The following article, written by me, was published in Education Times:
Harsh Kundnani, a CA student sheds light on the exam pattern, and what it takes to crack the exam.
The Chartered Accountancy (CA) qualification is one of the most prestigious in our country. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) is the governing body that conducts the CA exams. Students who clear the final exam, held by the institute, are then absorbed by the industry as qualified chartered accountants (CA).
To pursue CA, one has to clear three exams namely CPT (entrance exam), IPCC (Intermediate exam) and the final CA exam.
Students who want to opt for CA can give the CPT exam after completing Class XII. Subsequent to clearing the CPT exam, students can appear for IPCC exam after nine months of preparation. The IPCC exam has subjective questions based on law, audit, tax, etc as compared to the objective questions in the CPT exam.
After clearing the IPCC exam, a student has to serve as an intern under a practicing CA for a period of three years before being eligible to appear for the final exam.
Passing the exam is not as difficult as it sounds.
Here are tricks that helped me clear the CPT and IPCC exams:
1. How to Study: Regular and quality studies are a must. Most of the times it doesn’t matter how much you study, but how much you can grasp while studying. It is important that you follow a systematic study routine.
2. Study Material: It is imperative that you have good study resources. Tuitions and professional help add to your knowledge, but self-study is of utmost importance in this course. A lot of practice is needed to do well in the exam.
3. Giving equal importance to all subjects: Students usually neglect subject/s they dislike and devote more time to subjects they find interesting. It is imperative to concentrate on all subjects.
4. Making Notes: Making notes, and having pointers for each chapter/ answer helps a student immensely, since it is practically impossible to go through the entire portion one day before the exam.
5. Mock exams: A student is advised to practice mock tests at home as well as under a professional’s guidance. Mock exams help students manage exam pressure and time while writing the exam.
Solstice 