CA Articleship
Such is the importance of CA Articleship. It’s just like another water body. Unless a IPCC qualified student throws her/himself into this water body, how s/he can dream of becoming a CA – I mean a good, knowledgeable and updated CA and not merely another Certified CA by ICAI. As everyone having a Driving License, may not know how to drive a car.
Similarly, every name getting ‘CA’ prefixed before it may not be worth that, unless the sole motive being enhanced social status for a better matrimony or following the crowd blindly.
If one is really dedicated about completing the Chartered Accountancy course in its true spirit, one can’t afford to play with those three years of Articleship Training under any cost. What is the use of getting that two letter prefix before one’s name by burning those mid-night oil and spending thousands in the coaching industry if one has never seen an Income Tax Return (ITR) or a Tax Audit Report(TAR) or a TDS Return or a Service Tax Return. Filing them is far away.
How can one be a real CA if s/he has never been at office till midnight on any 31st March or 30th September? Don’t forget friends, “Qualifications do not always matter. Confidence does!” Few days ago, I listen a query from one of my friend – how to prepare TDS for interview? Come on friends, try to understand that TDS is not at all difficult. It is just practical.
Spending hours at office on TDS will give us much more confidence and understanding than spending days in reading texts at home or at classes on TDS. Such is the importance of practical exposure. Such exposure simultaneously prepares us for interview, prevents us from cramming the texts, helps us retaining the concepts for much longer time, develops our analytical skills, enhances our networking, makes us aggressive, challenging, hardworking, agile, competitive and what not. I know friends, Articleship is not at all easy.
After all we have to manage our Tutions, Self-study, College, Additional Certificate Courses, Friends, Family, Relatives, Dating, Outings, Occasions, Festivals and the most important of all – Social Networking (Facebook, Whats App, BBM, Twitter and the list goes on). Here we need to be decisive, make a choice and work on our priorities.
Friends! Everyone has got the same 24 hours in a day. Its all about priorities. One life, one career! Don’t compromise with it. Its a matter of just 3 years and after that a king size life is awaiting for the next 35-40 years. Isn’t it worth it? Shouldn’t we hedge our professional life and social status for next 35-40 years by exposing ourselves to principal risk for the next 3 years in the strenuous Articleship Training?
Remember friends, an investment (both time and money) in self-development gives the highest return when required the most without any market risk, personally experienced. Now comes the toughest part. Once one is determined to go for Articleship, its very difficult to get absorbed in a good CA Firm. Don’t blame your luck or lack of references, if unable to make it to the Big Four.
I personally don’t like Big Fours. Better go for a mediocre Firm with multifaceted work exposure. I’m sure http://bosapp.icai.org shall facilitate your work. If not satisfied with the Firm, never hesitate to take a Transfer within first year of Articleship.
If the principal creates any problem, contact the nearest Council and get the same resolved. Never think of the stipend in other way. Remember, you are going to learn and not to earn. Still, it’s your hard earned money. So, take pride in it.
Feel and understand how difficult it’s to make money honestly. But, never worry. As there is no substitute to Hardwork, so there is no substitute to Articleship. Taking dummy and working as a paid assistant is even worse. It doesn’t give the much needed seriousness. Never settle down for a smaller Firm either, where one is confined to Tally & Vouching only.
Taking dummy makes one lethargic, overweight, passive, compromising, under confident and what not. Playing with Articleship instead of giving us the required edge may pull us behind in the professional journey ahead. Its a part of CA curriculum, so it should be given the required time and priority in your life.
