Generally, you will get a maximum of 20 hours to study before your exam. The best way to effectively utilise this time is to pre-plan your schedule and 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 on this blog.
How to manage your time and timetable:
We’ve bifurcated the preparation tips on the basis of practical and theory subjects here. To learn about the subject-wise schedules for the 1.5 days, visit our individual subject blogs!
| 1.5 days for Preparation | On the exam day | |
|---|---|---|
| Practical Papers (FR, SFM, Costing) | Go through every single concept in the textbook | Refer to your mock test papers to see the mistakes and avoid repeating them |
| Revise your formulae multiple times | Go through case studies to understand ICAI’s flow of answering | |
| Prepare a list of important sums to glance through, only to understand the learnings (and not to work the numbers) | Go through your attempt’s RTP & MTP and then go through other RTPs, MTPs and past papers | |
| Revise your formulae for the last time | ||
| Theory Papers (Law, Audit, DT, IDT) | Use your summary notes for revision; avoid going through the detailed explanations on every section | Go through your attempt RTP & MTP and then go through other RTPs, MTPs and past papers |
| Revise your list of section/ clause numbers and penalties multiple times | Go through some difficult MCQ questions and case laws. | |
| For DT, IDT – Avoid solving questions but make sure you scribble down a rough format for important chapter sums from memory | Revise your list of section/ clause numbers and penalties for the last time. |
Pro Tip: Make sure you keep in mind the section wise weightage given by ICAI.
Now that you’ve understood how the subject syllabus can be managed, below is a timeline to help you utilise 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 – 01:00 PM | Breakfast Lunch | Topics with the maximum weightage | 25-30% |
| 01:00 PM – 07:00 PM | Snacks | Miscellaneous topics in the order of your priority | 15-20% |
| By this time, you should have got done with your 60 – 70% of the syllabus. Analyse your progress and strategize your balance preparation. | |||
| 07:00 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.
What you must avoid:
- Leave your studies an hour before your exam time so then you can be fresh for your paper.
- Discussing the paper once you’re home – you’ll be crying over spilt milk.
- Covering new topics on the eve of your exam.
- Attempting papers/Solving any questions on the revision days.
- Oily meals that may upset your belly, make you drowsy and ruin your mood.
- Compromising on your sleep – Rest well by sleeping for 6-7 hours before the exam day.
- Taking unnecessary stress/ pressure.
