The time for the Chartered Accountancy examinations is approaching. You are left with around TWO MONTHS to fight the biggest battle of your life. It is a very well saying that the more you sweat in practice, the less you bleed in battle.
Examinations are one of the most crucial phases of life for a student at every level. They assess and evaluate not just the level of understanding and knowledge of a student but also their confidence, patience, hard work, and self-determination.
You would have already filled the Exam Forms. Many people face the 'Dilemma of Single Group or Both Groups while filling the CA Exam Form.' By this time, you must be clear that whether you are appearing for the Single or Both groups as you need to allocate your time accordingly.
The pressure of CA exams makes many of the students weak and they thereby end up losing their confidence. One of the best solution to overcome this problem is 'Revision'. This article compiles up all the basic revision strategies that a student can follow and adapt to keep up the confidence level and overcome the intriguing examination pressure.
The dictionary meaning of the term 'Revision' is 'The act of revising'. Hence, in layman terms revision refers to the act of looking after the already studied thing once again to be surer about it and develop its better understanding. So, revision is the key to improvement. At times, it can also help us look at the other aspect of the same thing or make it more suitable for a particular purpose. Revision is the most important step of the preparations as it helps us to recall the concepts that have already been studied earlier. The time and the techniques of revision will vary from student to student as each of us have something unique to put forward.
We have summarized the factors which students should keep in mind while forming their exam revision strategy:
1) Allocating Appropriate Time to Each Subject:
The average minimum time that a student should devote to the revision is one month per group. So, if a student is planning for attempting both the groups, the time goes up to two months. It is essential to devote an adequate time to revise the subjects because it helps in testing your preparation time and again and pre-evaluation thereby leading to continuous improvement.
2) Evaluate your strengths and Weaknesses:
Since each one of us is unique in our own sense, we all have some subjects in which we are masters while other subjects in which we lack preparation and confidence. So, during revision, more time can be devoted to the subjects that need more attention and practice and less time to the ones in which the concepts are clear. This will help to maintain a break even while giving both the groups. The strengths can be analyzed topic wise as well and more time can be devoted to the crucial topics or the ones in which we are relatively weak.
3) Retention of the concepts after study:
Revision and retaining go hand in hand while preparation. Retention of all the things that have been studied is essential as if it can't be retained, it can't be written. Studying in 40-50-minute intervals with 5-10 minutes break in between is the most effective way to retain information. Retaining is also dependent on our own capabilities. Eight to ten hours a day might be more for some students while some might not be satisfied with even ten to twelve hours a day.
4) Material for Practice:
- ICAI Practice Manuals.
- RTP's issued by ICAI.
- Mock Test Papers by ICAI.
- Test Series conducted by Private Institutes.
It is very important you Practice in exam conditions.
Checking and attempting past examination papers can help to have an idea of the way of attempting an examination. You can try to write full answers to the questions in the given time as per the timer so as to check the time management. Plan the framework for your answers.
5) Selective or Complete studies:
Our course is known for its vast syllabus. Thus, you can be selective seeing the time available to you for the revision. You should study smart not hard.
Focusing on more important topics or the topics that are likely to be covered in the examinations can always help to secure good marks in all the questions from that range. What is important is a matter of individual judgment and an analysis of marks distribution of various topics or past examination papers.
6) Keep up the motivation level:
Revision never implies stuck in the book for the whole day until the examinations. It is more about self-analysis of what is good for us. It is essential to remain happy and motivated during the whole exercise of revision. Give yourself treats to keep you going. You can go out with friends for a movie occasionally, or for a long walk or do anything that you love to keep up that happiness quotient to drive away the depression and exam pressure.
7) Organized Notes or books:
It is always good to make pointers while revising so that they can be used at the time of exam day revision. Going through the book takes more time than checking on the notes for an overview of the topics. Notes can be hand-made or the ones that are provided by our tutors. What is more important is that they should cover the topic accurately and wisely.
8) Regular Sessions:
This is the most important thing for revision. We do take breaks during revision but often forget to return to our schedule again. We need to be strict to return to our revision. We can also attend the revision sessions that are organized in our coaching institutes at times so as to make the best use of these opportunities.
9) Understand what you learn:
We need to make sure that we understand whatever we are learning. We can improve on the things by taking our own tests or teaching our friends our juniors to catch on the points where we are lagging behind. Though the language used in the Practice Manuals is accorded importance, it is essential to write it in your own words to grasp it correctly. Remember- 'If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough'.
10) Group revision or Study Alone:
Group studies also have their own advantages. Whether to choose to go to group study or revise alone at home is our own choice. Discussing the things in the group often helps to clarify them and also contributes to self-evaluation. It is good for conceptual clarity as you can correct your friends and your friends can correct you.
11) Oral revision or written:
Written revision is the best as it gives an idea of how to write in the exams, but at the same time, it takes more time than the oral revision. If we have ample time left for revision, we can always choose to go ahead with written revision. Nowadays, students also record the material in their own voice and play it back to themselves for revision during traveling in the metro or buses. This is more utilizing.
As written earlier, we all are different and have different capabilities. We know what is better for us. So, all we need to do is to judge which is the best revision technique for us and implement it. The perfect plan, poorly executed, will fail. Thus, implementing your plan is more important than your strategy.
Do Remember: 'Failure is nothing more than a chance to revise your strategy.'
Plan well. Revise well. Attempt well.Wishing you all the very best!
This article is Co-Authored by CA Aarushi Jain
CAclubindia
