Things to keep in mind while preparing for the CA Final Examinations

The CA final preparation process appears to be a succession of trial and error, with little to no room for error. While there is no surefire technique to master the most difficult exam of your academic career, a well-thought-out strategy is your ticket to success.

Your seniors who have recently taken the exam are the finest people to help you. Their experiences can help you comprehend the exam's Do's and Don'ts, allowing you to reduce trial and error. But keep in mind that what worked for them might not always work for you.

Given this, I, CA Keerthi Bajaj, achieved All India Rank 22 in the CA Final November 2020 examinations, and I'm here to offer the important components of CA final preparation:

Before Study Leave:

Coaching

While deciding whether to self-study or take lessons at a coaching centre is a personal choice, it is one that should be made carefully based on one's abilities and weaknesses. However, it is recommended to go over the material at least once before the actual leave begins to get a general understanding of what each subject includes.

Clear all the concepts of each subject.

Pick your reference book carefully!

If you're using material from a coaching source, double-check that it covers everything by comparing it to ICAI material. Make sure you know where each topic is located. Navigate through the modules, papers from the last four attempts, three RTPs, MTPs, and MCQ booklets. I recommend the use of ICAI capsules for summaries of many subjects, particularly SCMPE. Furthermore, I prepared MCQs solely from RTPs, however, since ICAI has issued a specific booklet, you may refer to it during your breaks or inefficient time.

I'd want to emphasize the necessity of picking your reference book wisely because switching between them will cost you your most valuable asset: time. Do your homework on the book you wish to utilize for each subject and get feedback and guidance from your seniors who have used the book previously.

During Study Leave:

Make your "WHY" powerful.

I believe that if you have a strong purpose, you will go to great lengths to attain it. So, I recommend that you write down all the reasons and benefits for you to work hard in order to get CA as a prefix to your name on a tiny white sheet of paper. This note will inspire you to work harder and for a longer amount of time. For example, I know CA will help me become an independent woman, making my parents proud and leaving a legacy. I'm sure you'll have yours as well — sit back and start writing yours.

A simple note with your personal goal of becoming a CA will assist in a great way whenever you become sidetracked or depressed.

Planning is crucial: 

Achieving any objective necessitates a well-thought-out strategy. Time allotments for various revisions should be calculated backward from the date of the first exam. Break down long-term objectives into monthly and weekly objectives. On the previous day's night, make a plan for the next day and get it off to a good start. It is recommended that you complete four revisions, including exam revision for all CA final subjects, as well as five to ten revisions of significant topics in each subject.

Remember! Non-planning ahead is like traveling without maps or navigation (which usually results in a waste of time)

Sort the entire subject into categories based on its importance.

Read the entire syllabus along with MTPs and RTPs and categorize the topics for revision into 3 groups: A, B, and C. For most significant and expected topics, 5 revisions are required, and plan for 3 revisions for trivial once: not a selective study but proper allocation of memory and time.

Mock Exams:

The value of mock exams prior to the final exam cannot be understated. Remember! If no mock tests are written, the final exam becomes a mock test. This sentence would be sufficient for a person to be required to write mock tests. This is a line that anyone who has been guided by me will remember. I've taken the SFM exam 4/5 times, the optional exam twice, the FR exam three times, and so on. The number of exams varies by subject depending on your skills and weaknesses, but it is necessary to write them in exam conditions.

Make your study space as comfortable as possible

If you plan to study at home, set aside a few areas where you may keep all of your study materials, such as stationery, a water bottle, and chocolates. I personally had a designated study area in my room, and in the mornings, I would study in a designated area on the terrace, where I could enjoy the fresh air while studying. This allows you to concentrate and unwind while learning.

Set aside time to use social media.

I didn't remove apps from my phone or deactivate my social media accounts, but I did manage to control how much time I spent on it. To break my habit, I decided not to use my phone for the first several days (Do anything else but for use of mobile). During my study leave, I came up with the concept of "social media fasting," which included things like WhatsApp fasting (not using the app for the day), and Instagram fasting (I know it's funny but that helped in staying focused during the study).

The most crucial thing is to turn off all app notifications and keep the phone on silent to avoid using it again and again. While studying, keep your phone outside the room. It's soothing, with no trace of social media in the background. You'll understand that it's fine if you're not updated with the outside world.

Health should always come first:

Incorporate some good habits into your daily routine that will help you stay active and engaged. Meditation is a must-have habit to incorporate into your daily routine (Yoga like suryanamaskar, breathing exercises). Exercising removes toxins, making you feel refreshed, and so increasing your efficiency when studying. Similarly, to avoid tiredness when studying, one should pay attention to one's eating habits and maintain a balanced diet. Your food habits have an impact on your mood and thinking, so choose wisely.

You're already stressed, therefore reducing external stressors as much as possible is the best approach to deal with it. Stay hydrated and healthy by sleeping early or getting enough sleep.

Plan for exam days:

I personally had an hourly plan for all the exam days. Please plan your exam days well at least a month ahead of time so you don't waste time choosing topics to study before the exam. The strategy should ensure that you cover all of the major exam topics and provide enough time for sleeping, eating, and other activities.

After Study Leave

Learn when to stop revising

That's correct! Stopping your revision at the appropriate time might frequently be more beneficial than cramming until the very last minute. Our short-term memory isn't always dependable, and hastily compressed knowledge can be forgotten or misinterpreted. You can forget the points you studied before because of the stress!

Keep your cool in the final hours

Your efforts are crucial, but so are the hours spent writing the final paper. Some outstanding students do poorly during such hours as a result of the stress. Sleeping well the night before the examinations and eating healthily the day of the exams go a long way toward calming the mind. The ICAI's most difficult paper will likewise contain 60% doable marks, so if you don't know the answer to a question, skip it and return to it later.

First 15 minutes, read the question criteria and decide on the sequence in which you will answer the questions. The first few right solutions set the mood of the examiner and grab the attention.

Believe you're a big-match player

Believe that these tests are just another step in the journey called life. Consider yourself to be a big match player. Do you know what it means to be a big match player? Regardless of how well you performed in Mock tests throughout your study leave, your best performance will be on the final exam, which is the most important match for the milestone attainment .i.e. the pre-fix CA.

Avoid discussing your paper after the exam:

Please do not talk about your paper after the exam. Remember that there is nothing that can be done about a paper that has already been completed, but there is a lot that can be done about the next paper. Sometimes a single incorrect question can have such an impact on your mood that you end up scoring 50 on a paper where you could have scored 80. After the exam, relax and divert your attention to something else for a while.

Presentation of paper is as important as the content itself

It is critical to present the answer in the best possible way to stand out from the rest of the examinees. For the examiner, a poorly presented paper is a nightmare. Hence, present the content by dividing the answer into crisp paragraphs, using side headings, and using legible handwriting for the content. Begin each answer on a different page, with the question numbers clearly visible. These are certain basic rules everyone should adhere to. Please let me know in the comments section of this article if you want me to go into the presentation of the paper in further depth.

In case you want me to cover subject wise strategy/tips I used for study or tips for staying focused or any other topic concerning CA final preparation in detail please let me know in the comment section.