'The syllabus is huge. You have to sacrifice a lot of your social life so you need to prioritise your studies while maintaining some balance. I was completely off social media for three months before the exams,' says CA All India Rank 3 Sohan Manjrekar.
A year after losing his mother in 2021, Sohan Manjrekar began preparing for one of the toughest professional examinations in the country.
An academically bright student who scored 91.8 per cent in Class 10 and 89.33 per cent in Class 12, Sohan was determined to fulfil a dream his father could not.
"My father wanted to do CA but wasn't able to due to financial reasons. So I picked it up," says the 22 year old from Dombivli in Mumbai's abutting district Thane, who is the first chartered accountant in his family.
The turning point came when he secured an All India Rank 6 in the CA Intermediate examination. The achievement convinced him that an even bigger milestone was within reach and he set his sights on finishing among the top 10 in the final examination.
Five years later, Sohan has achieved what thousands of CA aspirants dream of -- securing an All India Rank 3 in the chartered accountancy final examination.
A commerce graduate from the Mulund College of Commerce and a former Deloitte intern, Sohan credits disciplined preparation, consistent revision and unwavering self-belief for his success.
The moment the results were announced, his father Anil who worked as an accounts manager in a partnership firm, was overjoyed. "He was happier than me," smiles Sohan. "I made him proud."
In this interview with Divya Nair/Rediff, Sohan shares his study strategy, the challenges he overcame and his advice for future CA aspirants.
Were you always academically bright? What subjects did you enjoy back in school?
During school, I was good at maths and science. I studied at Don Bosco School in Dombivli and scored 91.8 per cent in the Class 10 board examination.
How did you prepare for the CA final exams? How many hours did you study?
I studied for eight to 10 hours a day for six months.
Since the syllabus is huge, I started with the important concepts first and practised questions related to them.
The remaining concepts I studied once or twice in case they came in the exam.
What was the biggest challenge during preparation?
The syllabus is huge. You have to sacrifice a lot of your social life so you need to prioritise your studies while maintaining some balance.
I was completely off social media for three months before the exams. Before that, I used it only intermittently.
What kept you disciplined enough to study for eight to 10 hours every day?
After my two-year internship, we had compulsory study leave.
I kept reminding myself why I was doing CA.
Whenever I felt frustrated or burnt out, I took a break for two to three hours or even a day if it was a total burnout.
How did you unwind and refocus?
I would go outside, go on a bike ride or talk to friends.
Why do many CA aspirants fail despite studying long hours?
According to me, they are not revising effectively.
After completing a chapter, you should revise it again after two to three weeks so it stays fresh in your mind.
Since the syllabus is huge, you tend to forget things. Effective revision helps you retain concepts longer.
Did you take coaching or seek guidance from seniors?
Yes, I took coaching from JK Shah Classes. But I planned my overall strategy myself because I knew what material to refer to and what basic plan would work for me.
You should understand the concepts rather than just memorising the material.
Did you have a study group?
No, I studied on my own.
Where did you intern?
I worked at Deloitte for two years in the statutory audit field.
You lost your mother in 2021. Did that affect your preparation?
For the first year, it did. But I was not yet preparing for CA.
After a year, I decided to focus more on my studies.
When the results were announced, did you expect your name to be among the top rankers?
In CA Intermediate, I secured AIR 6. After that, I was determined to finish in the top 10 so I planned my studies accordingly.
What are your future plans?
I will most likely join a corporate firm. I have already received one or two offers and I'm expecting more in the coming week.
What advice would you give aspiring CAs?
CA is definitely a promising field.
My advice to aspiring CAs is to have a positive outlook. You will clear the exam.
Believe in yourself and bet on yourself, not against yourself.
What would you tell students who haven't cleared despite multiple attempts?
Even after multiple attempts, the quality of a CA remains the same.
Opportunities may be a little less but if you focus on presenting your answers well in the exam, opportunities will definitely come.
When do you think someone should stop attempting CA?
I can't really answer that because I have seen many people succeed after multiple attempts.
It really depends on the person, their level of perseverance and their personal situation.
