Meet Ms. Harsha, all India 3rd Rank holder of CA finals, May 2014. A super positive girl, hailing from Pune with a warm attitude whose source of inspiration is her elder sister & has done CA to fulfill the aspirations of her parents. She likes to read & write and believes in diversifying. She is passionate about Journalism & wants to follow journalism as a career. Let us find out her story & what helped her to bust the stress and score well in CA.

Thank you so much!!

Chartered Accountant Harsha!! This is the most wonderful feeling today. Still, not able to believe anything. (smiles), I am on cloud nine at this moment.

I was stunned! I couldn’t believe my eyes. My sister was sitting next to me so I told her to recheck but the site was very slow and it took time to reload but ultimately I confirmed that I have secured the third rank.

My sister herself is a Chartered Accountant so she knew the gravity of all this. She could understand actually what is the importance of 3rd rank all over India and she was the happiest, I think. My parents have been supportive throughout in every decision that we took. So, it helped a lot and obviously they were happy.

Actually the thing is, I was the 10th ranker in CPT and 23rd in IPCC. So everyone around me except me were expecting a rank. Accounts & Costing papers were damn difficult for me. I left 14 marks in Accounts and I couldn’t complete the paper and in Costing also, I think 10 or 15 marks, I left so I was a little apprehensive because of those two subjects. But then, overall I thought that may be 40 to 50 rank I could get if it’s at all possible but then 3rd rank was never anticipated by me, never.

Actually, I scored pretty well in 10th standard as well, so my dad was like go into Science, do IIT or something. At that time they thought that if I get good marks then I have to go for Science. Everyone around me was asking me to go for Science but I didn’t want to study Science and I thought Commerce was fun and all so I opted for commerce and then I saw that all my friends were doing CA but my dad thought, it’s fine, it’s time to do CA. Actually, from the bottom of my heart I was never so inclined towards CA. But then, I thought that may be it wouldn’t take much time with graduation, I would be able to finish the CA course so, I opted for it. But I wanted to do journalism myself after 10tth standard so I opted for Arts in F5 (BA in Economics) so that after CA I could pursue journalism. Because I think, it was my father’s dream for me to do CA.

Yes

Yes it will help, I am sure, in the field of business journalism. I am doing Bachelor's in Economics. So, no one else can understand the business and it’s dynamics better than a CA and CAs are multi dynamic personalities. Especially in Economics or Business Journalism, I think it would be of much help.

Well said, because so many students prepare so well but then during exams, they are nervous or they lose. I don’t know because something happens because I have seen so many times my friends say to me that... like “I left out”, “I didn’t know”, “I went blank” etc. But, during the exams, you have to be confident. I will clear it – this is the only mindset with which you should go because if at that time only you think that I will fear, then there is no motivation to write the paper. So, during exams, you should be confident.

I think revising because I didn’t study any new concepts because I used to study in a library. So, many students used to have so many reference books. Always there used to be someone who come and say that “don’t follow this book, follow this”. But, then I didn’t listen to anyone. I just stuck with my book as I planned that I had a strategy. Decide a book and stick to it. To be very honest, going for a new book, you don’t know anything and you lose all the confidence. So, just keep revising whatever you know and go with it.

As I said, that my sister was a CA, I used to turn up to her whenever, wherever for inspiration, guidance, motivation, anything. So, she was there throughout and she was the sole factor, I can say actually.

Yes.... (Chuckles)!

Challenges were - the usual studying for long hours, classes. Those are like, every CA student has to face. Those are not challenges actually. Once you get along with it, you start enjoying that as well. So, challenges basically, I don’t think I had to face any. My parents were supportive throughout; my sister was the guiding pole for me. Whenever, I was depressed and those moments of long study hours that make you think what is going on, she was always there. So, I don’t think any hard difficult challenges, I had to face.

Actually, I had seen these days after getting ranks in CPT and IPCC also. So, many people used to call me because I was doing CA. Some parents used to come and say that their daughters were doing CA as well and asked how much hours I used to study and I had seen parents bombarding their children to stop using smart phones, stop going out so much with their friends and study for four hours daily atleast.

But, I don’t think so, those are my personal views also. But, that doesn’t help because when you have to enjoy, you have to enjoy; when you have to study, you have to study. So when you are actually studying in those 4 months – i.e. from January to May. I started in January; so from January to May, there was complete dedication. But before January, I didn’t open a single book and then it was like “work hard, party harder”. Because while studying also you will remember that this is only for 4 months so after that you are going to enjoy like anything. So a bit of music and conversation with your friends, that helps as well.

Yes it will help, I am sure, in the field of business journalism. I am doing Bachelor's in Economics. So, no one else can understand the business and it’s dynamics better than a CA and CAs are multi dynamic personalities. Especially in Economics or Business Journalism, I think it would be of much help.

As I started preparing in January, so I had a plan started that by the end of January, I will finish this; by the end of February, I will finish this and you have to be stress-free because unless & until we are on the feel that we are writing the paper, we don’t know where we feel short of or anything. So, we have to give an exam before the May attempt. So, have a clear plan started out and I think strong dedication is what we require. Because in India, we have so much festivals, social life, families and friends so we have to sacrifice in those moments atleast – complete sacrifice & isolation. So, I think dedication and the will power with it, is all that is required.

As I said, that my sister was a CA, I used to turn up to her whenever, wherever for inspiration, guidance, motivation, anything. So, she was there throughout and she was the sole factor, I can say actually.

Third rank in CA Finals (chuckles), I am still not able to grasp it but yes it’s very big and all thanks to the articles, boss at my office as well as my professors. I know it’s very big for everyone, all of us.

I think, I am too junior to advice anyone right now (smiles). I think CA students are usually associated with geeks, bookworms and they keep on studying and I don’t know what else. So, I think may be “people skills” are more important for CA students. Technically, idea tests you thoroughly so you have to be strong technically, but then you need to have knowledge as well because there is so much of competition these days, in CA profession. So, just go out and enjoy your life. If you enjoy everything, you will get good marks, that’s what I think.

I think, not only going out, watching movies, stuff like that, hobbies or passions keep you going on, you know. Always studying– that is not the only thing that your personality finds. Follow anything that you like. I like watching movies so much, even during the exam days, I didn’t skip a single movie. So, do enjoy your life with it, I think.

Reading fictional books, travelling - I love travelling like anything.

I think its too early to comment because as you said too many offers are coming up but my forte is journalism so I think it depends on opportunities actually. If I think that some opportunity is coming up that will help me in the future and if it helps connecting the dots,, then I will go for it otherwise MBA or a graduation course in journalism will definitely be a choice for me.

No. But I have heard alot about it from my friends. I am not a member because of time constraint but will surely look forward. Smiles!!!

Sure!! That sounds like a nice idea... smiles!!!

Keep going!! The popularity is too much. I have heard about it so much and I think it is helpful as well for the CA students. It helps a lot. Because, I think you put up some reference books, there is some interaction where you can post your query and someone solves it. I have heard about it from my friends. So, it’s excellent. I myself wanted to try it but time constrained so may be, I will opt for it now.

Same here.... thanks a lot!!!