How to Get AIR in CA Exams — What Toppers Actually Do Differently

The honest truth about All India Ranks — and what separates toppers from everyone else.

By Harsh Gupta | HG Virtuals

Every CA student has thought about it at some point.

What if I got a rank? What would that feel like? What am I doing differently from the people who actually get AIR 1?

This blog answers that question — not with generic advice like “study hard and stay consistent” — but with specific, actionable differences that separate rank holders from the rest.

Let us start with some real numbers.

What Does Getting a Rank Actually Mean?

ICAI publishes a merit list of the top 50 rank holders after every CA exam result.

Here is what recent toppers scored:

Notice something? These are not 95% scores. AIR 1 in CA Final is around 80 to 85%. AIR 1 in CA Inter is similar.

This means getting a rank is not about being superhuman. It is about being consistently excellent across all papers — not brilliant in some and average in others.

The student who scores 70% in every paper will rank higher than the student who scores 90% in three papers and 45% in the other three.

Consistency beats brilliance. That is the first lesson.

What Toppers Actually Do Differently — 8 Honest Observations

1. They Start With the ICAI Material — Not Someone Else’s Notes

Every topper interview says the same thing. ICAI Study Material first. Practice Manual second. Everything else is supplementary.

This is not just modesty or protocol. There is a practical reason.

The examiner who sets the paper works from the ICAI Study Material. The language of the questions, the structure of expected answers, the topics emphasised — all of it flows from what ICAI has published.

Students who rely entirely on coaching notes or shortcut materials are essentially preparing for a different paper than the one being set.

What toppers do: They read ICAI Study Material at least once completely. Then they use coaching notes only to supplement — for better explanations of difficult topics, not as a replacement.

2. They Treat Notes as a Tool, Not a Goal

Every topper makes their own notes. But here is what most students misunderstand — making notes is not the goal. Using notes is the goal.

Toppers write concise notes — not textbook summaries — and revise them multiple times. By the third revision, they are not reading their notes. They are testing themselves against them.

What toppers do: 1 to 2 pages of notes per chapter maximum. Focused on formulas, key sections, and concepts that are easy to forget. Revised at least 3 times before the exam.

3. They Practice Under Timed Conditions From Early On

Most students practice questions without a timer. They get an answer right eventually and move on. This creates a false sense of preparation.

In the actual CA exam, you have 3 hours for 100 marks. That is approximately 1.8 minutes per mark. A 10-mark question needs to be answered in under 20 minutes — including reading, thinking, and writing.

Students who have never practiced under time pressure consistently underperform in exams relative to their actual knowledge.

What toppers do: From Week 6 of preparation onwards, they time themselves on every question. By the time they reach mock tests, exam-speed writing is natural — not stressful.

4. They Solve More Past Papers Than Anyone Else

Diksha Goyal, AIR 1 in both CA Inter and CA Final, has spoken about solving an extensive range of past papers and ICAI materials as a core part of her strategy. The pattern is consistent across toppers.

Past papers serve three purposes:

• They show you what the examiner actually asks (which is often different from what coaching focuses on)
• They train you in the language and format of answer writing that scores marks
• They reveal gaps in your preparation that revision alone cannot surface

What toppers do: Solve at least 5 years of past papers for every subject. Not just read — actually write out answers under time pressure.

5. They Write Answers, Not Just Think Answers

This is the most underrated difference between rank holders and average students.

In a CA exam, the answer you write — the structure, the headings, the working notes, the presentation — matters as much as whether your answer is correct. An examiner marking 500 papers appreciates a well-presented, clearly structured answer. It shows professionalism.

Students who only read and think during preparation are not training the skill that actually gets marks — writing.

What toppers do: They write full answers — not bullet points, not rough jottings — for at least 2 to 3 questions per subject every single day during the revision phase.

6. They Have a Clear Weak Subject Strategy

Every student has weak subjects. The difference is in how they handle them.

Average students avoid weak subjects and hope they get enough marks in strong subjects to compensate. This is a dangerous strategy — CA exams require minimum 40% in every paper. One weak paper can fail an otherwise excellent attempt.

What toppers do: They identify their weakest subject early and allocate disproportionate time to it. Not to make it their strongest — just to ensure it does not fail them.

7. They Do Not Change Their Plan During Preparation

One of the most common mistakes non-ranking students make is changing their study plan in response to anxiety.

They hear that one topic is very important and spend 3 extra days on it. They get advice from 5 different people and try to incorporate all of it. They abandon their timetable when they fall behind and never recover it.

Toppers build a plan and largely stick to it. When they fall behind, they adjust — but they do not abandon the framework.

What toppers do: They plan their preparation 8 to 10 weeks out and follow it with discipline. They seek advice from one trusted source — not a committee of well-meaning seniors.

8. They Treat the Last 2 Weeks Differently From Everyone Else

In the final 2 weeks, most students are trying to cover topics they missed. Toppers are only revising what they already know.

This is a crucial distinction. The last 2 weeks are not for learning — they are for consolidating. Trying to learn new topics in the last 2 weeks means you cannot revise what you already know — and forgetting is real.

What toppers do: By the time the last 2 weeks arrive, their syllabus is complete. They spend the last 14 days only on revision, RTP, MTP, and mental preparation.

The One Thing Nobody Tells You About Ranks

Here is an honest truth about AIR that nobody in the CA preparation world says clearly.

Ranks are partly about the paper setter.

Some sessions have harder papers. Some sessions have easier ones. A student who scores 78% in a hard session may outrank a student who scores 82% in an easy session.

You cannot control the difficulty of the paper. You can only control your preparation.

The students who get ranks consistently — like Diksha Goyal who topped both CA Inter and CA Final — do so because their preparation is thorough enough to handle any paper, not because they got lucky with easy questions.

Aim for thoroughness. The rank will follow from that.

Practical Checklist — Are You on a Rank-Worthy Track?

Ask yourself honestly:

• [ ] Am I reading ICAI Study Material as my primary source?
• [ ] Am I making and regularly revising my own notes?
• [ ] Am I practicing questions under timed conditions?
• [ ] Have I solved at least 3 years of past papers for each subject?
• [ ] Am I writing full answers — not just thinking them?
• [ ] Do I have a specific plan for my weakest subject?
• [ ] Is my study plan stable — or am I changing it every week?
• [ ] Will my syllabus be complete at least 2 weeks before the exam?

If you can honestly check 7 or 8 of these — you are on a rank-worthy track.

If you checked 4 or fewer — you have work to do. Start with the ones you are missing.

One Last Thing

Ranks are meaningful. They open doors — Big 4 interviews, faster career progression, a sense of recognition after years of effort.

But they are not the only measure of success in CA. Clearing the exam in the first attempt, with good marks, building strong practical knowledge during articleship — these matter just as much in the long run.

Aim for a rank. But do not make the rank the only goal. Make thorough preparation the goal — and let the marks take care of themselves.

Written by Harsh Gupta — CA Educator & Founder, HG Virtuals Free tools at caharshgupta.com — CA Study Planner, CA Revision Planner, CA Resume Builder & CA Interview Checklist.

Tags: CA AIR, All India Rank CA, CA Topper Strategy, How to Get Rank in CA, CA Inter Topper, CA Final Topper, HG Virtuals