Hi friends!

I’m writing this article to highlight the most essential qualities of a CA student: Qualities which determine the success of the student in his exams and the professional career.

The Qualities are:

Self Confidence: The most important quality that lifts you up when we are down is Self Confidence. Having high Self Confidence will be a great boost and makes us stand through the difficult times.  It would hardly be worthwhile to create a definite aim in life or a plan for attaining it unless one possessed the self-confidence with which to put the plan into action and achieve the aim.

Studying each and every topic is very important. You don’t have to study entire topic, just study to get a basic overview such that you will be able to present it in your own words. Being prepared will make you feel more confident and comfortable. Fear of failure will be decided by your confidence levels.  

“Nothing builds self-esteem and self-confidence like accomplishment.” ----Thomas Carlyle

“One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.”----Arthur Ashe

Interest in Studies: This is the most important quality that should be possessed by every CA student or for that matter student of every professional course. It doesn’t mean that you should stick to books continuously. It just means that you shouldn’t move away from studies at any stage that is doing other activities without losing sight of your goal. Remember, if your goal is really to become CA, then this quality comes along with it. There is no need to develop it.

Memorizing Skills: It is easy to say that “I don’t have good memory power” or “I can’t remember what I’ve studied” but before saying that ask yourself sincerely “Why I’m not able to remember it?” Before going to those reasons let me ask you one thing. You can’t remember a section in the subject, but you can remember movie names, stories, songs, actors etc. The reason is that you have more interest in those activities than the interest you show in studies.

Some Tips to improve these skills:

1. Write important points separately for easy reference.

2. Plan your study with some break time.

3. Using charts or diagrams for easy remembrance.

4. Take some tests periodically.

5. And Practice …. Practice …. Practice.

Revising Skills: If a student is able to cover the whole topic during exam time then he is having good revising skills. I’m not saying to read the whole syllabus again. Remember it is not easy to cover the whole syllabus in a single day. So, if you want to revise quickly and efficiently then prepare notes of important points after your study and carry that notes till your final revision. If you cover that notes you should be able to get an idea of the whole topic that is the notes should work like a summary.

Presentation Skills: Whatever you study, you should be able to present it effectively in the examination because that is the only form of communication between you and examiner.

Presentation Skills Include:

1. Handwriting (It need not be beautiful. But it should be legible).

2. Presentation of theory answers (Point wise).

3. Presentation of practical answers (Along with working notes).

4. Making notes wherever assumptions are made etc.

Time-Management Skills: These are again the most needed skills that a student should have to organise their study plan and examination time effectively. In professional exams managing time is one of the crucial elements. You can check out my article -----> Important tips to organise your time! for good time management tips.

Communication Skills: These skills are gaining in importance. As a student pursuing professional career, he/she should be a good communicator and should be very careful while dealing with clients or any other person. I believe institute’s Orientation Programme and GMCS Programme will be of great help.

GK and Tuning to Latest Updates: It is always good to have some knowledge in general matters (Stock Exchanges, Global Markets etc.) It helps us not only during exams but also in the future. And we should always keep updating ourselves with latest amendments, notifications, rules etc. It is really essential to keep ourselves up to date as we are professionals in the making and ours is an everchanging course.

Take Care of Your Health: Last but not the least.  If you don’t take care of your health, you will not fail as a student but will fail as a human being.

Some inspiring thoughts:

Don't aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally. ---- David Frost

“A Journey Of 1,000 Miles Begins With A Single Step….” ---- Confucius

I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.---- Michael Jordan

Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal. ---- Henry Ford

The harder you work, the luckier you get. ---- Henry Ford

There are some defeats more triumphant than victories. ---- Michael de Montaigne

Action is the foundational key to all success.---- Pablo Picasso.

“A” is success in a life, then “A” equals “x” plus “y” plus “z”. Work is “x”, “y” is play & “z” is to keep your mouth shut. --- Albert Einstein

Remember, nothing is impossible. You are the person who defines your own success, achieves your goals and has the ultimate say over the actions you take. It’s your life, now go out and make it extraordinary!

Thanks and Best Regards

Raghuram