CA Final Results 2023: AIR 1, 2 and 3 are ‘keeping options open’, want to work with corporate companies
New Delhi, July 6, 2023
Speaking to indianexpress.com, the toppers share their future plans, their preparation strategy and what motivated them to pursue Chartered Accountancy. Interestingly, all three toppers have cleared all their CA exams in their first attempts itself.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) today declared the CA Final and Intermediate results for May 2023 exams. The CA final exam was topped by Akshay Ramesh Jain from Ahmedabad with 616 marks out of 800, followed by Kalpesh Jain of Chennai with 603 marks and Prakhar Varshney with 574 marks.
Speaking of the new syllabus, all three feel that the course is becoming more flexible and open with more options for students to pursue. With the constant amendments, it is coming at par with global standards.
Speaking to indianexpress.com, the toppers share their future plans, their preparation strategy and what motivated them to pursue Chartered Accountancy. Interestingly, all three toppers have cleared all their CA exams in their first attempts itself.
AIR 1 Akshay Jain
It feels really great to get such a score especially when you have studied to get a rank. Chartered Accountancy wasn’t actually my original plan. I wanted to pursue the five-year integrated programme in management at the Indian Institute of Management, Indore. But, I couldn’t score well in the IPMAT due to a lack of preparation time. It was then that one of my uncles who is also a CA suggested that I pursue this. After much deliberation, I went ahead with his suggestion and gave the ICAI Common Proficiency Test (CPT) as well as enrolled myself in the Bachelor of Commerce (B Com) course at Gujarat University.
Ever since I decided to pursue CA, I have put my heart and soul into it. Even with my CPT, I secured All India Rank (AIR) 17 and in intermediate, I secured AIR 1. It is difficult to guess your rank with CA exams, so I wasn’t obviously sure if I secured a top rank or not but I sure did put all my efforts in order to obtain one.
I have not decided as to what I would do but now since the results are declared, I will evaluate my options in the next 10 to 15 days. My personal preference is consulting. I don’t want to start practice as of now, I want to work with the big 4— Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Deloitte, McKinsey or Bain and Company.
In order to get a rank in CA exams, you need to appear for both groups together and you only get four months of preparatory leave from your articleship. I started my articleship in April 2020 with GK Choksi in Ahmedabad and worked there for almost one and a half years, then I switched to HDFC in Hyderabad. During the four months of preparation leave, I studied for nearly 12 to 13 hours a day during the week but with ample breaks in between. I wouldn’t study for too long at a stretch. I would take up one subject per week, then on the weekends would give mock tests for it and then relax with my friends and family. Once the subjects were completed, I began my revision.
Whenever I was overwhelmed, I would take a break to watch something or listen to music. I enjoy watching stand-up comedy videos. I particularly admire Louis CK and Abhishek Upmanyu.
My father is a businessperson and my mother is a homemaker. I have a younger brother who is pursuing engineering. We are originally from Rajasthan but my father migrated here for work before I was born.
ICAI CA Final AIR 2 Kalpesh Jain
Today, when the ICAI president called me, I thought my friends were playing a prank. It was only when I checked the result by myself, I realised that it was true. I was never a topper and was hoping only to pass the exam, securing a rank was not something I dreamt of. I feel so surreal, the result has been beyond my expectations.
I chose to pursue CA as it seemed interesting but just to be on the safer side I also enrolled myself in BCom course at Vivekananda College. It was only after intermediate that I got really serious about CA and channelised all my energy towards it.
During my preparation, my family was my biggest support system, especially my younger brother. In articleship, you only get four months of preparatory leave and most CA aspirants in those four months do nothing except for studying. And, my family ensured that I didn’t have to do even the smallest of tasks.
I believe CAs have a lot of potential and over the years there has been a lot of flexibility in the field be it consulting, taxation, auditing or starting your own venture. Right now, I am not sure what I would do but I am keeping my options open.
ICAI CA Final AIR 3 Prakhar Varshney
My father and one of my elder sisters are a CA and they have been my biggest source of inspiration. One of the reasons I worked so hard is because my sister has also been a rank holder during her time and I look up to her.
The feeling of clearing the exam and on top of it getting a rank is exceptional. I have been a studious child but it was my sister’s guidance at every step that has helped me succeed.
I have completed my graduation with BCom (Hons) from Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi University. After my graduation in April 2020, I started with my articleship. I first worked with BSR and Co LLP (an affiliate of KPMG) and later switched to BCG as an associate intern. I would like to continue working with BCG as I am getting good exposure. Over the past two years, I have worked in tax and do not have experience in other niche fields, so I am open to all opportunities.
My father has his own practice and my sister assists him, however, as of now I don’t have any plans of joining them. Apart from them, I have one more elder sister and my mother in my family.
For my preparation, I would get up early around 5 am to 6 am and study. I didn’t have a rigid schedule or compulsion to study 10 hours a day but I believe when the exam is so difficult, students behave responsibly on their own.
[The Indian Express]
