They say, "Winners do not do different things, they do things differently". Recently the results of CA Foundation, CA Intermediate/IPCC, and CA Finals were declared. After the results of CA Exams were declared as the tradition follows, we took the interview of the rank holders. With pass percentage always hovering around single digits when we asked the rank holders what strategy they followed which helped them not only pass the CA exam but also secure a rank. Here is what they revealed:
1. Make a Plan:
A goal without a plan is just a wish. A common reply that we got from all the rank holders of current and last attempt, was Planning. 'I had a detailed daily and weekly study chart where I had planned what I am going to study every day. I followed my time-table religiously. It helped me keep a track of the timeline as in by when will I be able to complete the course and how much time I will have for revision, how many times will I be able to revise etc. I used to maintain an excel sheet which I used to update after every 15 days" says Sidharth Bhandari AIR 1 CA Final November 2018. Strategic planning helps you in improving results and utilizing time more effectively. It gives you a clear picture of where you stand so that you can work accordingly. Nayan Agarwal AIR 1 CA Final May 2019 told us that he used one complete day for planning only and stuck to his plan during his preparation leaves.
2. Stick to the Institute's Material:
This was the first time that the ICAI had introduced the objective type questions in the CA Final and CA IPCC/Intermediate exam. Almost 30% of the portion was made objective. On being asked about how easy or difficult it was to score in MCQ's, Ajay Agarwal AIR 1 CA Final May 19 (Old Course) replied that scoring in MCQ's would be easy for those who stick to the Institute's material. In fact, all the other rank holders revealed that they always stuck to the Institute's Material as many questions in exams come directly from the Institute's material or are of the same pattern. Referring to the Revision Test Papers is a must as it covers all the latest amendments revealed the rank holders.
3. Practise Mock Test Papers:
Considering that the question papers are very lengthy, time management becomes a key factor to clear CA exams. Students end up losing a lot of marks as they are not able to attempt the complete paper due to lack of time. Practicing mock test papers helps you in managing your time. It gives you a rough idea about how much time to devote to each question. 'I managed to complete 4 mock test papers for each subject - i.e. 32 mock tests. This boosted up my confidence which ultimately prevented me from getting stressed or demotivated in any way." said Ajay Agarwal.
4. Multiple Revisions:
The syllabus of CA curriculum is so vast that it is not possible to retain everything unless revised multiple times. Rank holders say that they always made sure that they revised daily whatever was taught in the class. They also suggested to stick to a particular set of notes while revising as referring to different sources for revision might lead to confusion. Last day revision of all the topics is also a must, students shall prepare short notes so that they can cover all the relevant topics one day before the exam.
5. Make the best of those 3 hours:
On being asked about the strategy that they followed while attempting the papers. The rank holders replied that one must attempt the easy questions first as this helps in building your confidence. It is not necessary to attempt all the questions in order. One should utilise the 15 minutes of reading time to decide the sequence of questions in which they shall attempt the paper. One must try to attempt all the questions. Shadab Hussain AIR 1 CA Final November 2018(Old Course), said ' I made a target that within first one hour, I would complete the questions which I was sure enough so that I could secure at least the passing marks. Then gradually, the confidence keeps on building that yes, I would be able to answer the other questions as well. I had followed the same strategy in IPCC as well, which I also used in the CA Final."
6. Set your Priorities:
Studying for long hours at a stretch is tiresome. Students should ensure that they get proper sleep, eat right and subject their time to important things only. Do not extend your breaks said one of the rank holders. Take frequent breaks but ensure that you get back to your books on time.
These are some of the tips that were shared by the rank holders. We hope you will benefit from them. Let us know in the comment section below what all topics do you want us to cover in our next articles. All the best for your CA Exam:)
Read the interview of AIR 1 CA Final May 2019(Old Course) here.
Read the interview of AIR 1 CA Inter May 2019 here.
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