Do I have to be physically present in the stock market to trade stocks?

Not necessarily. You do not have to be physically present in the stock market to start trading. For trading in stocks, you can open an account with a stock broker, who is a registered member of the BSE or the NSE. Once you have opened the account, you can start trading in the stocks through your local Stock Broker. The Broker charges a fee called the brokerages or Commission from you for every trade that you do in the stock market.