An exam is conducted to test one’s knowledge of the subject. To get through the exam, the understanding of the subject, memory and presentation skills matter. Let’s see how to tune ourselves to prepare, face and crack the CA exams which are considered to be tough.
1. PLAN YOUR STUDY RIGHT NOW: Make a Study plan on hourly basis subject wise with the syllabus. Don’t study only one subject all the day but distribute the time of the day over different subjects. While framing the hourly schedule consider your appropriate active time for doing practical subjects like Accounts, Costing, SFM etc. That time of the day when you generally feel ease may be allotted to theory subjects which require more concentration and patience. Schedule planning to be done individually as it varies from person to person. If the study as per time schedule can not be completed on any day due to unprecedented happenings, finish the lost schedule by working extra time on the next day.
2. RESHECULE YOUR PLAN: Keeping the practical implementation of the original schedule and the time gap for the forthcoming exams, reschedule the plan of study if required.
3. BOTH or SINGLE GROUP: If you feel preparation time is not sufficient for appearing for both the groups of CA IPCC/FINAL, make whole hearted attempt for One Group either. Don’t take a chance to postpone for the next attempt as we never know what may happen for the next attempt.
4. REVISION: Allot time for revision on which you will have to thoroughly revise all the subjects with the ICAI materials viz., RTP, PM, Suggested Answers etc. Try to prepare short notes also which will be helpful during the exam day preparations. All the practical papers are to be practiced vigorously. Try to improve presentation skills while preparing for the exams.
5. REALAXATION: Every day have some relaxation for a few minutes but let it not be carried away on your brain. The brain is to get rid off the stress. Similarly for every 15 or 20 minutes of study, keep your eyes off the books to relax your eyes.
HEALTH, DIET:
1. JUNK FOOD: Avoid junk foods, oily foods and Soft and Cold Drinks. Drink good amount of water. Fruits should form part of your daily diet.
2. EATING OUT: As far as possible avoid eating outside food. For those students who are living away from home and cannot prepare their own food, stick on to the place where you are accustomed and do not try the food at new places.
3. HEALTH: Keep utmost hygiene by washing hands before eating. Stay calm and have better sleep. Keep your eyes afresh always. Do some relaxation exercises for body.( yoga, stretching, meditation etc.,)
4. MIND AND THOUGHTS: This is the critical part of any mission. To accomplish your mission of passing exams, the mind should be in control. During this time, there may be many thoughts other than studies that pop in the mind which are not relevant for the exams. So just postpone them till the completion of exams.Use smart phone smartly. Excess use may cause the eyes to strain and also the brain is filled with unnecessary stuff from Facebook, Whatsapp etc.,
ATTITUDE DURING EXAMS:
1. EXAMINATION CENTRE: Make yourself familiar with the route to the Examination centre. Before leaving your place of stay to ensure yourself you are carrying everything required for the exam. It is better you keep all the required things at one place the day before night.Be there well before time atleast by an hour on the first day of the exam and identify your seat. Never be panic.
2. STAY COOL: While reading the question paper, stay cool and don’t jump to any conclusions about the quality of questions. The human mind has extraordinary memory which will work efficiently when there is no pressure. You may wonder the things you start remembering once you start answering the questions. So stay cool and calm.
3. DISCUSSIONS: Do not discuss with either the students around or friends before or after the exams. After the exam is over, do not dig into evaluation. Such matters will have impact on the next day paper, so do not bother about the completed exam and concentrate on the forthcoming paper. Keep in your mind, your friend is not the examiner and his judgments are not going to fetch marks for you.
4. LAST MINUTE PREPARATION: We often see students studying seriously while coming to exam centers even as a pillion rider, in bus/auto etc., such last minute study will be of no help rather may be harmful. Stay relaxed for atleast two hours before the exam. When the mind is in tranquil stage, you will wonder how better it can perform.
TECHNIQUES IN ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS:
1. ANSWER TO THE POINT: Being a professional course, the answers not to be beating around the bush. Keep your answer straight forward and don’t try to impress the examiner with redundant information.
2. NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL SHEETS: It may be well settled information among the students but it is very much essential to quote again that the number of additional sheets does not guarantee you more marks unless there is core content in the paper.
3. PATTERN OF ANSWERING: Always start with a question which you know well irrespective of the order of the question. This will give you confidence. There is no need to maintain serial order of the questions to be answered. But whenever a question is being answered, start it on a fresh page from the top with clearly quoting the question number in full.
4. SECTIONS: Wherever required it is always useful to quote the Sections for subjects viz., Auditing, Law etc., If you are not sure of the Section/ Standard, do not attempt to quote.
5. PRACTICAL PAPERS: For accounts, Costing and SFM, do not bother about the final answer but do the sums step wise and also mention the units (Rs., Kgs etc.,). Left margin of the paper is to be used for your workings.
Before closing, I suggest you to read the following mantra in your mind silently for about 21 times a day.
“EVERY DAY I AM IMPROVING MY KNOWLEDGE OF ALL THE SUBJECTS and I AM PUTTING UP MY EFFORTS ON STUDY SINCERELY. I AM VERY CONFIDENT AND I WILL SUCCEED IN THESE EXAMS”
Wishing you all the best.
By: CA B SHIVAJI PRASAD
CAclubindia
