#CareerBytes: Toppers' advice to crack the CA exams
What's the story
One of the most sought after courses in India is the Chartered Accountancy (CA) course, by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). The course, divided into 3 stages, is one of the toughest to crack, but with smart and hard work, one can make it. Here are some tips from the toppers, to help you crack the CA exams.
Plan and Evaluate
Start by planning your preparation, and then following it up
Plan: It has been rightly said that failing to plan is planning to fail. Start your preparation by checking and analyzing the syllabus, preparing a timetable, setting priorities, and subsequently executing the plan. Self-evaluate: Planning alone won't do. Follow-up is vital. So, along your preparation, keep looking at your strengths and weaknesses, and make changes to the plan, in accordance to that.
Information
Tip: Good time management will take you places
Since the syllabus for CA exams is vast and lengthy, you'll have to plan and manage your time in a way that maximizes your quality of study as well as your efficiency.
Self-Study + Coaching
Take coaching, self-study, and blend them
All exam toppers tend to follow a combined study pattern, ie. a mix of self-study and coaching classes. With the coaching, you get the benefit of learning from experienced faculty and industry professionals, and can also have one-to-one discussions with your teachers and batch-mates. And self-study will help you grasp and retain concepts in a better way, and for longer periods of time.
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Division and revision
Since the syllabus for CA exams is quite vast, it is advisable to actually break down it into smaller, achievable, daily-size portions and study them one by one. Further, do revise the syllabus from time to time to retain what you've learnt.
Mock tests, Health
Practise plenty of mock test papers; Take care of yourself
Mock tests: Practise plenty of mock test papers on a regular basis. This will give you an idea about question framing, difficulty levels and paper pattern. Additionally, it'll help brush off the nervousness that exam day might bring. Health: CA exams can get stressful, thus maintaining good health is important. It is advisable to exercise daily, take enough rest, and drink plenty of water.