THE EDUCAFÉ TIMES
Are you someone who likes to deal with finance and numbers? Are you considering a career in Chartered
Accountancy (CA)? Are you interested in managing finance, auditing, taxation and becoming a financial
advisor? If Yes, then this article will help you explore the career pathway, skillset requirements, and the
journey to becoming a Chartered Accountant.
Numbers with a Narrative: Crafting Your Career as
a Chartered Accountant
Prescribing Success: Interview with
Ashwini S, CFO Eduquity Career
Technologies Pvt. Ltd,
Career Queries
Hello Readers!
We bring another edition of The Educafé Times where we
talk about another sought-after career opportunity -
Chartered Accountancy. Here we discuss the scope of the
career, the challenges, and the skill sets required.
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Have some new ideas for our newsletter? Share them at
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Happy Reading!!
In this issue : Numbers with a Narrative:
Crafting Your Career as a Chartered
Accountant
FE B R U A R Y , 2 0 2 4
Message from the Editor
I S S U E N O . - 2 0 2 4 0 2 0 1
Educafé Student Solutions Pvt. Ltd
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C A R E E R P A T H
If you wish to become a Chartered Accountant (CA), you can choose Commerce as your specialization
in your 11th/12th or at +2 levels. However, if you have taken Science or Arts as your stream, you can still
pursue a CA course.
After finishing your 11th or 12th grade or +2, you are eligible to take the Common Proficiency Test
(CPT), which serves as the entrance exam for the Chartered Accountancy (CA) course. Following that,
you can proceed as per the process laid down by the CA association.
If you have completed your graduation in Commerce with the required subjects and aggregate, you will
be exempted from taking the Common Proficiency Test (CPT) and can directly start from the next level,
which is the Integrated Professional Competence (IPC) - the Intermediate Course. After that, you can
continue to follow the process laid down by the CA association.
Even if you have graduated in any other stream, you can still pursue your dream of
becoming a CA by following the procedure laid down by the Institute and
appearing for the relevant exams. For more information, please refer to the website
of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) at
https://resource.cdn.icai.org/75086bos60514-icai-prospectus-new.pdf
After completing the required education, you will be eligible to work in your desired field as a Finance
Manager, Tax Manager, Auditor, Certified Public Accountant, Technology and Data Analytics, Risk
Management and Compliance, Forensic Accounting, E-Commerce and Startups, Sustainability and CSR,
Financial Technology (FinTech), Global Taxation and Transfer Pricing, Healthcare Finance, Advisory and
Consulting, Remote and Freelance Opportunities and as a Teacher. You can work as a Chartered
Accountant either in a Company in the Finance team and go on to become the CFO or you can set up your
own practice
Snippets of an interview conducted with Ashwini S
I S S U E N O . - 2 0 2 4 0 2 0 1
F E B R U A R Y , 2 0 2 4
Educafé Student Solutions Pvt. Ltd
Registered office :Ajmera Nucleus, 7th floor, Shanthi Pura, Electronic City, Phase-2, Bengaluru - 560100
Branch Office :10, Seshadripuram Main Road, Above Midas School of Entrepreneurship, Bengaluru -560020
Phone: 080-4124 4184,+919740583531 | query@educafe.com | www.educafe.com
Prescription to Success
I wanted to choose a field that was different from the popular options of engineering or medicine, which
most people were interested in. My uncle was a highly respected chartered accountant, and he inspired me
to pursue a career in this field so as to achieve something significant. The idea of working in a CA firm even
before attempting the exam was motivating and encouraged me to pursue this career.
What motivated you to pursue a career as a Chartered Accountant?
Can you describe your day-to-day responsibilities and challenges as a CFO? A typical day involves
What are the recent changes in the accounting profession, and what are the future trends that will shape the
industry?
• Talking to bankers to ensure we have a sufficient line of funds
• Having team meetings/training with my accounting team to ensure we are adhering to all the statutory
compliances. I also try to ensure that we automate as many processes as possible to safeguard against
human errors.
• Meeting the top management / Board of directors to discuss the various reports related to the costing,
projects, risk analysis, etc. of the company or discuss business-critical scenarios.
• Talking to various departments in the organization to ensure we, at accounts, get proper documentation.
What are the essential skills and qualities for someone to become a successful Chartered Accountant?
To become a Chartered Accountant, one must exhibit excellent time management, punctuality, analytical
skills, and most importantly, integrity. It is crucial to continuously learn and apply skills, as the CA exams
assess the application of knowledge rather than just rote learning.
How do you balance the demands of a challenging career in Chartered Accountancy with maintaining a healthy
work-life balance?
To become a successful Chartered Accountant (CA), it is crucial to possess technical skills, pay close
attention to detail, stay up-to-date with market trends, have strong communication skills, demonstrate a
willingness to learn, be ethical conduct and exhibit dedication and commitment. Additionally, seeking
mentorship can be immensely helpful in embarking on a fulfilling and impactful career in the world of
finance.
The fundamentals of accounting will remain constant, but the automation in the industry will transform
accounting into a process-oriented profession. The strict rules and regulations imposed by ICAI on auditors
are proving to be the backbone of chartered accountants, helping to regulate all businesses
Planning is crucial for a successful career, especially in a demanding role like CFO. I prioritize planning and
organization to avoid delays in meeting my deliverables. Regular exercise helps me stay healthy and
energized, allowing me to balance work and personal life effectively.
Nowadays, even students pursuing Arts can take up CA. What are your views on this?
The most crucial aspect of becoming a Chartered Accountant (CA) is the practical application of what we
learn. Therefore, it's perfectly acceptable for students pursuing Arts to take up CA as long as they have an
inclination towards the subjects. From my experience, I have seen many science students successfully
completing CA without any difficulty.
Ashwini is a qualified CA and has been working as a CFO for almost a
decade now. She has over two decades of experience in financial accounting,
MIS, reporting, statutory compliance, and other related fields. Ashwini is
skilled in interacting with various stakeholders across different units, regions,
and groups. She believes in pushing boundaries and making her own mark.
She is also a fitness and travel enthusiast.
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A Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) degree equips students with a broad
knowledge of managerial skills, focusing on general business principles,
accounting, economics, and quantitative skills. B.Com graduates can pursue
various courses, such as M.Com, Master of Finance (MFin), Master of
Accounting (MAcc), (MBA), Chartered Accountancy (CA), Chartered
Financial Accountancy (CFA), Cost and Works Accountant (ICWA) and
Company Secretatry (CS).
Technically, one can pursue B.Com and CA simultaneously. However, the
CPT exams (Level 1 of the CA course) can only be attempted after completing
the 12th standard examination. Both B.Com and CA require a significant
amount of time and hard work, making it sometimes difficult to strike a
balance between the two. For more details, please check the following website:
https://www.icai.org/
All these courses have ample scope. However, it is advisable to choose the
course that offers wider options in later stages and put in one’s best effort. Being
skilled in various areas is essential to survive and thrive in today's competitive
world. To build a successful career, it is crucial to have proper synchrony
between interest and ability. Therefore, check the abilities required to succeed in
your area of interest and work on it to choose the stream that best fits you.
I S S U E N O . - 2 0 2 4 0 2 0 1
F E B R U A R Y , 2 0 2 4
Educafé Student Solutions Pvt. Ltd
Registered office :Ajmera Nucleus, 7th floor, Shanthi Pura, Electronic City, Phase-2, Bengaluru - 560100
Branch Office :10, Seshadripuram Main Road, Above Midas School of Entrepreneurship, Bengaluru -560020
Phone: 080-4124 4184,+919740583531 | query@educafe.com | www.educafe.com
Keen to know more on
Contact us:
ashwini.s@eduquity.co
m
Certainly, I began my journey to become a Chartered Accountant right after
completing my Pre-University Course. This decision helped me save a
significant amount of time. Pursuing a degree becomes much more
manageable when one prepares for the CA exams concurrently. Therefore,
there is no harm in pursuing both a degree and a CA qualification together.
However this involves a lot of study and hard work and one should be
passionate about the profession to do justice to both.
Some students start pursuing CA when they are in their degree. Do you
recommend this? Can they do justice to both?
What advice do you have for students who are contemplating pursuing a career as a Chartered Accountant?
Chartered Accountancy is an excellent profession where you will be responsible for overseeing the financial
and accounting well-being of an organization, which is the backbone of any business or industry. Timely
and accurate reporting and analysis can save companies and help them move forward.
Career Queries
by : Dr. Sudha Bhogle
We will talk
about this in our
next Edition .
Can you guess?
Mail us your answers at
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Confused about your career?
What are the potential career paths for a B.Com graduate? How can one balance a
B.Com degree with professional qualifications such as a CA
