7 Things I did to clear my CA final exams in the first attempt

With the CA exams on their way, I thought it was prudent to share what worked for me during my exam preparations and what were the important measures that I took to be prepared for my CA final exam day:

1. Ensured not to refer to multiple sources:

Multiple sources cause too much confusion in the last months of revision. Whether you prepared through a combination of books e.g. If you used Pankaj sir’s books as well as Surbhi mam’s then choose only one book that you will go through at the time of revision

2. Revision strategy:

Group 2 is examined after the first 4 papers of group 1, leading to higher chances of forgetting the content of group 2. Accordingly, I tackled the same by revising group 1 in September and group 2 in October. The idea was not to lose touch with group 2 for longer.

3. Planning for the day before the exam:

You only usually get one day before your exam to prepare and re-energise. Therefore, segregate the material that you wish to revise beforehand and be clear about what and how much you have to read in that one day. E.g. for audit, while my primary source of preparation was Surbhi mam’s book, I kept Pankaj sir’s charts for revision.

4. 15-day check-ins:

I made a clear plan date-wise and subject-wise while preparing, every 15 days I used to revisit where I am and if things are going as per my plan. Why this is essential? Because, if one would not review your performance how would one find the areas for improvement and measure performance?

5. Distanced me from pessimistic discussions:

It is natural to have pessimistic thoughts due to the humongous amount of syllabus. I used to go to the library for preparation and there were other students as well who were either re-attempting exams or attempting for the first time. They often engaged in discussing how the checking of ICAI is flawed or how they are planning to skip the attempt. I choose to distance myself from these conversations.

6. No comparison:

While preparing we often tend to get scared by the fact that our friend completed 3 books or attempted 10 past year exams. This comparison not only causes stress but also impacts the preparation. I self-affirmed myself constantly that I am doing well and that I need not be pressured by what others are doing.

7. No shadow of bad days:

My direct tax examination is the perfect example of this. I did very badly in this particular paper and my marks are reflective of this fact. However, when I walked out of the exam hall and vented to my mother about the same she only said “Enough! Now focus on the rest”. This is exactly what I did, don’t let one day’s bad performance ruin the next day.

I hope this helps. In case, if you need any further guidance please feel free to reach out.

Best of luck :)

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