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How to Self-Study for CA at Home: A Routine Built on ICAI's Free Resources

By the TopLad team Updated Published 3 min read

You can prepare for CA exams at home if you pair a fixed daily routine with ICAI's own free resources. The Board of Studies (BoS) publishes the study material, study guidelines, Revision Test Papers (RTPs), Mock Test Papers and past question papers with suggested answers for every level, all on its Knowledge Portal. The advice below shows how to set up your space and timetable around those resources.

Student studying at a desk at home

1. Set up one place where you only study

Pick a quiet spot and keep it for study. Clear the desk of anything you don't need for the current paper. If you attend online classes, use the same place for them. Over time, sitting down there becomes the signal to start. A wall planner with your exam date, or a short list of today's chapters, is more useful than decoration.

2. Organise your material by paper and chapter

  • Download the BoS study material for your level from ICAI's Knowledge Portal. ICAI's FAQ notes that printed copies can be ordered through its CDS portal once your registration is confirmed.
  • Keep one folder per paper, digital or physical, with sub-folders for notes, RTPs, mock tests and past papers.
  • Read ICAI's study guidelines for your exam. They say which amendments and topics apply to a given exam session, so you don't study the wrong edition of a tax or law chapter.

3. Plan backwards from your exam date

Write down your exam month and work back from it:

  1. First reading: go through each paper with the study material and make short notes.
  2. Revision: go back over each paper, using your notes and the RTP for your session. RTPs include practice questions for the session and, for papers such as tax and law, updates on recent changes.
  3. Practice under exam conditions: attempt ICAI's Mock Test Papers (BoS also runs a mock test series with its own registration portal) and past question papers, then check your answers against ICAI's suggested answers.

Put the dates for each phase in a calendar you look at daily. If you are unsure how much time each stage of the course takes, see how long the CA course takes. For a worked plan at one level, see this 3-month CA Inter study plan.

4. Keep a routine you can track

A routine only helps if you can see whether you are keeping it.

  • Keep a short daily log: what you planned, what you finished, what slipped.
  • Make flashcards for definitions, sections and formats, and review them before each session.
  • Do one timed question at the end of each chapter rather than waiting for the mock tests.

For sample timetables, see the daily routine for CA, CS and CMA students.

5. Take short, planned breaks

Plan short breaks between study blocks, away from your desk and screen, then come back to the next item on your list. Planned breaks are easier to keep short than ones taken whenever you feel tired. For more ways to stay focused, see how to improve concentration while studying.

ICAI's free resources at a glance

Resource What it is When to use it
Study material ICAI's own textbooks for each paper First reading and notes
Study guidelines Which topics and amendments apply to an exam session Before you start a paper, and again before the exam
Revision Test Papers (RTPs) Practice questions (and updates for some papers) for a session Revision
Mock Test Papers Full-length papers in the exam format The last weeks before the exam
Past question papers and suggested answers Earlier exams with ICAI's model answers Practice and self-checking
Live virtual classes BoS online classes announced for some levels and sessions When you need a teacher's explanation

All of these are on the BoS Knowledge Portal, and ICAI also lists question papers on its website.

When home study is not enough

Some students need a teacher to explain difficult topics or keep them to a schedule. If that is you, compare the options in our guide to CA online courses, and keep using ICAI's free resources alongside them.

Sources

  1. ICAI Board of Studies Knowledge Portal (study material, RTPs, mock test papers, question papers, suggested answers) boslive.icai.org
  2. ICAI: Study Guidelines for examinations icai.org
  3. ICAI: Question papers, New Scheme of Education and Training icai.org
  4. ICAI: FAQs on the New Scheme of Education and Training (study material, Q 2.4) resource.cdn.icai.org