Is becoming a CA really that tough?

Any student taking up commerce stream after their 10^th grade must have dreamt of becoming a Chartered accountant at least for a very brief period of time.

A professional course which is not just lucrative but is also highly respected in the society and you can do it alongside your regular college or without attending college at all, according to your preference. Who wouldn’t want this?!

CA is said to be one of the hardest exams to crack. The low pass percentage and number of papers in each group will surely make any person doubt if they will be able to achieve it.

Is becoming CA really that difficult as people fear or is it just any other exam a person can clear if they study hard enough?

People who have successfully cleared the course say that while Chartered Accountancy is definitely a challenging course, it is not a very difficult one.

Unlike a lot of other courses like medicine or entrance exams like CAT or JEE, you needn’t necessarily have a natural flair for any of the subjects in CA. In reality, a lot of students from non-commerce backgrounds end up choosing CA as their career path.

Akansha Geeta Manglik is one such student who shifted to CA after failing in FYBS. She ended up clearing IPCC in the first attempt with 3 exemptions and is now preparing for CA final exams!

With three stages of exams and a three-year article ship in between, Chartered Accountancy surely demands a lot of your time, attention and mostly, perseverance. Perseverance and consistency are the keys to clearing any entrance exam, but for clearing CA it is the most important thing right after proper time management and planning.

Any average or even below-average student can clear it as long as they work hard consistently. CA Vikash Agarwal is the perfect example of how having a clear vision of the future can pave your way to success even if you are an average student.

Here are some tips directly from rank holders to keep in mind while preparing for your journey as a Chartered Accountant:

• Technique: Most of the time the secret behind clearing a paper lies in using the proper technique and method in approaching the subject more than just hard work. Most of the students fail to clear a paper because their approach towards the subject or the technique they chose to tackle the portions was not right.
• Time management: You are halfway there if you can effectively manage your time between your college/article ship and CA preparation. Prepare a sensible schedule that covers all the portion & includes time for revision and make sure you stick to it. You might have to attend multiple classes and study for 12 hours a day but remember the greater the hustle, the larger the victory!
• Regular revision: Syllabus for CA is extremely vast right from foundation till finals. Most of the students face difficulties in recalling portions taught in the beginning and might lose time in learning it all over again. The key to clearing the exams is in understanding the concepts clearly and revisiting your portions from time to time to keep it fresh in your mind and make sure to revise the whole syllabus twice or thrice before you appear for the exam.
• Extend the scope of your research: Students might make the mistake of skipping out certain portions or chapters.  CA portions are vast and unlike other competitive exams or board exams, it is difficult to selectively study the subjects. You will need to have a thorough knowledge of the whole curriculum. This will help you in not only passing the test but in your career too.
• Note making: Create a habit of making notes as and when you are in class or studying a new concept. This will help in maintaining your concentration and the notes will help you in quick revision as well.
• Choose the right coaching center: Selecting the right coaching center is crucial because they are responsible for providing proper guidance on subjects and exam patterns. Make sure you go through the result of each center or try talking to any student currently studying there before making a decision.
• Stay positive: It is possible that you lose hope or get scared from the thought of having so much to study and time constraints. But keep in mind that your mindset plays a major role in getting closer to your goal. While it is important that you dedicate a large chunk of a day’s time to studying, make sure that you take time to keep yourself fit – mentally and physically.

CA Umesh Jain was an average student who went on to clear CA finals at the age of 20 and obtained AIR 29. He believes in the saying ‘success occurs when opportunity meets preparation. He says that with passion, hard work and belief in themselves, anyone can become a Chartered Accountant.

Nothing is difficult to achieve if we are ready to put in the right effort and know what exactly it takes in achieving that. All the best!