You get a maximum of 20 hours to study before your CA Foundation exam. The best way to effectively use this time is to pre-plan your schedule and bring together your study material. In this article, we will be sharing some tips to help you revise efficiently in this short span.
Disclaimer: It is important for you to have completed multiple revisions of all the subjects to fully appreciate and incorporate the tips given in this blog
Table Of Contents
What should you be prepared with for the exam days?
What should be the source of content?
How to manage your time and timetable?
Presentation tips and tricks for structured papers
Do’s
Don’ts
What should you be prepared with for the exam days?
- Be completely aware of all the topics in your syllabus and fix down on the summarised notes and list of questions you would like to revise in the 1.5 days.
- For Accounting, ensure you have the base formats and a log of questions together in one place so that you can revise them quickly.
- For Business Law & Correspondence, you should have your summary notes and grammar rules handy.
- For Business Mathematics & Economics, solve the MCQs well in advance and prepare a repository of MCQs to be revised before the exam day.
- Go through past years’ (at least 3) RTPs and MTPs and prepare a list of important questions from them.
How to manage your time and timetable?
We have bifurcated the preparation tips based on structured and objective (MCQ) subjects here.
| Structured Papers | 1.5 days for Preparation | On the day of the exam |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting | · Go through every single concept in the textbook.
· Skim through the base formats and specimen journal entries. · Prepare a log of important sums to glance through, only to understand the learnings (and not to work the numbers) |
· Refer to your Coaching Class mock test papers (prelim papers) to see the mistakes and avoid repeating them.
· Go through your attempt’s RTP & MTP and then go through the list of important questions from other RTPs, MTPs and past papers.
|
| Business Law & Correspondence | · Use your summary notes for revision; avoid going through the detailed explanations on every provision.
· Revise your list of section/ clause numbers and penalties multiple times. · Go through your grammar concepts/ rules. · Skim through the base formats for the writing skills. |
|
| Business Mathematics | · Revise your list of formulae multiple times.
· Go through the repository of MCQs that you would have prepared. |
· Go through your attempt’s MTP and then go through the list of questions from other MTPs and past papers.
· Revise your list of formulae/statistics for the last time. |
| Business Economics | · Use your summary notes for revision; avoid going through the detailed explanations on every topic.
· Revise your list of statistics multiple times. · Give extra importance to diagrams and their analysis. · Go through the repository of MCQs that you would have prepared. |
Pro Tip:
- The weightage that each topic carries should justify the detail with which it should be studied. Link
- Make effective use of ICAI developed summaries.
Now that you have understood how the subject syllabus can be managed, below is a timeline to help you use the limited time at hand to the maximum:
| Time | Breaks one can take | Syllabus to be covered | Target Portion Completion |
|---|---|---|---|
| After the previous exam | |||
| 5:00 PM – 12:00 AM | Snacks
Dinner |
Important but light topics | 20-25% |
| On the exam leave day | |||
| 06:00 AM -1:00 PM | Breakfast
Lunch |
Topics with the maximum weightage | 25-30% |
| 1.00 PM – 7:00 PM | Snacks | Miscellaneous topics in the order of your priority | 15-20% |
|
By this time, you should have got done with your 70 – 80% of the subject syllabus. Analyse your progress and strategize your balance preparation. |
|||
|
7:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
Dinner | Miscellaneous topics in the order of your priority | 15-20% |
| On the exam day | |||
| 06:00 AM -12:00 PM | Breakfast
Lunch |
Finish the balance topics (if any)
Do important questions, RTPs, MTPs & past papers |
5-10% |
*One must take the necessary breaks as per their comfort and requirement.
Some presentation tips and tricks for structured papers:
- The most important tip in presentation – Make the Job of the Examiner Easy!
- For Accounting, steps form an integral part of your accounts’ answers and ensure that you add a working note wherever necessary to make your answer detailed and comprehensive.
- In Business Law, quote section numbers, explain the provisions, correlate the question with the provision and then give a conclusion. In case of lengthy answers, try to break down the various points into bullets.
- Refer to past papers and the last 3 RTPs, MTPs to get an idea about expected questions and the recommended formats to answer the same.
Do’s
- Appear for chapter-wise, cluster tests and at least two mock exams for every subject.
- Practice as many MCQs as possible – the exam has negative marking for wrong answers. Remember it is advisable not to answer if you are not sure and will be marked wrong as you will be subject to negative marking.
- Time your mock papers so you are aware of how to manage time on the exam day. You will be allowed 3 hours for your subjective papers and 2 hours for your objective papers.
- When attempting mock exams for the MCQ based subjects, use OMR sheets for efficient practice.
Don’ts
- Avoiding studying right till the exam centre – Set aside your studies an hour before your exam time and be fresh for your paper.
- Avoid discussing the paper once you are home – you will be crying over spilt milk.
- Do not cover new topics and new sums on the eve of your exam.
- Ensure you do not attempt papers/ solve any detailed and time-consuming questions on the revision days.
- Do not consume oily meals that may upset your belly, make you drowsy and ruin your mood.
- Do not compromise on your sleep – Rest well by sleeping for 6-7 hours before the exam day.
- Do not take unnecessary stress/ pressure.
Conclusion
Believe you know it well! Now it’s time to put your best thoughts on paper most efficiently & convince the examiner that YOU ARE THE ONE.
For additional resources to assist you in your CA preparation, reach out to us.
Good Luck!
