Strategy for Cracking PE-2 /PCC
Considering a professional approach, all the papers, and all the topics of each of the papers covered in the curriculum are equally important for any chartered accountant. However, from an exam perspective, we should plan our studies by analyzing the trend, so as to make sure that we do not over emphasize a "less important" topic at the cost of an "important" topic. So it is better to make a review of each of the topics, and make our studies "productive". Here is an analysis of each of the PE-2/PCC papers.
Paper I: Accounts:
This seems to be a lengthy paper, but it is an easier subject as compared to others. It is more important to analyze this paper than any other paper as all the questions asked are compulsorily required to be answered. It is better to divide the subject into sections:
Section I: Single Entry, Departmental Accounts, Branch Accounts, Hire Purchase & Installment System, and Investment Accounts.
Section II: Cash Flow Statement, and Funds Flow Statement.
Section III: (Format Chapters): Accounts of Banking, Electricity Supply, and Insurance Companies. Insolvency Accounts (Non-Corporate), Liquidation of Companies, Company Final Accounts.
Section IV: Partnership Accounts.
Section V: Company Accounts (other than format chapters): Share Capital, Underwriting of Shares, Buyback of Shares, Redemption of Preference Shares and Debentures, Profit Prior to Incorporation, Amalgamation, Absorption, and External Reconstruction, Internal Reconstruction.
Section VI: Others: Farm Accounts, Government Accounts
Section VII: Accounting Standards General Trend: Generally 1 question is asked from Sec. I, II, & III each. At least 1 question is asked, either from Sec. IV or Section V. And, as we all know Q6 contains at least three questions from Accounting Standards (Sec VII). Important chapters are: Cash Flow Statement. Fund Flow Statement. Single Entry. Hire Purchase. Banking Cos. Insurance. Cos. Amalgamation, Absorption, and External Reconstruction. Internal Reconstruction.
Important Accounting Standards are 6,12,18,16,17,22,4,5,9,20,26,7,12. Follow this sequence for AS. However, in the new course only limited standards are relevant. So we may plan our studies accordingly. Generally no separate questions in Q6 are asked from AS-3 (Cash Flow), AS-14 (Amalgamation), AS-11 (Foreign Currency), and AS-19 (Accounting for Leases), since these are already covered in the chapters. It is advisable to quickly finish Farm Accounting and Government Accounts from the compilation, and give time for other important topics. However, at least one question is generally asked from these topics in Q6.
Cash Flow Statement and Fund Flow Statement should be thoroughly prepared in accounts paper itself, because fund flow though usually not asked in accounts, is an important topic in FM, and we hardly get any time to revise all the topics on the last day of Costing and FM paper.
*Fund Flow statements are removed from PCC syllabus