Overcoming Failure in CA: Tips and Strategies for Passing CA Exam

On an average around 1.5 lakh students appear in CA Final exams in any given attempt and only about 10-12% students are able to clear it. Similar percentage of students clear CA Intermediate examinations in every attempt. This shows that clearing CA exam or any of its levels i.e. Foundation, Inter or Final is a war in itself which needs to be fought with full determination, vigour and preparation; i.e. there are no shortcuts to clearing this exam.

A student is left with two options if he/she is not able to clear the exam – either to change his/her preparation strategy or change his/her field i.e. channelise all efforts into something other than CA course.

Option I: Change of Strategy

No other person or institution or mode of examination can be blamed for one’s failure. It is the lack of proper skills or guidance or the lack of preparation or efforts that leads to failure in this highly competitive professional course. Nevertheless, one should forget what has happened in past and focus on what needs to be done to ease the struggle in CA exams.

• • Review of Certified Copies of Answer Sheet – One has to apply online at http://icaiexam.icai.org and pay the requisite fee for seeking inspection/ certified copies of his/her answer sheets of CA exams. This option is to be exercised for subjects in which the candidate has prepared diligently but still not able to clear the same. This will help inter alia, in analysing the mistakes done in answering the question paper, format which should have been followed to answer, areas where marks are specifically not given and how the candidate can improve on it. These insights can help the candidate to get back on track and focus on his/her mistakes so as to avoid repeating the same in exams. 
  • Proper Planning with Time Table – One should note down things planned to be done in a week or even in a day and make sure to revisit the plan and ensure its proper implementation. CA preparation is 30% planning and 70% So, make sure to give enough time for planning things properly. Also, after the initial preparation and tracking one’s progress, one should be able to make his/her mind and decide whether to appear for single group or both the groups. The preparation will then be directed based on the aforesaid decision.
  • Appearing for Mock Test Papers – Appearing for mock test is an integral part of the preparation for CA exams. It can be conducted by the tuition centres, the ICAI or the candidate can himself/herself create exam-like environment at home and appear for a full-fledged 3-hours exam. This will help in improving the writing skills of the candidate, format of answering can be reviewed seriously and proper time management w.r.t. each answer can be ensured.
  • Coverage of Full Syllabus with Appropriate Revision – One area of concern for many students is attempting questions from topics which are left unprepared by them. Try covering the syllabus in its entirety as the ICAI can frame questions from any topic. Also, 2-3 times revision of every subject is essential. Proper revision only can help one to get a grasp of the practical concepts along with the application of theoretical topics. More focus can be given to practical subjects in order to score good marks but at the same time, one has to give importance to theoretical subjects which can become a big deal breaker in clearing the exams. Revision on the day before the exam is the most crucial aspect of the preparation and therefore, proper planning should be done so that one is able to revise the maximum syllabus in limited time.
  • Strengthening Physical Health and Mental Well-Being – With all the stress and constant juggling with time management for different subjects, physical health gets neglected which may lead to inefficiency during preparation or exam time. Hence, one must take adequate sleep of 6-8 hours, discuss and deliberate with friends who motivate and help in framing the right preparation strategy besides providing useful insights. One must also take planned short breaks in between long study hours, walk and exercise to keep oneself fit and follow a healthy diet sufficient to provide the required energy to study.

Option II: Change of Stream

Commerce does not always mean just CA. There are numerous other options to look at. After few attempts of CA examination, one feels dejected and demotivated to study further but he/she forces himself/herself to study again and thereby pushes oneself into the vicious loop of attempts. But one should understand that not every person is made for such exams like CA and in today’s world there are numerous other opportunities to grab and gain similar knowledge and career prospects as present in the CA curriculum.

One such platform to develop, upgrade and sharpen the requisite knowledge and skills is Taxmann Academy. It offers a unique course known as Tax and Accounts Professional (TAP) course which involves imparting knowledge and training skills about various compliances applicable in day-to-day business practices. This course will enhance one’s understanding and provide an experience of real-life challenges faced in Tax and Corporate compliances. The three milestones to become a Tax and Accounts Professional are as below-

Level 1: Foundation – to learn the basics!

It involves practical training in book-keeping, Income-tax returns, GST returns, TDS returns, Payroll, MS-Office, Labour Laws, etc.

Level 2: Advanced – to upgrade skills!

It involves upskilling the knowledge to prepare financial statements, and learning advanced concepts of Income-tax, GST, TDS, Capital Budgeting, etc.

Level 3: Master – to become an expert!

It involves understanding the working of multiple Industries from the experts and various challenges in real life applications.

Failure is not the opposite of success, it’s a part of success. There are various ways to clear the CA exam and if those ways are not yielding the desired results, some other fulfilling opportunity may be destined to be waiting at the door. One should be open to explore new areas and not restrict one’s mind with one option only. Choice should be based on his/her liking in the subject matter as well as his/her aim for which one is working for. At the end, whatever one choose, it requires dedication and commitment along with the desired passion.