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5 Effective CA Exam Preparation Strategies

Author: Sriram Somayajula
by Sriram Somayajula
Posted: May 04, 2021

Your coaching centers have bid you guys adieu, so, now the ball is in your court. It’s time to start focusing on your self-study routine as the exam dates move closer. Every CA student aims to clear the exam in the first attempt. This might appear a herculean task but it is not an impossible one.

A lot of dedicated students successfully clear their exam in the first attempt and some of them are even able to grab ranks. So, does that mean that others who didn't make it are the misfits and should change their entire career? No, absolutely not!

It's the approach that matters. Remember it's not always the hard work but hard work combined with smart work and smart decisions. Dedication is the golden mantra for any CA aspirant and today we bring you some of the best tips to help you stay dedicated for your IPCC/Intermediate exams.

1. Learning brings out the art but revision brings out the artist

If you're dead serious about clearing your CA exams in your first attempt then revise, revise, revise. Yes, make sure to revise your syllabus three times. It is important to permanently store information in your brain so as to make an easy and quick recall of things during the exam. It's thus best to try and finish your entire syllabus thoroughly in one and a half month so that you have one full month remaining just for the revision.

2. Prepare your strong subjects for exemption

Now, this is a clever hack, so make sure you read this part carefully. Prepare one subject from each group for exemption, this will help you cover your aggregate percent requirement. If you feel theory is your strong point, then, prepare Law in the first group.

Also, students who are preparing for CS along with CA should certainly try to get an exemption in Law. If Accounting is your stronger suite, then nothing better like that. Accounting is majorly considered as the best subject for exemption. If all this while you were in a dilemma about which subjects to pick for exemptions, then, we suppose you should breathe a sigh of relief now.

In Second Group, Subjects like Advanced Accounting & Financial Management are very scoring and could try for exemption in them.

3. Prepare your own revision module and stick to it

Once you're through with your subject you will be clear enough to decide which question takes how much of your time and which are the ones that can be solved just by a read. Keep this in mind as it will come handy during your revision regime.

Make sure to practice each question by writing during your first revision and simultaneously mark the ones that can be solved just by reading.

Your second revision need not focus on solving all questions as you've already marked the ones that can be solved just by reading. This time, mark the questions that require extra attention. We're sure, you have decoded the pattern by now. Practice the most tricky one in your third revision as the rest you've already mastered by now.

4. Clear all your concepts

This is one rule that we have always been taught in schools - clear your concepts. This is is the rule of life and your accountancy. Whether it's Costing, FM, Accounting, Advance Accounting, Direct Tax, Indirect Tax or any other subject; make sure to clarify all your concepts.

Call that friend who is good with a particular subject and drill him till you get your concepts cleared. Don't worry if you have not gone through the case laws in DT, IDT, Law; if your concepts are clear you can still present your answer in a proper and legit way.

5. Do not mock the mock papers

A lot of CA aspirants feel that mock test papers are just a wastage of actual time. No, that's where you're going wrong. Not only mock papers are an easy medium of revising your syllabus but they also give you a glimpse of your strong and weak points.. You will understand examiners point of view, what they are looking for in the answer and the most importantly they help you get a handle on time management. Make a schedule to write one paper (preferably a past examination question) every Sunday.

Be patient and stick to your timetable. You can divide subjects to alternate days and most important do not get demotivated. Keep yourself positive and work harder than you did yesterday.

It’s the approach that matters. Remember it’s not always the hard work but hard work combined with smart work and smart decisions. Dedication is the golden mantra for any CA aspirant and today we bring you some of the best tips to help you stay dedicated for your CA IPCC exams.

About the Author

Sriram is a finance professional with over 13 years of experience. He has worked with Mncs, Investment Banks and Startups-in the past. He has extensive experience in Fund raise, M&A, Currency Markets & Capital Markets.

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Author: Sriram Somayajula

Sriram Somayajula

Member since: Jun 14, 2019
Published articles: 16

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