Fail or Pass ?

My nephew who is a practicing CA in Bombay informed me about his partner's son who has now appeared in the CA exam 30 times but has not been able to clear it though he is very intelligent in practical work. My nephew told me that he feels awkward signing the balance sheet after all the meticulous spadework done by him. It reminded me of my CA days when one of my friends who was more intelligent than me in certain subjects gave up trying after failing 16 times. Sometimes when I think of it, I feel guilty of passing. Nearly all CAs acknowledge that luck plays a major role though results have improved compared to before.

 

I learnt from somewhere that Amitabh Bachchan is not a formally trained actor but an actor of those times who received a gold medal from the Film institute in Pune completely flopped at the box office. Cricketer VVS laxman is not considered for one day cricket despite his obvious class. Even Trading psychology in the share market clearly indicates that a person has to find his niche first and intelligence comes in niches- every trader is not likely to be a good investor and vice-versa.

 

Why should then a peace of paper decide the life of an individual who is good at practical work- the proof of the pudding is in the eating after all. Food for thought from talent management perspective.

 

I have always been intrigued by people who get stuck. One CA told me that he had even heard of a father and son give the exam together. This may sound bizarre but I am sure some of you might have come across such examples who could not make it despite trying very hard.