass-Steagall Act was passed and authorized a complete and total separation of all investment and
commercial banking activities.

However, Glass-Steagall was largely repealed in the 1990s. Since that time, banks have engaged in both types of
banking. Despite the legal freedom to expand operations, most of the largest U.S. banking institutions have chosen to
operate as either a commercial or an investment bank.

There are some benefits for banks that combine the functions of investment and commercial services, however. For
example, a combination bank can use investment capabilities to aid a company in the sale of an IPO and then use its
commercial division to offer a generous line of credit to the new business. This enables the business to finance rapid
growth and, consequently, to increase its stock price. A combination bank additionally gleans the benefits of
increased trading, which brings in commission revenue.

How Investment Banking Differs from Traditional Banking

The critical part of the investment banking process is in the way cash is funneled from the people who have it to the

people who need it. After all, traditional banks do essentially the same thing investment banks do — get cash from

people who have excess amounts into the hands of those who have productive uses for it.

Traditional banks take deposits from savers with excess cash and lend the money out to borrowers. The main types

of traditional banks are commercial banks (which deal primarily with businesses) and retail banks (which deal mostly

with individuals).

The difference between traditional banks and investment banks, though, is the way money is transferred between the

people and institutions that need it and the ones who have it. Instead of collecting deposits from savers, as traditional

banks do, investment bankers usually rely on selling financial instruments (such as stocks and bonds), in a process

called underwriting.
By selling financial instruments to investors, the investment bankers raise the money that’s provided to the people,

companies, and governments that have productive uses for it.

Because banks accept deposits from Main Street savers, those deposits are protected by the Federal Deposit

Insurance Corporation (FDIC), which guarantees bank deposits. To protect itself, the FDIC along with the federal

government puts very strict rules on banks to make sure they’re not being reckless.

On the other hand, investment banks, at least until the financial crisis of 2007, were free to take bigger chances with

other people’s money. Investment banks could be more creative in inventing new financial tools, which sometimes

don’t work out so well. The idea is that clients of investment banks are more sophisticated and know the risks better

than the average person with a bank account.

The meaning of the term investment bank got even more unclear after the financial crisis that erupted in 2007. Due to

a severe shock to the bond market, many of the dedicated investment banks went out of business, including

venerable old-line firms such as Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns, or were bought by banks.

Many of today’s largest investment banks are now units of banks or technically considered commercial or retail

banks, although they still perform investment banking operations. Meanwhile, these banks will often say they perform

investment banking functions. The term investment bank is somewhat of a misnomer, because the major financial

institutions are now technically considered banks.

Now that you see that the chief role of investment banks is selling securities, the next question is: What types of

securities do they sell? The primary forms of financial instruments sold by investment banks include the following:

 Equity: If you’ve ever bought stock in a company, be it an individual firm like Microsoft or an index fund that

invests in companies in the Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500, you’ve been on the investor end of an equity

deal. Investment bankers help companies raise money by selling ownership stakes, or equity, in the

company to outside investors.

 After the securities are sold by the investment bank, the owners are free to buy or sell them on the stock

market. Equity is first sold as part of an equity offering called an initial public offering (IPO).

 Debt capital: Some investors have no interest in owning a piece of the company, but they’re more than

willing to lend money to it, for a price. That’s the role of debt capital. Investment banks help companies

borrow money by issuing bonds, or IOUs, that are sold to investors. The company must pay the prearranged

rate of interest, but it doesn’t give up any ownership of the company.

If a company falls onto hard times, though, the owners of the debt have a higher claim to assets than do the

equity owners if a liquidation of the company is necessary.

 Hybrid securities: Most of what investment banks sell can be classified as either debt or equity. But some

securities take on traits of both, or are an interesting spin on both.

One example is preferred shares, which give investors an income stream that’s higher than what’s paid on

the regular equity. But preferred shares don’t come with as high a claim to assets as bonds, and this income

stream can be suspended by the company if it chooses.

Hello, friends welcome to EDU CBA’s program and investment banking overview in this short introductory program on

investment banking overview, you will learn about what are the key roles and responsibilities or different functions

within an investment bank. Say for example, what is research? what is sells and trading division? how do banks

actually help in terms and raising capital for various companies what are these jargons all about? what is

underwriting? what is market making? and let say why investment banking M&A activities are the core and heart

and soul of investment banking division and we will also try to answer questions regarding what is restructuring and

reorganization? and how banks actually help in terms of doing that so as you may have understood that you know I

was referring investment banks and banks as one term, now this two things are kind of very confuse lot reason being

that you know commercial banks have different work all together as well as you know when we talk investment

banking there are kind of very different from each other so the first thing that let us kind of understand Investment

Banking vs Commercial Banking

What is a Commercial Bank?

Let us now look at what is a commercial bank? Now commercial banks are in fact refer to sometimes as retail banks

ok and an example of a commercial bank or retail bank could be something like Barclays, JP Morgan Chase Bank

then we can also include HSBC and there would be the whole list of you know commercial banks, but the primary

question here is that what is the commercial bank and what is their responsibilities? How do they earn money? So let

me put it this way in a very-very crude way. Let’s assume that this is a commercial bank and you know there are two

different set of parties which are involved. Think of you and me you know when we have access cash you know we

kind of deposit that money in the bank. So we are essentially depositors, right? A bank is a place where they collect

money from various depositors. So depositors can be in the form of individuals or they can be corporates as well; a

business guy. So essentially what we are saying that the bank actually collects dollars from these depositors. So

what does a depositor get in return? One is that the money which has been deposited is safe and second what they

earned is something called an interest rate. So let’s call this as interest on deposit. So if you have deposited $ 100

and the interest rate is 5 % the bank at end of one year will pay you not only $ 100 which is your initial amount but in

your account, you will also see $ 5 which is corresponding to the interest payment. So you will have $ 105 at the end

of one year if you deposit 100 $ in the bank. Now, this is one side where bank actually sources money. The second is

basically where they deploy the set of money. So think about you know loans. Loans in the form of you know home

mortgage loans. You know they could be individuals who would like to have car loans, you know it could be personal

loans, it could be any other format of loans. So this may be with respect to individuals but we may also see some

parts of loans which are given to corporate. So what we are essentially saying is that bank actually collects money

from the depositors and gives to those guys who are in need of money. So what do they charge for the benefit of the

bank here? The benefit of the bank is that they earn again interest which we will call that as let’s assume unknowns

and you know this is their interest income and this is their interest expense. So the bank actually earns money by

ensuring that the interest on loans that they earn is greater than the interest on the deposits that they give. So this is

interest income and on the other side, this is an expense. So if a bank is able to manage this; the bank will be

profitable. So traditionally the banks have been doing this kind of a business where they are giving loans and you

know this is something like a low-risk kind of a business and it’s called as a commercial or retail bank. So with this

understanding of a commercial bank let us now move a forward

What is Investment Banking?

So let us now look at what is investment banking? First in for most please note that investment banking is different

from traditional or commercial banking which we have earlier referred to. So investment banking doesn’t take your

deposits like the way bank does. Neither do they actually pay our act like a guarantee for safekeeping the money of

the depositors? So investment banks do not do that. So let’s see what investment banks actually do?

So to understand an investment banking better let me give you an analogy with respect to a property broker. Now

who is a property broker? Let’s assume that on one side there are buyers; buyers of an apartment and then on the

other side there are sellers of the apartment. So there are buyers as well as sellers of the apartment. Now obviously

they would like to transact and make this market happen. Now on one side when the buyers who are individual

buyers are seeking the sellers you know sometimes or in fact many times it becomes very difficult for the buyers to do

all the due diligence with respect to the apartment or maybe you know look at the financial considerations and

negotiate them. So, in addition, the important thing is searching is also a problem for them. So what happens is that

these buyers may actually get in touch with people who called property brokers. Now these property brokers will do

couple of tasks you know they would identify how many sellers are their in the region you know they would

communicate and kind of make a check-list on the legalities associated with the apartment they will do the complete

due diligence you know what are the financial considerations and research and depending on the requirement of the

buyer they would kind of suggest the properties. So property broker is someone in between who is doing all these

tasks. Now, how do these property brokers normally make money? This is through commissions that they earn and

commissions are primarily on successful transactions. So let’s say if a buyer has bought a flat from a seller at $ 10

million. So a certain percentage will actually be part of the property broker as commissions or fees. So this is how a

property broker functions. Now having understood how a property broker functions, now think about investment

banker.

I’ll call an investment banker as a financial broker. So instead of property broker, I’m calling this as the financial

broker. What his job is essentially is to make the buyers on one side and the sellers meet somehow. Now I just

quickly change the definition of buyers and sellers in this context because I’m talking about investment banking here.

 Now think about the company instead of a buyer or a seller I’m talking about a company. Now this company

let’s say this companies name is ABC and they want to raise funds. Raise funds meaning that you know

they have a requirement of raising funds because they are going to invest and expand largely from a very
 small city to you know they want to have a global presence altogether. So for that, they require funds. So

obviously there are two approaches to doing that one is that they can approach a bank and second is that

they can raise equity from the market and we call that as an IPO. So doing an initial public offering you know

they can raise money from the market. So let’s assume that they don’t want to go to the bank for

raising further funds. So the option that they are evaluating is through equity dilution. So what they mean is

they are ready to give a share of their company to certain investors who would be willing to do that via initial

public offering. Now if company ABC may want to kind of go ahead and do this initial public offering they will

find it really tough because a couple of things would happen there are legalities associated with it then if you

talk about you know how to be aware of the processes. You know they may not even know that. Third

at what valuations? You know all these things they may not be actually equipped to do that. So what they

essentially do that you know they contact someone called an investment banker. The role of the investment

banker is to do all these tasks, check at the legal options, you know look at the processes, talk about the

valuations and what this brokerage does is that he identifies all the set of investors for this IPO. So “S” would

mean investors here in this case and the investment bankers are a sophisticated financial broker, in fact,t

they are connected with the investors and they help these set of companies raise funds and they all

understand the check-list of you know raising through an IPO. So this was a small example where you know

investors are on one side and the company is on the other side. So how do the investment bankers earn

money? Investment bankers earn money from commissions like the way you know the property brokers

used to earn these guys actually earn commissions on the number of funds that are raised for this company

ABC. So this is how investment banks actually earn money.

 So this was one of the ways you know, the other set of examples could be related to mergers and

acquisitions. So let’s say there is a company called ABC and they want to merge with another company

called DEF. Now the problem with these two set of companies would be that they may not be equipped

enough to handle all the regulatory aspects of the merger as well as come to the appropriate calculations in

terms of valuations or prepare financial models. So what investment banking firm does is they come in

between and advise on the possibilities of the merger. Why should it happen? What are the possible

synergies and in fact the key critical aspects of investment banks is that the health lisle with respect to

negotiating a price? So you know if the price is high then you know how to talk to the clients in order to make

the two buyers and sellers meet at one point. So they are expert negotiators as well so and for that again

they charge commission. So certain amount of commission 1 %, 2 % just as an example can be understood

from the point of view of investment banking. So, in a nutshell, think about property broker and the property
 broker’s role just to kind of you know to help the buyers and the sellers identify and in between property

brokers actually, add a lot of value by helping with the buyer search as well as the sellers also to identify the

buyers. So they are adding a lot of value in between so likewise investment banking also does the same

while the companies are looking for raising funds or you know they are looking at mergers and acquisitions

activities. So investment banks do many other things as well so we’ll discuss all of these in our following

lectures. I now hope that you are able to kind of appreciate the differences between what is an investment

bank and what is a commercial bank.

Difference Between Investment Bank and Commercial Bank

Last updated on May 23, 2017 by Surbhi S

Based on the work performed by the banks, the financial industry is bifurcated into two major segments i.e.
investment bank and commercial bank. Commercial banks is set up for the purpose of concluding commercial
transactions, such as legally take deposits and lend money to the customers like individuals and corporates.

On the other hand, investment banks are established to offer services to investors. The operations of investment
banks is different, and acts as an intermediary between buyers and sellers of stock and bond, that help clients in
raising capital.

While a investment bank earns underwriting commission, commercial bank earn interest on loans provided to the
customers. There exists a thin line of difference between the investment bank and commercial bank, which is
presented in this article in detail.

Content: Investment Bank Vs Commercial Bank

1. Comparison Chart
2. Definition
3. Key Differences
4. Conclusion

Comparison Chart

BASIS FOR
INVESTMENT BANK COMMERCIAL BANK
COMPARISON

Meaning Investment bank refers to a financial Commercial bank is a bank that provides
institution, that offers services like services like accepting deposits, lending
underwriting of securities, brokerage money, payment on standing order and many
services and so on. more.
 BASIS FOR
INVESTMENT BANK COMMERCIAL BANK
COMPARISON

Offers Customer specific service Standardized service

Associated with Performance of financial market. Nation's economic growth and demand for
credit

Customer base Few hundreds only Millions

Banker to Individuals, government and corporations. All citizens

Income Fees, commissions or profit on trading Fees and interest income

activities.

Definition of Investment Bank

The term investment bank is used to define a financial institution that performs intricate financial transactions. These
banks link the big corporations with the investors. The banks serve its customers in a number of ways like assisting
government and corporations in issuing securities, helping the investors in buying stocks, bonds, etc. providing
advisory services and so on.

The banks generate its income by charging fees for its advisory services. Further, the bank’s trading business is
subject to profit or loss. These banks play a crucial role in aiding companies or government to take well-planned
decisions and raise funds easily. The services provided by an investment bank are given as under:

 Underwriting of Securities
 Raising of capital
 Asset management
 Wealth management
 Advisory services
 Merger and Acquisitions
 Assisting companies in making an Initial Public Offer (IPO)

Definition of Commercial Bank

The term commercial bank refers to an establishment which is engaged in providing banking and financial services to
the public as a whole. In earlier times, there was no such institution where people can deposit their money safely or
take loans. So they used to go to money sharks to borrow funds, and they deposit their money in the post offices.
Later on, banks are being developed that works as a banker to all the citizens of the country.

Commercial banks are owned publicly or privately or by the combination of the two. The banks help in the
mobilizations of savings across the economy. It is governed by the Banking Regulation Act of India, 1949.
The banks accept deposits from the citizens of the country at a nominal interest rate and use that money in extending
credit to other customers (borrowers), charging a higher rate of interest from them. In this way, commercial banks
make its income from the left over amount of interest. In addition to this, one of the major sources of bank’s income is
the fees charged by them for offering various services to the public. The diverse range of services provided by the
commercial banks are:

 Accepting deposits
 Advancing loans
 Overdraft and cash credit facility
 Payment on standing instructions
 Withdrawal of money on demand
 Collection of bills and promissory notes
 Trading in shares and debentures on behalf of customer
 Locker facility
 ATM Card, Debit Card, Credit Card Facility
 Mobile banking
 Internet banking

Key Differences Between Investment Bank and Commercial Bank

The basic difference between investment bank and commercial bank are indicated below:

1. A financial intermediary set up to provide investment and advisory services to the companies is known as an
investment bank. Commercial Bank is a bank established to provide banking services to the general public.
2. Investment bank offers customer specific service whereas commercial bank offers standardized services.
3. The customer base of a commercial bank is comparatively higher than an investment bank.
4. The investment bank is related to the performance of the stock market while economic growth and the credit
demand affect the rate of interest charged by the commercial bank.

5. The investment bank is a banker to the individual, government, corporations, etc. On the other hand,
commercial bank is a banker to all the citizens of the country.

6. The investment bank generates its income from fees and commission. Unlike Commercial Bank, which
generates income from interest and fees.

Conclusion

The primary difference between these two financial intermediaries is the audience they cater to as well as their area
of business. While commercial banks serve all the citizens of the country and its main business is to accept deposits
and grant loans. Investment banks deal in securities and so its primary activity is to trade in financial assets and
provide advisory services.

What Do Investment Bankers Do?

I can sum up what we do in 2 words and 1 picture:

Ari Gold.

Investment bankers are agents, just like Ari.

We don’t create anything and we don’t buy anything; we just sell things that aren’t ours to begin with.

And we make a lot of money doing that, thank you very much (just read the low-down on investment banker
salaries).

What Investment Bankers Do: The Entourage Analogy

If the business world were like Entourage, investment bankers would be the agents, private equity firms and large
companies would be the studios, and companies would be the actors and movies.

Private equity firms buy and sell companies; studios buy and sell actors and movies.

Bankers make introductions and try to sell companies; agents make introductions and sell their clients.

Vince Chase would be Facebook: young but huge success in store, even with occasional missteps along the way.

The fictional movie Medellin would be WebVan. Or maybe Kosmix.

Just like in Hollywood, starting or running a company (movie/actor) carries the most risk but can also the most fun
for those involved.

If you look at all the characters in Entourage, it’s hard to argue that Vince doesn’t have the best life.

But it’s not easy to get there and it’s far riskier than being the agent (banker) or the studio (private equity firm).

The agents and the studios, on the other hand, have an easier but less fun job: th ey must distribute risk so that
they don’t get screwed.

It’s just like Terence says when chatting with E at the end of Season 2:

“We all start out believing that our clients care about us, but in reality they don’t. There’s only one way to look at
clients, Eric. Like stocks. Invest without emotion. Diversify.”

So when choosing a career, don’t ask what job you want.

Ask yourself, “Would I rather be Vince, Ari or the head of Warner?”

If you’re an Ari guy or girl, you might just be a banker.

And If You Haven’t Seen Entourage: The Real Estate Analogy

First, you really need to watch Entourage or you have no right to work in finance. So go watch it.

But just in case you haven’t yet: think of investment bankers like real estate agents but for companies instead of
houses.

Just as a real estate agent introduces buyers and sellers of property, bankers introduce buyers and sellers of
companies and try to make a deal happen.

And just like real estate agents, the only thing at stake is our time – we have no money invested on either side.
But What Will You Do as an Investment Banking Analyst or Associate?

The above is the “high-level” view of what investment bankers do.

As a junior banker, you’re more like Lloyd: you grab coffee for Ari and take care of his grunt work.

To learn more about investment banking, take a look at our articles on the investment banking career
path and investment banking analyst job.

Any more questions?

Just ask away and Lloyd will handle all the responses.

Leave a Comment

Are investment bankers evil, or just misunderstood?

They came, they conquered, they crashed… or did they? I talked to as many investment bankers as I could to find
out just how Wolf Of Wall Street banking really is.

by Victoria Waldersee in Voices

Thursday 21 September 2017

The press aren’t fans of investment bankers, and the feeling is mutual. So when I asked a few to talk to me
about their lifestyle, I didn’t think it’d go very well.

Look up ‘banker’ on Urban Dictionary, and if you are one, you’re not going to like what you find: ‘Engineer of
genocide’, ‘the first up against the wall when the revolution comes’, ‘politer version of w*nker’. Search ‘headlines
bankers’ on Google images, and you won’t be much happier: 'SCUMBAG MILLIONAIRES', 'GREEDY BANKERS
STILL DON’T GET IT', and 'PUT BANKERS IN THE DOCKS.'

It’s pretty clear: People don’t like bankers. And yet, people still want to be bankers. The biggest banks – Goldman
Sachs, JP Morgan – get hundreds of thousands of applications, and only accept around 3 per cent. Applications to
Deutsche Bank’s investment banking division went up by 15 per cent just in the last year.

Awks...

So what’s the deal? Are bankers evil, or just misunderstood? Is it really as crazy as the The Wolf Of Wall
Street makes it look, or is it just a bunch of maths-y guys in suits working long hours? Did bankers cause the crash,
or did we? I decided to do a bit of myth-busting, and went on a hunt for investment bankers willing to talk.

I was expecting a lot of very short phone calls – “No, we’re not w*nkers. Yes, we do earn a lot. No, we didn’t cause
the crash.”

But it turns out bankers have a lot to say about what they do. They’re conscious of the fact that people don’t like them
much, frustrated with the fact they get all the blame for the financial crisis, and kind of wish that the media would just
get off their back.

"They think we're sitting around plotting how to become rich," said James, a newer recruit to one of the biggest
players in the financial world. “People think we’re scum,” Richard says, who’s worked in the industry all his life. “I
think it’s just envy. We did earn too much money… that’s probably the root cause of it.”
Unsurprisingly, money came up a lot in my calls. Bankers are notorious for their bonuses – extra cash they get on top
of their salary based on how much money they’ve made for the firm that year. “Generally, my bonus is between 25
and 75 per cent of my salary,” said Jeff, an investment banker based in the US. “But I’d freak if it dropped below 40
per cent, actually. It can go up to 200 or 300 per cent, depending on the firm.”

So how much is too much? “It’s a misconception that our salaries are outrageous,” argued Henry, who works at a
hedge fund in London. “If I drive a purchase for the company, I’ve created a huge amount of value, and I’m only
taking home a tiny part of it in comparison. And that wealth I’ve created could be your grandmother’s pension, or
something. So it might seem like a lot in comparison to other jobs, but compared to what we make for the company,
it’s not that outrageous.”

“I’ve created a huge amount of value for the firm, and I’m only taking home a tiny part of it. And that wealth
I’ve created could be your grandmother’s pension, or something. ”

And to be fair, the six figure salaries are probably the motivator behind those hundreds of thousands of applications
to the industry every year. “Status-wise, a lot of people think it’s one of the top places to be,” says Melissa, who
worked at Lehman Brothers in 2007 but left just before it collapsed. “You earn way more than you would in any other
job right out of university - or you did back then, anyway. I’ll never earn that much in one year again. It’s a ridiculous
sum.”

Not to mention the work expenses. Most people tried to assure me the Wolf Of Wall Street, Margot-Robbie-in-a-
bubble-bath image is totally false... but from the stories they told, it didn’t sound quite like your average five pounds
for lunch kind of set-up. “In my first year there, we went out to a bar in Mayfair, and they put me up in a boutique 5
star hotel around the corner right afterwards, even though I lived in London. It was totally unnecessary,” Melissa said.

“I heard a girl I used to work with dropped $1000 on in-flight drinks on a flight from LA to Manhattan,” said Jeff. “She
must have been buying rounds for the entire cabin.”

But it’s not as sweet as it sounds. What you gain in glitz and glamour, you lose in work-life balance. “I’d pass out,
wake up, rinse and repeat,” said Jeff. “The industry tends to murder its young employees with work because they
never stand up for themselves. Then they kick the weak or stupid ones to the curb.” Average working days seem to
be anywhere from 14 to 19 hours, and one person said Sunday all-nighters were pretty much a given.

“We had a coffee shop inside the bank,” Melissa said. “And when I was relatively new, I literally just got up from my
desk to get a coffee, and took about five minutes, but I didn’t take my Blackberry. And when I got back, the whole
team was like “ ‘How were you not responding to our emails?!’ You’re always expected to be on call, like it’s an
operating theatre.”

““The industry tends to murder its young employees with work because they never stand up for themselves.
Then they kick the weak or stupid ones to the curb.” ”

This stuff differs firm to firm, and it’s got better since the crisis, most said – but not much better. Tom, another
London-based banker, told me about one firm who tried to fix things by stopping people from logging into their
computers on Friday evenings, but they ended up doing all the work on Sundays instead. As James put it, you’re
expected to be “constantly committed to the job, day and night”.

The sad thing is, it doesn’t sound like it’s totally necessary to be there day and night. “Literally, robots could do 50 per
cent of what we do,” says Tom. “But it’s such a technologically averse industry. Every time a new technology comes
in, a senior person is like, ‘I remember the days when we had to do this ourselves.’, and they want you to go through
the same pain. And there is a lot of waiting around.”

I’ll be honest. Six interviews in, I wasn’t sold on the job. But then again, who cares? Live and let live, right?

Well, no. The reason we’re so engrossed by banker lifestyles isn’t just because we’re amazed / disgusted by / jealous
of the extravagance - there’s the whole it-might-have-caused-the-crash thing. And if it did, it’s definitely my business
to find out how, and why, and whether things have changed enough to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
 “Literally, robots could do 50 per cent of what we do. ”

But most of the people I spoke to don’t feel like they did cause the crash, and resent the fact that most everyone else
disagrees with them. “2008 destroyed us,” Richard said. “But the idea that the person who took out the loan is just as
much to blame as the guy who gave it to him is politically tricky. People wanted to live beyond their means.” Jeff’s on
his side: “You could easily blame the consumers that took stupid mortgages they’d never be able to repay…
everyone was just maximising their own profits. And the system had a snag, and everyone tripped.”

The thing is, a lot of the loans and mortgages people are talking about were sold wrapped up in so much jargon that a
lot of people genuinely didn’t understand what they were getting themselves into. So whose fault is that? “Look,
CEOs are cogs in a profit machine,” Jeff reasoned. “It’s their job to be cutthroat and profitable, otherwise they’d be
social workers instead of CEOs.” Henry agrees the blame shouldn’t lie with the banks alone: “People should have
thought more across the system,” Henry said. “Is it really the bankers’ moral obligation to tell a borrower they can’t
afford it?”

So there it is. Six figure salaries, yes; glamorous nights out, sometimes; sole architects of the 2008 financial crash,
undecided. But what’s certain is that bankers – or at least the ones I spoke to – are totally aware of their bad rep
among the public, and genuinely wish people understood what they do better.

 Consider this... the Constitution gave our Treasury the power to

create money -- Congress gave that away to the Federal Reserve, which is
unconstitutional and undermines the power of our government (which is supposed
to be representative of the people). Oh, and the Federal Reserve is a private
entity, who's Board is not made known to the public -- the only corporation in
the United States to have this privilege.

When the 2008 crash happened, and Bush called for the bailout ($700 billion
made known to the public on CNN, etc. and another 3 trillion or so behind the
scenes made in 0% interest loans from the Fed to various banks), the Fed
refused to disclose the details of how those loans were made or who
specifically the 0% loans went to, stating it's not the business of Congress or
the American people to know. I wholeheartedly disagree. It is our business to
know. This action allowed these banks and the beneficiaries of the 0% loans to
buy up stocks, properties, etc. at the bottom (the bottom they at the very
least helped create and I believe drove), then benefit off the profits made
when the stocks, properties, etc. went back up in value. Then they had the
audacity to say they gave back the money -- the money they got at 0% interest.
Here's a basic example... if Company A is worth $10 mil and I drive down the
price of said company to $5 mil, then I get a $5 mil loan at 0% interest from
the Fed and buy Company A for $5 mil, and wait for the company to go back to
its "true" price (i.e. not over-inflated) of lets say $7.6 mil, I can
give back that $5 mil while paying no interest on it, and I just made $2.6 mil.
And I did nothing but have the privilege of yes, accessing free money made out
 of thin air. On top of all this, creating more money to bail these banks out
drove up inflation, devaluing the earnings of the American people.
4
o •

o
o

Macrocompassion • 2 years ago • edited

Has it struck you, bankers are so close to their activities that they are blinded into seeing the greater picture (they
can't see the wood for the trees), and consequently are unaware of the amount of evil they create! An honest bank
would not provide unbacked-up money. If banks REALLY can create money from fresh air, they why did they need
bailing out in 2008?
o 1
o •
o

o



The Truth Macrocompassion • 2 years ago

It's not commercial banks that create money out of thin air. The central banks do. There is a difference
between them, although there is obvious collusion. In other words, the big commercial banks knew they
were going to get bailed out by central banks. The basic principle is not hard to understand. The details of
the way it was done is another matter -- these types of huge transactions are going to be complicated by
their very nature, but even more so if you are trying to hide the details from the public.
 1
 •
 Reply
Since the time when commercial banks began to directly invest in the stock-market, and in
buying each other's debts, they have ceased to provide an honest service to their private and
business customers, and have become uncaring for them. The motivation is greed and the
directors of the banks behave like company directors (who do have a right to be greedy), unlike
the banks who should only be concerned in providing the best service and to be satisfied with the
resulting differences between the interest they pay on savings and the interest they earn of loans
(and its no small sum anyway).

Yes, banks do hide behind these complications but that only makes our faith in them smaller.

 •

Investment Banker Lifestyle – You must have probably heard a lot about investment banking and would have a fair
idea of what an investment banker does and also wish to be one. But how well do you understand the investment
banker lifestyle? Wouldn’t it be great if you have a clear picture about what your life will be as an investment banker
so you are well prepared to make that as your career? That’s where this article would guide you. Become awesome
in Investment Banking with this Investment Banking Training.

An Investment banker life is considered to have long working hours, working on weekends, lot of hard work and little

sleep. Let’s have a closer look at it. This write up on investment banker life will help you know the following

 Why people become investment bankers?

 A typical day in investment banker life

 Myths and Facts of investment banking

 The Downsides of an investment banker life

 When to quit investment banking?

Why become an Investment bankers?

Psychological attraction

I would not be wrong to say that the candidates today are quite mesmerized by the image of an investment banker.

The image here I am referring to is the one, where we see even young investment bankers dropping out of quite

expensive cars wearing polished suits. Seldom do people realize that such investment bankers put in a lot of hard

work, working under stress situations and round the clock for months.

Earn lot of money

There is no doubt about this particular reason being the biggest motivating factor for people to get into investment

banking. Checkout the Investment Banking Associate Salary

Start Your Free Investment Banking Course

Download IB Excel Templates, Accounting, Valuation, Financial Modeling, Video Tutorials

The salaries and bonuses one could earn are extremely luring which would get you in his career and motivates you to

stay in. The fat salary and the bonuses which could go up to three to five time the salary makes up for all the hard

work you put in.

There are a few career options which give opportunities to earn money as investment banking does. Having said so if

we have to compare it with entrepreneurship it could be on similar lines. But again the risks involved are greater than
working as an investment banker. Hence, investment banking can be a safe bet when it comes to compensation.

Especially considering the amount of bonus an investment banker gets for the slogging is quite worth it.

The lifestyle

Many a times it is the lifestyle this job affords that some get attracted towards. With high salaries, you could very well

have enough money to visit luxury hotels in exotic islands, gobble on some fine food and wine. Several people enjoy

being able to live a rich person’s routine life such as attending art exhibitions, hang out and spend time with the fat

cats.

Status symbol

Being an Investment Banker, you are attached with a tag of being a financial wizard and a symbol of financial

success. This tag brings in a lot of prestige and gathers a lot of attention when anything in finance is discussed. Your

opinion on investments, loans, and mortgages will become important to all your near and dear ones.

Passion for finance

There are some people who are motivated to get into the field of finance from a young age. They have a sharp sense

of finance, who have analytical mind from the start and are the ones that can digest information quickly. Such usually

get into investment banking as soon as they complete their financial degrees in the university.

Higher Expectations

What I am referring here is a kind of background and surrounding they come from which urge people to get into

investment banking. Most of their family members and friends belong to hedge funds, investment banking and hence

are motivated to follow suit.

Career foundation skills

Getting into investment banking gives you loads of opportunities hone your PowerPoint presentation, communication

and Excel skills. There are other skills that you learn would teach you how to work and survive in this difficult and

challenging industry. Also, you get to add quite a few impressive points in the resume. Many people become

investment bankers to get the most out of this profession, learn as much as possible and leave before it’s too late. An

exit from investment banking may open up new doors for you in finance careers such as private equity, venture

capital, and hedge funds.

Intelligent People

Another attraction for people to get into investment banking is that you get to work with some intelligent minds who

have sharp brains and are driven individuals to prove their financial abilities.

Learning is intense and you get to work with some of the brightest and most demanding people on Wall Street. You

would be exposed to top business leaders and know how they think, how they create strategies and the thought

processes behind their decisions.

Recommended Courses

 Financial Analyst Prep Course

 Investment Banking Certification Course

 Online Certification Course in Mergers and Acquisitions

Investment Banker Lifestyle

Truly speaking there is no “typical day” for an investment banker as your tasks will vary every day. You can be

expected to prepare financial models (project how much will the company grow in the next 85 years), preparing pitch

books (why you should sell your company to ABC Corp. at $20/share), working on deal memorandum and everything

else that goes into a deal.

Have a look at the below infographics on Investment Banker Lifestyle

Myths and Facts of investment banking

Myth #1: Investment Banking is a very dazzling industry, and my work will be full of handing demanding

transactions and deals.

Truth: Don’t expect this to be the true especially at the analyst or associate level. The tasks would be the ones that

come down from the senior managers and would be basic grunt work. Although, it does pay back when you handle

much more meaningful position in the company, higher up the ladder.

Myth #2: The job gets better with time and position.

Analysts spend quite a lot of time in getting control of the life in investment banking w.r.t the long hours and random

work assigned by the seniors. With this, they gain experience and as time goes they are assisted by various other

interns and fresh recruits who share the work responsibility.

Truth: It is not simple as it may seem. You need to spend some time to figure out who would be the best to assign a

specific work. Also, you would be responsible for the work they perform and involves risk.

Myth #3: Investment Banking is not as hectic as people fuss about.

Truth: Strength of mind and character and competition are vital elements to Investment banking. And competition

exists because there are losers and people in investment banking are resolute to make you one. The politics and

competitive scenario is not everyone’s cup of tea and you need to very well survive, pour in your sweat and tears if

you want to earn that heavy salary.

Myth #4: Advanced Mathematics skill is a must

Truth: Majority of the stuff you do in investment banking is going to be simple in terms of the mathematical skills you

use. Being an analyst or even as an associate you would be spending most of the time in administrative kind of work.

Even in case you fall into some technical group you would spending time on qualitative tasks rather than number

crunching.

Myth #5: Investment banking is only for males

Truth: this cannot be regarded as a complete myth as Investment banking has been male dominated. The ratio is

such that on an average there is around 1 in a 4 female investment banker and accepting the fact that this is

substantial enough the gender discrepancy is decreasing day by day. It gives us enough positive sign that things are

going to change for the better.

The Downsides of an investment banker’s life

Long working hours

 If you are someone who wants to work in regular office hours and have a social life a career in investment

banking is not for you. Want to know why?

 At bulge bracket banks, you would find the analysts working for more than 100 hours a week. The day would

start might be at 10.00 am or even earlier and end at 2.00am and weekends could not be an exception.

 When working on the big deals and during the beginning stages of it, it is not at all uncommon for the

analysts to be up all night and get through the work.

 It could be comparatively better at the Associates level, where the average number of working hours could

range from say 80-90 hours per week, from 9.00 am to 11.00 pm and working either of the day on

weekends.

 When it goes higher up the chain at a Vice President level the hours would improve. VP’s, if at they have to

work on weekends or late nights, can do it from home.

 Managing Directors have a significantly better work schedule when they do not travel they could report at

7.00 am and leave by 6.00 pm. However, MD’s have a lot of traveling to do perhaps 3 out of every 5 days on

average, where they need to do a lot of marketing and pitching.

 It is also possible that sometimes Analysts and Associates could go out for pitching and sometimes would

be spent in office. Having said this lifestyle and the working hours vary across bulge bracket banks and

could be better.

 Many experienced in this industry would say that more than the number of working hours, it is because of

the unpredictability of the working hours which makes it erratic. You do not have any control over your social

life and will have to sacrifice lot of your personal time.

Unpredictable nature of work

 The work is not constant and would vary and would be expected to work on the pitch books,

prepare financial models, putting across the deal memorandum etc.

 In the morning, you would find for yourself a fresh stock of work required to be done on the marketing pitch

book or live deal work.

 The higher ups get to office early and check on the last night’s work that you left. But you would receive the

comments and review on the work much later on the evening which you would have to finalize before you

leave for the day and your VP gets into the office in morning.

 The work gets hectic only after lunch as you get the list of works to be done through the day. Time would be

majorly spent on going through the pitch books, creating deal models, working on numerous comparable

transaction alternatives.

 Through this, the work majorly is done on spreadsheet software like the Excel and presenting your models

effectively in a power point presentation.

Stress

 As a result of the above two downsides we discussed comes STRESS. Also, investment bankers deal with

huge amount of money and there are a lot of expectations from them to convert deals into profit.

 These conditions lead to pressure to perform and many a times it is observed bankers get wound up with

insomnia, eating disorders, alcoholism, and other health issues.

 There is always urgency to the task assigned to you, it’s not a day or two limited urgencies but more of a

day-by-day urgency.

 You could also receive phone calls in the middle of good night sleep in case you are handling certain foreign

accounts.

No leniency for errors

As an investment banking analyst, you would be expected to learn your job quickly and perform to a very high

standard. You would have to ensure the responsibilities are completed on time paying close attention to detail as

there would be no room for mistakes.

Work pressure

As we already saw that as investment bankers you would be working with many strong and bright minded

personalities. But with this upside comes lot of pressure to perform as you would be compared to your colleagues

and will have to outperform them if you need to go up the ladder. You will find that you could make very few friends

as this industry itself is deeply competitive and people are hungry for profits and higher bonuses for themselves.

Performing not so important tasks

Although it is true that analysts can be given lot of responsibilities early on in their careers they will every so often be

expected to work on tasks which are not that desirable such as copy pasting, photocopying, book meeting rooms etc.

When to quit investment banking?

You may be wondering why we are discussing this topic here in Investment banker life. But believe me once you are

into investment banking this question is going to pose in front of you some or the other day and for some every day.

Investment bankers do consider leaving their jobs for various reasons which you could have already learnt from the

above discussions in the article. Although there is nothing wrong in quitting what matters is quitting graciously at the

right time for the right reason.

So when should you quit Investment banking? It would be very wrong to decide when would be the correct time to

call it a quit. It is an individualistic decision which should be taken after considering a few important points;

Quit because you are having bad day at work?

No, never quit because of this reason. You will have plenty of those in investment banking. It is very normal to have a

bad day when your decisions fail or you somehow do not deliver up to the expectations. It is better to learn from such

situations give it some time and see if there is an improvement. If it doesn’t then go for it!

Do you see yourself as an investment banker for the rest of your life?

Let’s consider a situation that you have spent approximately 2 years in this profession. Observing the Managing

Directors at your firm (who make millions, delegate the work and leave the office at 6pm) and think that you want to

be that person then this is one indication that perhaps you would want to continue as a banker.
Have you spent enough time to exit investment banking?

You need to make yourself marketable enough before you decide to quit investment banking. It is hence always

recommended that you must finish at least two years before you quit. It is better to gain anywhere between 2 and 5

years’ experience as anything less than 2 would be tagged ‘lack of experience’ and more than 5 as ‘too experienced’.

Does quitting mean you are failing?

You might feel as a banker that you have urge to quit because you are unable to handle the job well. And you

continue working hard day in day out but never satisfied. Don’t think that you have failed when you decide to quit.

You have learnt a great deal in the times you have survived and it is more like working out what you want to do with

your life rather than continuing something which you don’t believe in.

Money is no longer a motivation

We know that you would be paid really well as an investment banker. But there could be a point where you realize

that money no longer motivates you to stay as an investment banker especially if you are not enjoying the kind of

work you are doing. You could consider a quit if you think you can earn something less but take up a job which is not

as demanding as investment banking.

It is always better to think what is important to you and what you wish to do ahead that will decide your decision to

move on with something else but investment banking. Ensure you have planned what next? Once you have decided

to call it quits.

Check out the list of top Investment Banking firms –

 Private Equity Market in Germany

 Top Private Equity in France

 Top Private Equity in Russia

 Top Private Equity in India

 Top Boutique Investment Banks

 Top Middle Market Investment Banks

 Top Bulge Bracket Investment Banks

Conclusion
 We can say that investment banking is an industry which can provides loads of opportunities to learn, but you will

have to find ways to survive with all that we have discussed. You would surely earn enough but discovering time to

spend it is the hard part. The life as an investment banker is going to be hectic but those who wish to live through

dedication, competition, risks and perform well then investment banking is the right choice for them.

7 Reasons Investment Banking Is Not for You

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BY ALEXANDRA TWIN

Updated Feb 5, 2018

As one of the top career choices for new graduates, investment banking tends to tempt many. The allure of a six-
figure salary in your early 20s and being immersed in Wall Street culture can be enticing when you're fresh out of
business school. But even if you possess the rare combination of education, experience and enthusiasm that could
land you a coveted investment banking gig at a bulge bracket firm, below are seven reasons why this may not be the
right path for you.

1. You Strive for a Work-Life Balance

Investment banks are notorious for their demanding hours, with 100-hour work weeks being the norm for entry-level
investment banking analysts. The tragic deaths of three junior investment bankers a few years ago focused attention
on the marathon hours that they worked before their demise.

In response, a few major banks officially cut the number of hours worked by junior bankers. Nevertheless, in a
competitive culture where putting in extra-long hours is regarded as a badge of honor, a 9-to-5 routine is pretty much
unheard of. If you strive for a work-life balance, investment banking is not the field for you.

2. You Wilt Under Stress

Here’s a typical workday for an investment banking analyst: the analyst works frantically into the night and wee hours
of the morning to complete a pitch book, rushes home in the morning to shower and change, and then heads straight
back to the office for the meeting.

In such high-pressure situations where there are multiple competing deadlines, the ability to not just cope, but thrive
under pressure, is extremely important. If you wilt and wither in such situations, you may need to consider a less
stressful field than investment banking.

3. You Have a Relaxed Approach to Life

If you don't believe in getting needlessly stressed about anything—and that includes not getting stressed
about work—investment banking is not the career for you. If you do your best to meet a deadline when you
deem it reasonable, but feel compelled to speak out and object when you see it as unreasonable, this field is not for
you. If you're not OK with working tirelessly without complaint, no matter how massive the task, this field is not for
you.

4. You Possess a Rebellious Streak

You speak your mind and have a somewhat rebellious streak that prevents you from following orders without
question. This may not be welcomed by your investment banking superiors, who are used to unquestioning
obedience from their subordinates.

5. You Do Not Have the Right Skill Set

You managed to bluff your way through several rounds of interviews and a test or two on financial modeling, but you
are far from being a wizard at Excel. Time management is also not your forte, and you have been guilty of
procrastination on a few occasions. This means that investment banking is not for you.

6. You Do Not Want to Be a Career Investment Banker

Perhaps, you do not want wish to spend the next 10 years climbing the investment banking ladder but would prefer to
explore other areas such as equity research or portfolio management. The thought of preparing endless pitch books
and presentations for at least the next two years as an investment banking analyst—all for the reward of becoming an
investment banking associate—is not one you find very appealing.

7. Money Isn't Everything

You do not subscribe to the old saying, "Money isn't everything; it's the only thing." While this is not meant to imply
that all investment bankers only care about money, the ability to eventually make a lot of it is one of the primary
motivators for those who can ride out the harsh working conditions. If making money isn't a key driver for you, look to
another career.

The Bottom Line

If you possess even one of the above traits, investment banking may be a poor career choice for you. But there are
plenty of other choices that will be suitable for you—careers that won't come at the expense of your social life or
sanity. Conduct an honest self-assessment to find a more fulfilling and rewarding career path.

More is never enough.” This life philosophy of real-life billionaire stockbroker, Jordan Belfort, the protagonist of Martin
Scorsese’s film “The Wolf of Wall Street,” played by Leonardo DiCaprio, seems to inspire at least some young people
who aspire for a career in investment banking. Some go far enough to realize their professional goals and lifestyle
dreams, while some give up their journey midway. But all of these people get to catch a glimpse of the ugly side of
their chosen field.

Fluctuating fortunes

Investment banking (IB) is an endless party to only a very few people. To others, it’s a roller-coaster ride at best. An
exhilarating high is almost always followed by a steep fall, as each deal, or transaction, depends on a number of
factors, many of them external. A change of mind on the part of one of the parties involved, or a shift in their business
circumstances, can make or mar a deal. In the long term, there are also economic cycles and markets, with their ups
and downs, to worry about.

In the recent past, the IB industry has gone through particularly tumultuous times. The economic slowdown and the
crash of capital markets almost wiped out banks’ billion-dollar profits, leading to largescale retrenchment and cutback
in operations. Corporate scandals muddied banks’ reputation and put the spotlight on their questionable business
practices and ethics. Scam-tainted banks also took down with them other global institutions and financial systems.
They lost the investor’s trust.
Salary

To those aspiring for finance jobs, compensation is the main attraction that IB holds. But salaries in the IB industry
see many ups and downs, in tune with the crests and troughs of banks’ business. Instability and insecurity are what
recruits sign up for: companies do a lot of hiring in the boom time and shed staff during the lean season.

The financial incentives may be higher in IB, but there are still many areas of finance, such as PE, corporate
insurance, commercial banking, and wealth management, where the money is just as good. In IB, you may start out
better than professionals in other fields, but it is only when you get to the top and are almost a celebrity that you
actually see the millions in bonus that you always heard about.

For the rest of the cogs in the wheel, compensation is dependent on the deals they helped close. So, if you are
getting ready to go into IB mainly for the money, you may do well to review all the pluses and minuses of an IB job
and the sacrifices that come with it. Listen to your mind and make a thorough comparison of your options.
Read How much do investment bankers make around the world?

Sustainability

Getting into IB is tough, but sustaining yourself at the workplace is tougher. You may be smart, may interview well,
and get hired. But once on the job, you may find out that you are no magician and can’t do everything well and
always come up to the expectations of your organization.

For example, you may not have as much ability to think strategically as your bosses and you yourself imagined. You
may not be able to digest the tons of business information that come your way and make sense of it. Or you may start
well on your job but falter at higher levels where teamwork and leadership skills are prime requisites and you don’t
have them.

Repetitive tasks

Junior analysts at banks start out looking for challenging tasks such as complex analyses. But six or eight months
down the road they may realize that they are only doing the same tasks over and over again. Often, it is just the
name of the client company that changes. Then there comes a time when they stop hoping to learn anything new on
the job.

Colleagues

Generally, in IB, you are likely to be surrounded by a sea of overachievers who seem to be driven by some
preternatural, money-minded force. That’s good, except that some of these people also have big egos and are selfish
and hard to get along with, as many disgruntled investment bankers confess and complain anonymously on online
forums.

You may consider yourself ambitious, but not after seeing how some of your colleagues look out for themselves. You
may find yourself lost among all those Type-As.

If you are incompetent, you will be eventually shown the door and that is that. If you’re reliable and have the ability to
solve problems quickly and accurately, you are likely to strike a great rapport with your boss and earn his praise. He
may reward you by giving you more work than he gives your colleagues.

Depending on colleagues can sometimes prove disastrous. For example, an associate almost always needs the
support of her junior colleague, say, an analyst. But, sometimes, the analyst might lack the capability and
commitment to complete tasks on time. The associate would now have to pick up after the slacker colleague, too.
Culture

Because of the go-getters and Type-A personalities all around, the IB environment doesn’t get to develop a nurturing
culture. No one has the time to train or counsel you. You better be a self-starter and learn by yourself.

Some banks explore ways to keep their employees reasonably happy. For example, a few have introduced parental
leave and a system by which couples can take some time off together. Other banks may have a terrible culture with
no sensitive approaches to HR management.

Work-life balance

That most i-bankers struggle to achieve a decent work-life balance is hardly a secret. Weekend plans regularly get
cancelled, and live projects might come one after another and prevent you from doing any re-planning. Longer
vacations may remain a distant dream. So also finding “quality time” or any time for your life partner.
Clients are demanding, and most tasks have tough deadlines. For most young i-bankers, 100-hour work weeks are
common. Most don’t manage to find the energy for anything else. Long hours over a long period of time cause a
quick burnout.

Life is hardest at the lower rungs. You may get away doing less time higher up, but you may be on call from clients all
the time. This makes daily life unpredictable. For example, you may work in New York and have a client in Hong
Kong who demands a phone discussion at the end of normal work hours for him. Quite comfortable for this client, but
you have at least couple of precious hours of bedtime still left when you force yourself to take that call.

An M&A analyst at a boutique investment bank says he decided to leave for a private equity job after two years. He
says that although he got opportunities to enjoy various life cultures at his bank, he would certainly not miss them, as
the job routine forced him to give up his personal life. Some of his colleagues worked excruciating schedules,
clocking 140 work hours and straight five days at the office.

Lifestyle

Suicide among invest bankers is common, especially since the economic crisis of 2007 and 2008. Young bankers are
said to be more prone to take their own lives because of work pressure. Goldman Sachs reduced its working hours
for interns to 17 hours a day after a 21-year-old Bank of America intern was found dead in his shower after working
72 straight hours: he had suffered epileptic seizures.

Young employees seem particularly diffident and unwilling to protest when their bosses overburden them with work.
Many don’t find time for anything else. The average working day has been reported to be 14-19 hours a day, with all-
nighters on Sundays thrown in. The work level is also intense. Reports have it that it is a considerable professional
risk for a young banker to take a five-minute coffee break without grabbing her phone to take her clients’ calls or see
their emails.

The so-called “wolves of Wall Street” are actually “sad and abused dogs,” says one banker. Million-dollar stories are
rare in real life. Most lower-level bankers have never gone to a yacht party or enjoyed a drink sitting on the hoods of
their Lamborghinis. Rather, many are student-loan-burdened young men and women trying to pay off their debts as
quickly as possible by working endlessly. They put up with “the most boring stuff imaginable” so that they can pursue
their real interests and passion someday.

Image

One banker says that the bad impression about investment bankers that society has formed based on scandals is
well-deserved. Investment banks were originally established to extend loans to entrepreneurs who had great ideas
but didn’t have the money to bring them to life. It was thought that banks would also help society by helping
businessmen and the economy thrive.
But now banks seem to exist only for billionaires and their families and friends. Not much money is trickling down to
people who need it the most. Even as young bankers are being squeezed dry of their youth, and “unwanted”
employees are being sent home, the big guns continue to live their lavish dreams without guilt.

The money, and more...

What can we say? It's a lot - more than you'll be able to earn in most other fields. There's the perks too - private

insurance plans, pensions, on-site gyms, travel season ticket loans and (sometimes, we hear) freshly-baked cookies

from your institution's own kitchens. Nice.

Your colleagues

Like you, they'll have come through an exacting selection and training process and we guarantee that the vast

majority will be bright and interesting high achievers who care desperately about what they do every day at work. And

in the City banking attracts an international crowd, so you'll get to know people from all around the world.
It's fun!

There's plenty to enjoy in this game! You'll be working in an industry where the rapid pace of innovation keeps things

fascinating and you'll get to read about what you're working on in the news. Some roles will give you the chance to

travel abroad extensively, and we hear that the social side of things isn't so bad either...
Three bad things about working in investment banking
The demands

It could be late nights, early mornings, wolfing down lunch at your desk every day, having a phone that never stops

ringing, or weeks on end of shuttling between airports, hotels and conference rooms. The point is that a job in

banking is not one that you can take on halfheartedly. It requires serious commitment - and some sacrifices.
Job security

The extensive post-financial crisis job cuts at many leading investment banks were an extreme, not an exceptional,

phenomenon. The fact is that in banking things change quickly and if, for whatever reason, your team isn't bringing in

the bacon, you may find yourself out of a job. But after working in high finance you'll always have options somewhere

in the industry, or outside it, and a financial cushion while you decide what to do.
Banker-bashing

Bankers have not exactly been the most popular group of people over the last few years. If you decide to go into this

field, be prepared for some criticism and be willing to defend the industry in which you've chosen to work.
In the City of London, October 27th 1986 was a momentous day. In order to become more competitive in financial
services, the UK government deregulated and internationalized the industry. The result – known as the Big Bang –
was that London experienced huge growth in the banking sector, and became an international financial center to rival
Wall Street.

The ‘Big Bang’ could also describe banking in the 1980s more generally. The advent of new technologies and
increasingly open markets meant that the industry was booming as never before – exactly like this happened in the
data room industry. And a job in finance was considered a glamorous pathway to untold riches.

Thirty years later, investment banking’s star has well and truly fallen on both sides of the Atlantic. Whether it’s Bernie
Sanders building his campaign around anti-Wall Street messages, or the British public distrusting bankers almost as
much as politicians, finance’s reputation looks to be at an all-time low.

But is investment banking really that bad? Or are critics – angered by high-profile scandals and stories of
astronomical bonuses – ignoring the key role that it plays in today’s economy?

Origins
Merchant banks first appeared in Medieval Italy, and existed to provide credit, underwriting and depositing services to
merchants (the clue’s in the name). That helped to keep the mercantilist economies of the time ticking over – so it
was fairly clear that without these institutions, trade and expansion would be far more difficult, if not impossible.

The Good
Investment banks still carry out many of the useful – and vital – functions that their predecessors did. Most obviously,
they help companies to raise capital through issuing equity or debt, giving businesses access to sources of finance.
The continued functioning and growth of the economy relies on enterprises being able to invest in their operations.
For example, electric car manufacturer Tesla raised $738 million by selling stock – with the help of six of the biggest
investment banks in the world.

Investment banks have another crucial job: acting as market-makers. This involves guaranteeing to buy or sell a
stock or bond, so that the market in question remains liquid, and orders that are filed can be fulfilled. Without this,
liquidity would drop and markets would seize up – with potentially catastrophic consequences.

Another important service that investment banks provide is providing financial advice and expertise to companies
looking to carry out a merger or acquisition. If you ever asked them for advice, one of the things they would definitely
recommend is to use a virtual data room on M&A deals. And even if it’s difficult to argue that every M&A deal is a net
positive, they’re still an important part of modern capitalism, so bankers’ know-how is clearly of value.

The Bad
However, investment banks do other things that call their usefulness into question. One worry among commentators,
including the former head of Britain’s regulatory authority, is that many financial institutions don’t create real value for
the economy – they may even siphon it away. They say that financial players like investment banks and asset
managers tend to collect ‘rent’ payments for manipulating money, but don’t provide an equally valuable service in
return.

It’s also often claimed that a runaway bonus culture incentivizes bankers to focus on their own short-term gains,
rather than their client’s best interests. The selling of sub-prime mortgage derivatives before the crisis is a perfect
example – as expertly demonstrated by Ryan Gosling, the banks were hawking instruments to clients that weren’t a
safe investment. The investment banks were more interested in making quick money than selling high-quality
products – and some claim that they still are.

The Ugly
As if that weren’t enough, the banking world has given rise to numerous scandals and unsavory characters. From
Jordan Belfort, the so-called Wolf of Wall Street, to rogue traders like Jerome Kerviel and Nick Leeson, finance
seems to give unscrupulous figures the chance to enrich themselves by defrauding others. Nor is it just isolated
individuals – as the Libor scandal demonstrates, corruption can often extend across departments and institutions.
Overall, it’s clear that investment banks play a crucial role in the economy – but the financial sector doesn’t always
generate value, and seems particularly susceptible to manipulation and unethical behavior. Preserving its useful
functions while preventing harmful and deceitful practices will be the biggest challenge of the coming years – for
regulators, but also for the banks themselves.
 SPEECH ON LIFE

Clearly, life is the most precious gift given to us by God and it’s up to us in which direction we would like to
take it. We can either make it or break it through our actions. So it’s a very pertinent topic to address either in
school, college, office or on a public platform. As we see these days, our youth wasting their lives and whiling
away their time recklessly, it of course has become a serious cause of concern for us. So prepare an effective
speech on life and try to influence people through your good thoughts. If you are a student, then you can
deliver a short speech on life and invite suggestion from your peers as to what they think about life and create a
healthy discussion. If you are a public face, then long speech on life can be prepared to address the people.

LONG AND SHORT SPEECH ON LIFE

SPEECH ON LIFE – 1
Good Morning Students – How’re you all doing?

Today, let’s make this class a little more special by not discussing your syllabus or exams, but discussing a
profound topic which everyone can relate with, i.e. Life. Do you know what life is? How would you define
life?

Students, we should all thank God every single day for giving us this life and another day to work towards our
goals. We are all unique individuals and no one is born like you and no one will ever be, so cherish your
individuality. Many times, I come across people blaming God for things that they don’t have and cursing their
lives, but little do they realize that this life itself is precious if we make it worth living and work hard.

Life itself is an opportunity to live a meaningful life and enable others to do so. It, therefore, doesn’t matter for
how many years you live all that matters is a quality of life and how well you live your life. Plus, how many
lives you have been able to touch by giving them encouragement and love.

On the second thought, the fear of death always hovers over our lives. Everyone has to face death sooner or
later, but that doesn’t mean that it should deter us from living life to the fullest or achieving our goals. A
person is wise only when he/she is prepared to meet the doom when it comes, but till that time enjoys every bit
of it. It is a sense of preparedness. It is a journey in everyone’s life wherein we have to traverse the bridge of
death to be able to wake up to a life eternal.
And believe it or not, but the secret of life is best known to those who are not attached to anything profoundly
so much so that they remain out of touch with worries as well as shifting fortunes of life. These are the people
who do not measure their lives in terms of materialistic possessions, but by measuring their lives in terms of
people they cannot live without.

Life is also about stewardship, it is being given to us by God in the form of trust that we will make it
meaningful in whatever we can. Such a thought at the back of our mind will always remind us that we are
answerable to God every time, for opportunities, treasure and talent he has gifted us with.

This is attuned with the words of Jesus, who said, “Man is destined to die once, and after that to face
judgment.” The other truth is that wrong things taking place in this world will be made right and that God will
take care of his children and good deeds will certainly be rewarded.
It is this thinking that makes life worthwhile and it is with the love of our family and friends that life can be
made beautiful. Life is also made more beautiful and purposeful by discharging our duties in our family, at
work, society and the world at large.

Thank You!

SPEECH ON LIFE – 2
Hello Friends – Warm Greetings of the Day!!

Today, I am here to address the topic called ‘Life’. Life is like a roller coaster ride and is never the same. It has
its share of ups and downs, but everyone strives to remain happy and wishes to lead a perfect life. Some people
aspire for an attractive job, some for a flourishing business, some for a healthy life, and the list just goes on.
We want to build our family in the best way possible and want to make such friends who can stand by us
through thick and thin.

We want to have all the material possessions that life offers us and wish all our problems to simply disappear.
So everyone wishes for a great life which could be at different levels. For instance, one person may define life
in a way with which other person cannot relate and for him/her it can be just having 3 course meals in a day
and having a roof over his/her head. For some other person, it could be having a big house or may be a huge
bank balance in their banks.
But in the present times, priorities are changing and so are people’s requirements. With high-paid jobs and
increasing materialistic desires, the level of stress is also increasing. So with an increasing level of stress,
people are facing severe medical conditions and are finding themselves unable to cope with the challenges that
life throws on them. As a result of which, suicide rate and cases of early deaths are increasing. So having a
stress-free life is what one wishes for. This is the basic human desire.

If one has to put up with constant struggle and show resistance, it results in the crippling of their souls and
makes such people detached from life. They become drained of energy and to them it feels as if they are
running a constant marathon. Life then becomes too hard to handle. But it’s our perception that shapes reality
and our lives as well. Life certainly throws challenges and hurdles, but those who have sheer will power
emerge triumphant and never give up no matter how hard the circumstances may become.

Life is definitely not a cake walk and it’s indeed very normal to get discouraged and broken. But it is important
to rise against all odds and continue doing your best because it is certain that giving up is not the solution and
constant endeavors definitely take you somewhere and of course closer to your dreams.

The only mantra for a successful life is to have faith in your own self and never bow down to the testing
situations. Only that person will reap the fruit of the labor, who will put all his/her might in pursuing his/her
dreams. So embrace your situation happily and find your way in the chaos. If life is difficult then also prove
that so are you and success will then definitely touch your feet.

This is all I have to say, thank you everyone!

SPEECH ON LIFE – 3
Good Morning one and all!

I warmly welcome everyone to this yet another session on Yoga and Meditation. But before our yoga guru
begins with his session, I – Kamalkant Sharma – your host for today would like to deliver a succinct speech on
Life. Since yoga is very much associated with life and helps in improving upon its quality, it is also important
to talk about its different facets and how it can be made better by adopting some healthy measures.
However, if I talk about life, I would say that it’s difficult to define it in a few words. But I would like to share
an important axiom, i.e. “Life is a journey and not a destination”. This journey is full of adventure and is never
the same all the time. It’s a fascinating mixture of good times and bad times, achievements and
disappointments, happiness and sorrow, luxury and struggle, opportunities and frustrations and a lot more. The
road of this journey is bumpy and rough to give you a really difficult time and take you by the storm. But
people react to such situation differently as some give up, some stumble and fall badly but rise again to win in
the end. Thus, life is really about those people who are truly fighters and want to make their way by any
means. With this attitude and constant striving, such people become immortal and their stories of bravery
become a source of inspiration for others.

On the other hand, life would become very monotonous and dull if you would experience same emotion and
there are no challenges to face. Time-tested situation and challenges only help a person to become a better and
refined individual because if there would be no difficult situation in life we will not be able to realize our
potential and inner strength. So take life as a game, make mistakes and then learn from your mistakes.
Perfection lies in imperfection and we all attain our goals by making mistakes. You must struggle to achieve
what you want to achieve – whether it’s a good job, big mansion or a huge bank balance – however, don’t do it
at the expense of others and by snatching other’s possessions which rightfully belong to them.

Remember that there will be a pain of loss, failures and loneliness but peace shall ensue in the end as it is often
said, “There is rainbow after the rain”. Failing every time doesn’t mean that you are a loser ad cannot really
achieve anything it could even be that the time is not favoring you. So grab every single opportunity you find
in your way and leave no room for regrets and sweat to labor. Life is like a kaleidoscopic picture with
multifarious options. You would also discover your world ultimately just keep chasing your dreams and work
relentlessly without giving up. There will be times when you will turn completely blank, but remember there is
a world out there which is shining bright and beautiful for you.

Standing still is never an option and it will never be!

Thank You!

SPEECH ON LIFE – 4
Good Morning Friends – How you all are doing?
I warmly welcome you all to today’s speech ceremony and the topic chosen by our committee is ‘Life’.
Chances are many of us must have asked this question to ourselves every now and then. The question is eternal
and something which we have all been trying to make sense of in this big and bizarre world. And, the question
is ‘What is the actual meaning of life?’

No matter which background we hail from, what position we hold and how many zeroes we have to add in our
paychecks, etc. for me the true meaning of life is summed up in the word called Service. As Dalai Lama in the
following lines revealed to his followers the true meaning or purpose of life: “We are visitors on this planet.
We are here for ninety or one hundred years at the very most. During that period, we must try to do something
good, something useful with our lives. If you contribute to other people’s happiness, you’ll find the true goal,
the true meaning of life.”

This is a philosophy worth taking an inspiration from as immense satisfaction is achieved after helping the
poor and needy. A life, lived for only selfish reasons, is not a life in the true sense of the term. The real joy is
found at the service of God and humanity, rest is all illusory. However, having said that I would still like to say
that it is important to do your Karma and discharge your roles and responsibilities well. It is good to earn hefty
packages, have a great social standing and to have materialistic desires too because these are the things that
drive a person to work hard and achieve goals.
It’s just that one should know how to strike a balance between your personal desires and acts of philanthropy.
Of course, you are not expected to give away your fortune to the needy people, but it is at least expected that
we develop a feeling of empathy and compassion towards others. This world should not be constantly taken as
a battlefield and life as a battle in itself rather we should live in harmony and spread the message of love and
peace everywhere only then will this planet become a safe haven to live in. Even until this time, you aren’t
able to make sense of your life or find a true meaning of life; then you can retreat, contemplate/meditate and
look within yourself. Repeat this exercise and you will surely be able to find peace and direction in life.

Assess your own situation carefully and try to find out what gives you happiness in life and take steps towards
it. If there’s anything that depresses your soul you should try to cut it off from your life. Find your passion and
work towards it for we live only once. With this, I would like to end my speech.

Thank you everyone for listening to me patiently!

Heyaaaaa !!!!!!!!

It is said that “student life is golden life,” because student life is the most important part of human life. It is the period
of pure joy and happiness, because the mind of a student is free from cares and worries of a grown-up life.

In this period, the character of man is built. So, it is called the formative period of human life. Every student should try
his best to make the best use of his student life.

The primary duty of a student is to learn and to acquire knowledge. He must do all his work at the right moment and
maintain punctuality and discipline. He must remember that if a student becomes successful in his student career and
his character is built on a sound basic, he will be able to shine in any sphere of life and serve his society and
countries.

A student should spend most of his time of this golden period in reading and learning. A good student never waste his
time fixed for reading uselessly. But he must not be a book-worm being always engaged in his studies. He should
also be careful about his health and spend some time daily in some sports and games. He should try to develop his
body and mind at the same time.

As a student he must try to develop his intellect. He should also try to acquire some good qualities like obedience,
dutifulness, respect on elders and love and sympathy for fellow man in the society. The duty of a student is to obey
his parents and teachers and respect the elders of the society.

Students are the future hope of country. So every student should try to be the best citizen in all respect, so that he
may serve his country as far as he can.

☺☺

4.5

110 votes

THANKS

187
Comments Report

phillipinestest Ace

Hello to all! Being a student is the best gift that one can have in his life. We have the opportunity to learn and grow in
a constructive environment with like-minded people. We are allowed to make mistakes, correct those mistakes and
become a better person. Our lives are not just restricted to the books we read; as a student, we get to experience
much more than that. We get to interact with so many kinds of people from all walks of lives, find our likes and
dislikes, discover our dreams and follow our hearts. A true student does not confine himself to learning from just
teachers and books - he always strives to broaden his mind and knowledge by learning from everyone and everything
around him. He is an avid listener, a keen observer and an organised thinker. Thus, all of us should cherish being
students and appreciate the ability to learn from our surroundings.

Read more on Brainly.in - https://brainly.in/question/4574937#readmore

Short Essay on the Life of A

Student
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The life of a school student is just studies, hard work discipline but it is also fun and the
best part of one’s fife. A ex-students, whom I know, and also my parents, long for the
good old days that is their school life.
School life is generally associated with a lot of studies, home work and examinations.

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School is, waking up early in the morning, whether it is hot or cold, putting on ones
uniform, hurriedly polishing shoes and rushing to the bus stop to catch the school bus
and getting used to the words “Hurry up! you will be late!” You reach school and again
the same words “Hurry up!” do not let you rest in peace.

At home, parents utter them like mantras and in school teachers and prefects do not let
you forget them. Throughout the day, it is a mad rush, one period gets over, the other
starts and you are ready for the second subject the third and so on.
When you forget to do your home work, you try to sit at the back and pretend to be
looking for something on the floor or in your bag hoping that your teacher would not see
you. You are lucky if you are not seen and it is bad luck if you are caught. If you are not
lucky, be ready for a good scolding or detention during break or after school. If you are
lucky and your teacher is in a good mood, you may be left with a warning.

Examination days are tough, you do not have time to play pranks, make fun; you can
only study and at the most pray so that you come out with flying colours.

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However, school is not so dull all the time, the games, library period and recess time is
a welcome break, when you can relax, joke and have fun with your friends. There are
some teachers, too, who can make school very exciting for example our Physical
Education teacher, Mr. Taneja, who has a typical style of talking.

Students, who are seen loitering around in school and are on a bunk, are caught by him
in a typical style” Aie ladke kya karta hai. Assembly is also fun with the Physical
Education teachers’ making an effort to talk in good English but often ending up being
so funny that the students cannot control their laughter.

School can be fun, real fun, when picnics and field trips are organized. We wait for them
keenly and keep on requesting our class teacher to organize one for us. Debates,
quizzes, cultural progammes also add luster to an otherwise dull school life which is
often restricted to studies. It is not that one does not enjoy studies but continuous
studies of 5 hours can become a little difficult.

One longs for some break in monotony and that we get by playing pranks, needless to
say, usually harmless, making fun of each other and at times of teachers who are very
strict and not liked.

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Of course, those teachers, whom we like, are never talked about with disrespect. We
wait to carry, for them, their bags and exercise books and on complementing them on
looks. If a class is boring then there are some, who tend to pretend them ill, just to go to
the dispensary.
Many a times, it works but at times boomerangs also when the nurse sees through them
and they are March back to the class with their head bowed.

And Oh! I forgot, bunking classes and not being caught, is another adventure in a
student’s life though there are only a few, very daring one who can take this liberty.
Majority of students are good and would never anything which could make them stand
outside the Principal’s office.

In short, a student’s life is all about a lot of discipline, hard woe punctuated by ecstatic
moments of fun and enjoyment. Fun increase after real hard work and you tend to enjoy
more than those who had been lazy and have wasted their time. I think this period of
your life is most wonderful period – full of spontaneity, dreams and hope, not a care in
the world, except for studying.

SPEECH ON VALUE OF DISCIPLINE IN

STUDENT LIFE

Discipline is such an integral part of students lives that we cannot imagine our existence without it. We often
talk about it when we become weary of living a disciplined life and wish to break free from it. Then,
realization dawns on us and we travel back in time and start thinking about our school days when teacher used
to teach us the importance of discipline in our lives. So it’s a topic that teachers address in their classrooms in
order to contain the behavior of their students. In fact, assignments are given to prepare an essay or a speech on
discipline.

LONG AND SHORT SPEECH ON VALUE OF DISCIPLINE

IN STUDENT LIFE IN ENGLISH
So if you are also looking for ideas and are scratching your head for preparing an effective speech on Value of
Discipline in Student Life, then we are here for you!

Right from short speech on Value of Discipline in Student Life to long speech on Value of Discipline in
Student Life you can find it all and use them for your assignment or as a reference point.
VALUE OF DISCIPLINE IN STUDENT LIFE SPEECH – 1
Respected Principal, Chairman, Committee Members, Teachers and Dear Fellow Students – Warm Greetings
to everyone!

First of all, let’s just express our gratitude towards the Almighty for gifting us yet another day to enjoy the
morning sunshine and the beauty of our school.

Today, I – the representative of Class-X, Shikhwant Sharma, has come on stage to deliver a speech on
discipline. It doesn’t give me pleasure to share with you all the fact that our teachers and managing committee
have come to notice the growing indiscipline in our school. There was a time when our school was awarded
the best school for maintaining discipline in all streams in the entire region and now sadly the management is
observing that our school is gradually losing out on its characteristic trait.

Some students are frequently seen coming late to the school due to which other students are also coming under
the sway. Not only this, but students have even started bunking classes; are growing inattentive towards their
approaching exams and are also not performing well in their tests. This is the reason why I took the initiative
to deliver a speech on discipline and make my juniors as well as fellow students realize the importance of
discipline in our lives and more so because the management doesn’t want to implement strict rules for the
students. They believe in making the environment congenial and adaptable for the students where they
naturally feel inclined towards their learning and growth prospects.

So let me tell you friends that this is the most precious time for all of us to lay a sound foundation of our
academics. Secondly, that strong foundation can only be laid down by adopting a disciplined way of life and
this discipline starts right from our school. Educational discipline involves a process of physical and mental
conditioning of the human body and brain respectively.

We all should know that discipline acts as bridge between our objectives and accomplishments. Discipline
implies a willing submission to following a set of rules and regulations as imposed by the self for achieving
personal goals or by the society to aid in the development of a cohesive nation-building exercise. Most of the
time, discipline should be self taught rather than imposed by others because under such situation it becomes
choking for an individual to survive. However, we must realize from within that discipline is for our own
betterment and progress. It is important for every individual to follow discipline whether it’s a homemaker,
working professional, business person, artist or a student for that matter.

As students, it becomes our foremost responsibility to live a disciplined life, i.e. come to school on time, attend
all the classes, follow all the classroom teachings unfailingly and strike a balance between our academics and
hobbies.

Even though difficult to inculcate, but discipline is a must for our personal growth; then the progress of our
institution and our country at large. Its absence may lead us to face failures and defeat. So as students we
should first and foremost be punctual and be sincerely devoted to our studies.

In the end, I just want to say that let’s come together and cultivate self-regulation as well as control in our lives
in order to become bright students of our schools and bring accolades to our institution.

Thank You!

VALUE OF DISCIPLINE IN STUDENT LIFE SPEECH – 2

Respected Teachers and Dear Students – I welcome you all to the monthly speech giving ceremony of our
institute!

I feel extremely elated at the fact that our institute has successfully completed 5 years and since then my
association with this place is going strong. I wish many more such years of continued success and growth and
hope we continue to nurture the youth of our country with knowledge and right values. Today, as one of the
senior faculty members of this institute, I am here to host this ceremony and deliver a succinct speech on
discipline for all my students given the fact that it has become the need of the hour as in present times our
youth is somewhat living an erratic lifestyle and are flouting rules and codes of behavior.

We should always remember that time is money and if we will destroy time then time will destroy us! So
discipline is required in every walk of life no matter we are a student or not. Discipline is the very essence of
our lives and if we do away with it then certainly negative impact on our future prospects would follow.
Though whiling away time will give you temporary pleasure, but in the end it will result in only a painful
experience. It, therefore, becomes important to discipline our lives right from the beginning and make it a basis
of conducting our lives.

In fact, discipline is required not only at all stages of life, but in every sphere of life too. For instance, an army
cannot imagine its existence without it and so enforces strict discipline in their department and divisions with
zero toleration policy. An educational institute too cannot function without it; this is the reason why fixed
hours are allocated to both the teachers and students and each one is made to follow the suite so that the rules
and regulation of the institution are kept intact. Likewise, in corporate, courts, auditoriums, including even the
small private firms discipline has to be maintained in order to preserve the sanctity of the place. In hospitals,
the visitors are allowed only at the designated hours beyond which no visitors are entertained. Even for a small
thing as paying your electricity bill or the telephone bill or buying a movie ticket for that matter, you will have
to stand in a queue and get your work done.

When it comes to our personal lives, we cannot afford complete luxury and some sort of discipline has to be
maintained for a stable and meaningful life. For instance, if you succumb to temptation and over eat things,
your stomach will get upset. Similarly, if you watch television till late night, you will start feeling unwell the
next morning. If you do not discipline yourself in your studies and distract yourself, then you’re not likely to
fare well in your exams.

So in a nutshell, life is best enjoyed when discipline is observed. Nothing gives satisfaction in life when the
very essence of living life is missing and our existence becomes mere animal-like. In the end, I would just
request our students to not let anyone impose rules in your life; rather observe self-discipline, systematize
yourself and reap the fruits of benefits out of it.

Thank You!

VALUE OF DISCIPLINE IN STUDENT LIFE SPEECH – 3

Good Morning Respected Principal, Respected Teachers and My Dear Student!
Today, this special assembly is organized for the purpose of discussion about discipline among students. As a
teacher in this school, it’s my duty to make students realize the importance of discipline in their lives. So,
before I begin, I would like to explain you that what is discipline? Discipline is actually a controlled behaviour
of a person who follows every rules and regulations and it does not matter where he/she is. These days,
discipline among students is decreasing and it is a very problematic situation which needs to be solved.

Discipline is the first thing in the life of a student which leads him/her to the way of success. The reason for
setting up rules and regulations in the school is to teach students about what is discipline and maintain
discipline among them. In the early stage of a student when he starts from prep, this is the time where the
teaching of discipline begins and parents play an important role in maintaining discipline in their child because
a child only spends maximum eight hours in the school and rest of the time with his parents. It is very
important to understand the importance of discipline in our lives. Discipline is not important only for children
but it is important in every person’s life.

If we talk about maturity, self discipline is very important to learn. It helps us to govern and rule ourselves.
This is the hardest task among all. Existence of a good school is only possible if there is discipline because it is
the first purpose of sending children to school for parents. Just think that, if students can do whatever they
want to do in their schools then it will become impossible for the teachers to teach. Many students miss their
school without a justified reason or permission of their parents or teachers.

I have got many complaints from students that they are not able to study in their class because of the disruption
created by their classmates. This is because of the lack of discipline among students. This responsibility is not
only of the school. It is the responsibility of parents, schools and government. There should be some measures
taken by the government. There should be a penalty for unjustified short attendance holders. There should be
strict rules in the school for proper behaviour.

But sometimes, the reason behind the bad behaviour of a student is his/her family situation and personal
problems. Many of the time, students are not able to explain their problems to anyone and thus they get
frustrated and cause bad behaviour in them and teachers has the responsibility to understand the cause of the
bad behaviour in the students and they should not neglect their responsibility. Thus, I just want to say that we
all should understand the responsibility towards maintaining discipline among students and then only this
problem would be solved.
On this note, I would like to conclude my speech and I hope that from now onwards all of you will try to
maintain discipline in your lives.

Thank you and have a good day!

VALUE OF DISCIPLINE IN STUDENT LIFE SPEECH – 4

Good Morning Respected Principal, Respected Teachers and My Dear Students!

As we all know that from today onwards the new session will start and there will be new classrooms, new
students and of course new studies and I wish you all good luck for your new journeys. Before the regular day
began, I would like to address some of the issues that were seen constantly during the whole last year and it
needs a solution so that it would not happen this year. The problem is regarding the lack of discipline among
students that projects a bad image in front of the outsiders and creates issues for teachers and other staff. It has
become very necessary to teach students discipline strictly.

As your sports trainer, it’s my duty to teach you the lesson of discipline because in sports discipline is a
necessity. First of all, education is all about learning discipline and gaining knowledge. Discipline is all about
the respect and it means the respect towards rules and regulation or the respect towards a person. If there is no
discipline then there will be no respect.

In school principal, teachers and the whole staff deserve respect and when you are outside of the school then
your neighbors and everyone else deserves respect. The first step to discipline is to learn to obey other people
and rules and regulations of the place where you go. Discipline also means to behave in a good manner such as
following the proper dress routine of the school daily because it is seemed many times that there are many
students who does not wear school uniform properly and does not get their nails cut etc. All these problems are
the cause of lack of discipline.

The biggest problem that came out from the lack of discipline is truancy. Many children miss their school for
no clear reason and without the permission of teachers. It is the responsibility of parents to make sure that their
child is attending school regularly or not. Lack of attendance is a sign of unorganized family or of their bad
conditions.

There should be some rules and regulations for the students who are lacking in attendance and a good behavior
in the school. On an unjustified absence of the student in the school, the fine will be charged. Penalty should
be charged for the bad behavior such as suspension etc.

Punishments and penalty is not only the solution of this problem but it needs students to understand the value
of discipline in their lives because it is the only thing that will help them to focus on their future goals. Without
a proper disciplined life it is quite impossible to achieve success. Having fun with your friends and family is
also important but it does not mean to neglect your responsibility towards school because in life, everything is
important but discipline is must.

On this note, I would like to conclude my speech and I wish you all a great day ahead!

Thank you!

IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION SPEECH

We have provided simple and easy speech on importance of education for the students. You can select any of
the importance of education speech given below according to your need and requirement. Using such speech
you can participate in the speech narration in school or event celebration in community or society.

Importance of Education in Society | Importance of Education for Children | Importance of Education in our
Life | Article on Importance of Education for Women | Importance of Education for Adults
LONG AND SHORT SPEECH ON IMPORTANCE OF
EDUCATION
IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION SPEECH 1
First of all I would like to say good morning to the respected teachers, parents and my dear friends. I would
like to speech on the importance of education which is must to know by all of us. Education plays a great role
in the life of everyone all through the life.
Getting proper education is very necessary to get success and happy life just like food is necessary for healthy
body. It is very important to live luxurious and better life. It develops personality of the people, provides
physical and mental standard and transforms people’s living status.

It promotes the feeling of physical, mental and social well being by providing better life. Good education is
constructive in nature which constructs our future forever. It helps a person to improve his/her status of mind,
body and spirit. It provides us lots of confidence by giving us bulk of knowledge in many field. It is a single
and vital way to the success as well as personal growth.

The more knowledge we get, we grow and develop more in the life. Being well educated never only means to
earn certificates and good salary from the recognized and reputed organisation companies or institutions
however it also means to be a good and social person in the life. It helps us to determine whether something is
good or bad for us and other persons related to us.

The first purpose of getting good education is being good citizen and then being successful in personal and
professional life. We are incomplete without a good education because education makes us right thinker and
correct decision maker. In such a competitive world, education has become a necessity for human beings after
food, clothe and shelter. It is able to provide solutions to all problems; it promotes good habits and awareness
about corruption, terrorism, and other social issues among us.

Education is the most important tool offers inner and outer strength to a person. Education is the fundamental
rights of everyone and capable of bringing any desired change and upliftment in the human mind and society.

Thank You

IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION SPEECH 2

Good morning to the Excellencies, my respected teachers and my dear friends. I would like to speech over
importance of education at this great occasion in front of you. Education is very important to all of us. Our
parents make us learn many things at home and then send us to school after age of three years. Our home is
first education institute where we learn how to behave to others and other skills however school education is
very necessary to be successful in practical life.

Through school education we learn and develop personality, mental skills, moral and physical powers. Without
proper education, one gets lack of all educational benefits in his/her life. Education is the only key to success
in personal and professional life. Education provides us various types of knowledge and skills. It is a
continuous, slow and secure process of learning which helps us in obtaining knowledge. It is a continuous
process which starts when we take birth and ends when our life ends.

We should make our habits of learning always all through the life from our teachers, parents, family members,
friends and other related people in our life. We learn to become a good person, learn to live in home, society,
community and friend circle. Attending school and receiving education is extremely vital for every person and
necessary for those who want to achieve success.

We all take birth in same manner at the same planet however do not get same opportunity to receive such type
of formal education which may lead everyone of us towards success because of the lack of money and
knowledge of parents. One who gets proper education becomes admired by the members of the family,
community and country. Proper education by all brings equality among human beings and removes the feeling
of difference.

Education not only makes us able to learn about history, science, math, geography, and other subjects however
it makes us smart enough to learn how to live life and handle bad situations.

Thank You

IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION SPEECH 3

Good morning to the Excellencies, my respected teachers and my dear friends. As we have gathered here to
celebrate this special occasion, I would like to speech over the importance of education. Good and proper
education plays a great role in shaping our future and professional career. It helps us to develop personality and
earn recognition and respect in the family and society. We can say that education is socially and personally an
essential part of the human life.
We cannot ignore the importance of education in our life at any cost. As we see daily in the society lots of
social issues just because of the lack of proper education. Social issues like inequality, gender discrimination,
religious differences and so many problems are there because of the lack of education in our life. Proper
education helps us to maintain the personal and social standards in daily life.

In such a modern, technological and competitive world, there is still the issue of education among poor and
uneducated people of the society which needs to be solved as soon as possible. Education is the key to solve all
the social, personal and professional problems of the people. Proper and higher education makes us more
civilized to live in the society. One cannot make his/her good image in the society and live prosperous and
happy life without getting appropriate education. It makes us able to maintain the healthy surroundings.

Now-a-days, unlike ancient time, getting proper education has become easy and simple because of the online
system and correspondence facility in all the big universities. It has made education system easy because of
which poor people can also get education in their own field of choice. There are many huge efforts and plan
strategies by the government to maintain the quality of education all over the India.

Education helps us to be healthy, save many lives, boosts economic growth, earn money, raise quality crop,
promote peace in the society, eradicate poverty, remove gender discrimination and inequality, promote women
and children rights, bring good governance, remove corruption, make aware about fundamental rights and so
many. Good education does not mean to study hard and get good results however it is to conquer new things
for the betterment of whole mankind.

Thank You

IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION SPEECH 4

Good morning to the Excellencies, respected teachers and my dear friends. I would like to speech over the
importance of education at this special occasion. The real meaning of education is much more than the success
in personal and professional life. People in the modern society have narrowed the meaning of education. It
does not aim that educated people gets professionally recognized instead it aims much more than this. It is not
only to run in the race to go ahead and read only the school or college syllabus. The education really means to
improve the physical, social and mental well-being, develop personality and improve skill level. The aim of
education is very vast and makes a person, good person.

In providing good level of education, teachers play very important role. Whatever we learn through our parents
and teachers goes with us throughout the life which we again pass on to our next generation. The aim and
benefits of proper education is not restricted to only personal gains instead it benefits other people of the
family, society and country. People in the society have different meaning, needs and perceptions about the
education however the real meaning and importance of it never changes.

A good education helps us all to be independent in the society as well as get over of the problem of poverty.
Many people do education passionately and not as a workload. They love to read and develop their mind and
skill. Some historical people like Swami Vivekananda spent their whole life in getting education and sharing
knowledge among poor people of the society.

We too should get proper education by understanding its real value and get benefited completely. Our aim of
getting education should be to help other needy people of the society to get them over the weaknesses and
superstitions. Education has unbelievable power which keeps us away from evil powers, helps us in making
self dependent and provides us new possibilities and opportunities to become a problem solver and excellent
decision maker.

It keeps our mind calm and peaceful by maintaining the balance among body, mind and soul. Through the key
of education one can open his/her difficult lock of the success. Many people do hard work for whole day just to
earn some money for getting two times of food in the absence of good education. So, education is must for
everyone of us to have a better and happy lifestyle.

LONG SPEECH ON IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION – SPEECH 5

A very Good Morning to ladies and gentlemen present here. I am honored for being given the opportunity to
speak on the topic – “Importance of Education”.
To begin with, ladies and gentlemen, the term “Education” needs no introduction. We all are well aware of
what it means, since our childhood. In a lay man’s term education refers to an ability to read or write in mother
tongue; though, in a broader perspective it implies having a specialized knowledge in a particular field. For ex-
arts, science, engineering, medicine, accountancy etc.

The Latter skills are mostly acquired through formal education, which is classroom based and is provided by
trained teachers. The basic education skills, on the other hand, not necessarily be acquired in class rooms, but
could also be gained through, community classes or even at home.

Education plays a vital role in the life of everyone- from a daily wage labour to a top ranking CEO of any XYZ
multinational company. Though the level of education acquired differs in both the cases, nevertheless, the
importance of education is very well understood by both of them. One knows that s/he is destined to be a
labour for life, because of the lack of education, while the other is thankful that s/he acquired the best formal
education, which has helped him/her reach where s/he is.

However the advantage of basic education, even in the life of people engaged in unskilled menial jobs, can’t be
denied. An ability to read, write and do simple calculations, make them independent, confident and less
susceptible to fraud, irrespective of whether s/he is a daily wage labor or a rickshaw puller or a small farmer.
Education liberates their thoughts and actions, making them capable of wisely using the resources available
and progressing gradually.

Besides, all the technical aspects, education also transform the personality of an individual. It makes a person
more polite and sensible. An educated person can interact better with others, or can even argue logically, when
needed. S/he can analyze a person, place, thing or event in a better way and make appropriate judgments.
Education changes a person’s perception of looking at others and the society, making him/her more rational or
reasonable. S/he is more likely to be compassionate towards problems faced by the individuals and the society
as well, and give opinions or suggestions.

Education not only benefits individuals but, also has the potential for transforming a nation by putting it on the
path of progress and growth. Every citizen is a pillar of the nation and a nation rests on billions of such pillars.
The more educated the pillars are, the more strong will be the nation’s foundation.
An educated person initiates a chain reaction- s/he makes sure that their children are educated as well, making
way for an educated society, an educated society makes way for an educated nation an lastly an educated
nation finally leads to an educated world. The educated workforce that a nation has contributes immensely in
its own economy as well as to the economy of the world.

Education not only reforms the life of an individual and economy of a nation, but also transforms a society by
diminishing centuries old social evils like dowry, child marriage, child labor, gender discrimination etc. These
all are main hindrances to any nation’s prosperity and growth, and they all could be killed by only one weapon
– education. An educated society is more like to break free from orthodox customs and traditions, and move
forward towards a better tomorrow.

Education also is the most potent tool to eliminate two of the major challenges faced by any nation and even
the world – poverty and unemployment. An educated person acquires necessary skills, which make him/her
employable or gainfully engaged. She/he can be gainfully employed in government/private sector or could be
self employed. In both the cases, s/he becomes financially independent and self sufficient to meet the demands
of his/her family. Thus, education is a two pronged spear, killing both unemployment and poverty, in one shot.

Last but not the least, another beauty of education is that, it could be acquired at any age, irrespective of your
caste, creed, gender or religion. All you need to have is a desire to get educated, somewhere deep inside your
consciousness. The world has many examples, where people have acquired formal education even in later
stages of their lives and enjoyed its rewards.

Before I end my speech, ladies and gentlemen; I would like to request you all, to make all the possible efforts
to spread education, within your individual capacities. Volunteer to teach in your spare time, inspire and help
the underprivileged in gaining education, volunteer with an NGO working for the cause of education etc. There
are so many things; you could do to make the nation more and more educated, as much as your resources and
time permit you.

With this I end my speech. Wishing everyone, all the very best in your individual careers, aspirations and
personal life. Thank You!
 Essay about Photography
731 Words3 Pages

The Test of Time: The Power of the Photograph What is a photograph? The simplicity of taking a
photograph leads many to ponder its artistic value. Yet, it is undeniable that there are some photos that
cause an emotional reaction deeper than simply observing a recorded point in time. Surely, there are
photographs that cause more reaction than some modern art pieces. There seems to be two types of
photographs. The first classification is the ‘time capture’ photo – an image with the sole purpose of
recording a particular event or point in time. The second nature of a photo carries a ‘deeper meaning,’
which has the ability to change the observer’s mood and cause a reaction. But what distinguishes these
two varieties? There are a…show more content…

There is clearly an artistic value to this image – it is taken at the location of a massacre of over 200
members of the Great Sioux Nation. However, did Elliot Erwitt intend a ‘deeper meaning’ for this
photograph? In an interview recorded on his official website, Erwitt declares, “If it turns out to be
entertaining what I do, I’m very pleased. But it’s not conscious.” It seems that Erwitt claims to not possess
artistic intent in his photographs. However, it is clear that he simply boasts an unconscious artistic eye. It is
obvious that the photograph of this church on hallowed ground falls in the ‘deeper meaning’ category. The
second Elliot Erwitt photo is taken from his official webpage. It too is captured in black and white. The
photo, shown in Figure 2 was taken in France and depicts a man and child riding a bicycle down a road
lined with trees. This seems to be a ‘time capture’ photo; this particular event can never be perfectly
replicated again. Despite the category in which this photo clearly falls into, it is undoubtedly still art – the
setting is too perfect to be unintentional. However, according to Erwitt in his interview, unintentional is
exactly the correct word. Erwitt states, “I take pictures of anything that interests me as I walk around with
my camera.” This means that many of his photos are taken on a whim; the right place at the right time. In
this case it is the viewer who makes the distinction between

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SSAY ON CITY LIFE VS VILLAGE LIFE 2 (150 WORDS)

Facilities and opportunities to move forward are greater in urban life than what we find in rural existence but
there is an acute problem of pollution, noise, lack of adequate water supply, traffic jam, overcrowding and
crime in cities. Similarly, though there is a lack of modern facilities in rural areas, but the clean air and peace
are beneficial for the health of the people living there.
Villages hold a mirror to Indian culture and heritage. India’s centuries-long traditions still exist there. You can
enjoy sunshine, greenery and tranquillity, and the people here are found to be very warm and friendly.

On the other hand, urban life is filled with tough challenges. Mostly, the people living in cities can avail latest
amenities and cutting-edge facilities. They are always pre-occupied and busy with one thing or the other all the
time. Sadly, they do not have time to even meet their neighbours, friends and relatives. Thus, there are
advantages as well as drawbacks to live in both rural and urban areas.

ESSAY ON VILLAGE LIFE VS CITY LIFE 3 (200 WORDS)

India is largely an agriculture-based country. Farmers are the backbone of rural economy. They work very
hard in agricultural fields where they grow grains and vegetables. They conserve water in ponds and canals to
irrigate crops. The life of farmers is close to nature, away from the hustle and bustle of cities. There is peace
and tranquillity everywhere, except for conflicts over land and caste prejudices and the prevailing taboos and
superstitions.

On the other hand, people in cities are always racing against time. There is always great pressure to perform
leading to stress and other health problems related to the hectic lifestyle of urban life. The urban dwellers have
little time for friends, neighbours, relatives, or even their own family members. As the cost of living in cities is
constantly going up, the chase of money becomes an inevitable part of life in cities. Yet despite accumulating
wealth, peace still eludes the urban habitants.

But life in villages has its own problems. There are frequent clashes related to ownership of land and caste.
Many villages do not even have basic facilities of education, employment, healthcare, transport and electricity.
Ultimately, there is need for restoring true balance and purpose in your life, whether you are living in a village
or a city.

ESSAY ON VILLAGE LIFE VS CITY LIFE 4 (250 WORDS)

Rural life is quite peaceful as people here do not lead a hectic lifestyle. They wake up early in the morning and
fall asleep timely at night. Here the air is not polluted, as is the case with cities. There is also less pollution and
crowd. Villagers are accustomed to easy-going life in villages as opposed to the hectic life in cities that leads
to great amount of stress for them.

But villages mostly lack basic facilities such as electricity, schools, nursing homes and factories to employ
people. Villagers have to walk on foot for several miles, if they do not have their own transport. Villages only
provide seasonal employment and mostly people there are not gainfully employed. All these factors lead to
large-scale migration of people from rural to urban areas in search of good education, employment and
comforts of life.

But life in cities has its own negative side – it’s full of pressure, stress and anxiety. People here have several
material comforts and amenities but no mental peace. They are always busy in executing various tasks related
to their personal and professional life so much so that they sometimes they do not even know their next-door
neighbour. The pressure to constantly perform takes a heavy toll on their health and they become prone to
various ailments or lifestyle diseases even at a young age. Some of them even spend sleepless nights and their
mental equilibrium takes a beating. So, life in rural and urban areas is poles apart but both are integral to the
development of India.

ESSAY ON VILLAGE LIFE VS CITY LIFE 5 (300 WORDS)

More than half of India’s population lives in villages. Gandhi had said “the real India lives in villages”. Rustic
simplicity and natural beauty is emblematic of Indian culture and heritage.

Lives of most of the people in villages mostly depend on agriculture. Some people earn their living from
animal husbandry and agro-based cottage industries. Most of the villagers are farmers. They are hardworking,
unassuming and generous. When farmers plough their fields in the morning sun, the chirping of birds that
accompanies the movement of the oxen seems to hum a melody of hard work. Farmers are innocent by nature
unlike some of their urban counterparts who lose their inner goodness in the cut-throat world of materialism in
cities.

Life in urban India is marked by wide-ranging disparity. There are residents who have unlimited means of
enjoyment but some people are so poor that they have to live in slums. Economic inequality, pollution and
garbage are the bane of urban existence. People also have to face lack of adequate water supply. Yet people
want to live in cities because they get facilities for good education, healthcare, transport and so many modes of
comforts and entertainment. There are also good opportunities for employment in cities unlike villages where
very few people are gainfully employed.

City life is a boon in many ways, but on the other hand it is also a curse. Every year the population of cities is
growing by leaps and bounds, increasing pressure on their infrastructure and reducing life to a dehumanized rat
race.

Thus, life in villages and in cities presents two contrasting pictures. There are positive as well as negative
aspects to the both and it is up to the individuals to make the most of it irrespective of the rural or urban setting
that one lives in.

ESSAY ON VILLAGE LIFE VS CITY LIFE 6 (400 WORDS)

Life in both rural and urban areas has its own plus points and problems. One is quite different from each other.
Traditionally, India is a predominantly rural country as Mahatma Gandhi had said, “The real India lives in
villages”.

There is a splash of festivals and fairs in villages. Here festivals are celebrated with a sense of brotherhood in a
traditional way. The whole village dances to folk tunes at the time of festival whether it is Holi, Baisakhi,
Pongal, Onam, Dussehra, Diwali, or Eid. All the people in the village live in bonds of fraternity. They share
mutual happiness as well as sorrow with each other as per the circumstances of life. Though their lifestyle is
not as advanced as what you see in the cities, rural people are warmer, and more cordial. They are more
considerate and know each other in the village. They do not live in a state of isolation as is the case with
metropolitan cities.

The natural beauty of the villages in India is simply eye-catching. The lush green fields capped around by
flowers and spread an intoxicating fragrance. Birds chirp around merrily in fields, barns and village homes.
Simplicity is the hallmark of life in villages.

Unfortunately, the search for jobs and the glare of material comforts and facilities is leading to large-scale
migration of people from rural to urban areas. Though, now villages in the country are now also advancing in
terms of standard of living. Urbanisation is taking place at a fast pace; electricity, piped water, concrete roads,
telephone/mobile phone, computers, education and medical care are accessible facilities in many parts of rural
India these days. Farmers are now using modern agricultural implements, and in place of oxen, they are
ploughing the fields with tractors.

But life is not without troubles in villages too. There are frequent disputes over land and same-gotra love
marriages, which all result in bloodshed and violence. The village panchayats when deliberating on disputes
pronounce very harsh and uncalled-for judgements which make people’s life a tale of misery and pain.

Villagers depend on the sale of their agricultural produce on urban markets and city dwellers cannot survive
without the supply of essential commodities such as grain, fruits and vegetables from rural regions. People
from villages daily commute to cities to buy latest articles of modern life, watch movies, relax and enjoy
themselves or do jobs in urban establishment. In fact, development of India is unthinkable without the
harmonious development of villages and cities. Both of them complement each other.

LIFE ESSAY

Life has been bestowed upon us by the almighty and we all must value it. We should be thankful for all that we
have and try to improve ourselves each day to build a better life. Technically, life is associated with feelings,
growth and evolution. Like the plants have life because they grow; humans and animals have life as they feel
sadness, happiness and they too grow.
The journey of life may not always be smooth but we must keep going and stay positive all the times. Life is
the most precious asset on this planet and must be protected irrespective of its form and appearance. Every
species, not only humans, have a fundamental right to live their life, I whatever way they desire. Life is a gift
of God to humanity and any attempt to disrupt or damage it will have undesirable consequences.

LONG AND SHORT ESSAY ON LIFE IN ENGLISH

Here we have provided Long and Short Essay on Life in English, of varying lengths to help you with the topic
in your exam.

These Life Essays are written in simple and easy language so that they can be easily remembered and can be
presented when required.

You can choose any life essay as per your interest and need and present it during your school’s essay writing
competition, debate completion or speech giving.

SHORT ESSAY ON LIFE: LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL BUT NOT A BED

OF ROSES – ESSAY 1 (200 WORDS)
There is a lot of stress all around us these days. Most people complain about problems at office, issues in
relationships and the growing competition in various fields. People are so engrossed in dealing with these
issues that they don’t see the real beauty of life. There is so much more to life than these things. In fact, if we
look at life closely, we will realize how beautiful it is. God has given us an abundance of everything. This is
evident when we look at the nature. The trees, plants, rivers and sunlight – everything is in abundance and so is
the energy that resides within us. This is the beauty of life.

However, this is not to say that life is a bed of roses. It is not! The problems and concerns of people are
genuine. The rich, the poor, the educated, the uneducated, the beautiful and the not so beautiful – everyone has
his/ her on set of problems. Life is not easy for anyone. However, we need to understand that this is how life is.
If everything came easy we would not really value it. Life is beautiful in its own way and we should look for
reasons to enjoy it and embrace its beauty amid the issues we are dealing with.
 ESSAY ON LIFE: CHALLENGES AND GOALS – ESSAY 2 (300
WORDS)
Introduction
Challenges are a part of life. We face different challenges at different points in life. While some people look at
these challenges as an opportunity to learn something new others get disheartened and succumb to them. We
learn many new things as we take on different challenges. These experiences make us a better person. We can
overcome many challenges by setting goals. Goals give us the determination to achieve despite the hurdles.

Dealing with Challenges

Challenges require us to get out of our comfort zone. These can be difficult to deal with. However, we must
deal with them with courage and determination. Here are some ways to deal with the challenges in life:

 Stay Calm
No matter what the situation is we must deal with it calmly. We shall be able to think of a solution and act
upon it only if we stay calm. If we stress about it continually we shall not be able to act wisely.

 Stay Determined
No matter how hard the situation gets, the key is to stay determined and keep going. We must not give up half
way.

 Seek Help from Family and Friends

There is no harm in seeking help from family and friends whenever there is a need. However, we must not
depend upon them completely.

Set Goals; Give Purpose to Life

It is important to set goals in life. We must set both long term and short term goals for our personal as well as
professional life and work hard to achieve them. Goals give purpose to our life. To set goals, we must first
understand what we want in life and then make a plan to achieve it. We must always set a time frame for
achieving our goals.
Conclusion
While challenges take us through new experiences and make us stronger, goals help us stay focused. Both
challenges and goals are important in life.

ESSAY ON LIFE: IT IS A PRECIOUS GIFT – ESSAY 3 (400

WORDS)
Introduction
Life is a precious gift. It must be handled with care. We must be thankful to God for sending us on Earth and
giving us such beautiful surroundings to live in. We must also be thankful to God for making us physically and
mentally fit to live a wholesome life. Not just human beings, the life of animals, birds and plants is equally
precious and we must value it too.

Appreciate Life and Express Gratitude

We must appreciate the good in our life and express gratitude for the same. Many people are not happy with
the way things go on in their life. They criticize almost everything and everyone around and develop a negative
outlook. They need to understand that the fact that they have been given a life to live is in itself a big thing.

The fact that they are in good health is a reason to be thankful for. The fact that they are able and can work
hard and make their life better is another reason to be grateful. They must appreciate what they have and be
thankful for it. Everything else can be achieved with some effort.

Don’t Waste Life

Many people indulge in bad habits such as smoking, drinking and taking drugs. The havoc created post
consuming these can be a threat to their life as well as the life of those around them. Many people drink and
run over their car on innocent people killing them or injuring them badly. They even hurt themselves during
such incidents. Besides, all these things have a negative impact on a person’s health.
They incur serious health problems over the time thus ruining their lives as well as the lives of their family
members. They must understand that life is precious. We can lead a purposeful life and add value to it or waste
it and end up in a mess. Many people realize this much later in life mostly after incurring a major problem. It is
too late then and they cannot go back and relive their life properly. We must value this gift called life when
there is still time and tread the right path to enjoy it.

Conclusion
God has given us a chance to live and enjoy the beauty of the nature. Life is a precious gift and we must all
value it. We must express gratitude and stay positive to make the most of this gift given to us. We must also
value the lives of those around us.

ESSAY ON LIFE: IT IS A JOURNEY NOT A DESTINATION –

ESSAY 4 (500 WORDS)
Introduction
There is a mad rush all around us. In schools, offices, businesses and even in households – people are running
around, chasing different things and trying to achieve things as fast as they can as if they are about to miss a
train. This eagerness and restlessness to get somewhere is what they pass on to their kids too and it goes on and
on. Where exactly do we want to reach? And how will we feel when we reach there? We need to slow down
and ask ourselves these questions.

We must understand that life is a journey not a destination. This means that we need to go through it slowly
and calmly enjoying every moment and making the most of it rather than rushing through it.

Find Happiness in Little Things

We often overlook the little things in life and keep chasing the bigger things believing they will give us
happiness. While achieving our big dreams and goals does give us satisfaction however it is the little things in
life that bring us true happiness. These are the things that bring a smile to our face later in life. For instance,
parents keep telling their children to behave nicely, study dedicatedly and sleep on time.
They do all this to inculcate discipline in them. They want them to focus on their studies so that they can
choose a good stream and build a rewarding career. They believe that all this will help them get a good life
partner and build a happy personal life too. They have good intentions but are they really doing good to their
children? In a way, no as they are stealing the precious moments of their lives that could be spent more
joyfully.

Enjoy the Journey of Life; Don’t Rush Through it

The first twenty years of a person’s life are spent in mugging up their chapters and attempting to fetch good
marks. Children are repeatedly told that they can enjoy once they get a good job. When they get a good job,
they are asked to work hard to get to a good position in the company. Then they are told that they can enjoy
their life after they reach a certain position.

When they reach a good position in the company, they require working hard to maintain the position. It is also
time for them to plan a family and fulfill various responsibilities. They are then told that they can live
peacefully and enjoy life once they retire. No one even thinks that they will not be left with the same
enthusiasm, energy and zeal to enjoy life when they enter that age.

Life is happening now. We must enjoy it here and now and not wait to reach a certain position or phase of life
to start living the way we want.

Conclusion
It is important to set goals and work hard towards achieving them. We must also set deadlines for our goals,
stay focused and utilize our time wisely to achieve the desired result. What we should avoid is to rush towards
them. We will come across many new things as we head towards our goals. All these will make us stronger
and wiser. We should allow ourselves to see and experience these new things and learn from them rather than
rushing towards the goal.

LONG ESSAY ON LIFE: TRUE VALUE OF LIFE – ESSAY 5 (600

WORDS)
Introduction
We all have just one life. We are here on Earth for a limited period of time and do not know when our time
will end. We must thus make the most of the time we have. We must do good deeds, help as much as we can,
appreciate the beauty around us and stay positive. We must value life and be grateful for all that we have as not
many are lucky to have the kind of life we do.

True Value of Life by Philosophers

Different philosophers, scholars and literary people have defined the true value of life in different ways. As per
poet Henry David, “There is no value in life except what you choose to place upon it.” “The true value of a
human being can be found in the degree to which he has attained liberation from the self”, said Albert Einstein.

On the other hand, Myles Munroe states, “The value of life is not in its duration. You are not important
because of how long you live, you are important because of how effective you live.

Identify the Purpose of Life

Different people indulge in different activities each day. Some people study, some do the household chores,
some work on business plans, some work for an employer and some just enjoy and vile away their time.

Some people accomplish more than one or two of these tasks each day. They keep working on these tasks day
in and day out and may take a break on the weekends. They may plan a holiday for a day or two or roam
around locally to rejuvenate but as the next week begins, they start with their routine tasks yet again. Whether
they like it or not they keep slogging every day as they feel that this is what they are meant to do.

However, this is a wrong perception. These daily tasks are just a way to survive in this world. We study, tidy
our house, cook food, go to work and earn money just so that we can live comfortably. This is not our real
purpose of life. It does not add value to our soul.

God has sent us on this Earth with a purpose. We need to identify this purpose and work towards achieving it.
Once we know the purpose and successfully achieve it, we must then understand how it can help those around
us and look for ways to assist them. Each one of us has been bestowed with a special power or gift. We must
share it with others to make the world a more beautiful place to live in.
Count Your Blessings
We must value everything and everyone in our life. Nothing in our life should be taken for granted. We must
value our parents, our siblings, our friends, our job, our house, our belongings and everything God has
bestowed on us. And above all, we must value our life.

We must be grateful to the almighty for giving us the ability to take care of ourselves. We must always look at
the positive side of life. We should count our blessings and value them. God has given us so many things to
appreciate and we must thank him by helping those around us. We must help them live a better life.

Conclusion
We are born to serve humanity and make this world a better place. We must be thankful for all that we have
and stay humble. We are all blessed with some unique power. Our purpose is to identify it and use it for
uplifting ourselves as well as everyone around us. This is the true value of our life.