CA AIR 11 topper Mohammed Qutub Riyan shares his preparation routine

Mohammed Qutub Riyan secured All India Rank 11 in the CA Intermediate September examination by scoring 473 marks out of total possible marks. His subject-wise scores include 93 marks in Cost and Management Accounting, 82 in Auditing and Ethics, 77 each in Advanced Accounting and Financial Management and Strategic Management, and 72 each in Taxation and Corporate and Other Laws.

Preparation Strategy

Riyan maintained a disciplined routine that involved studying for 10 to 11 hours daily as exams drew closer. He divided his overall syllabus into smaller monthly targets, ensuring he revised class topics on the very same day. To track his progress, he regularly took weekly tests, self-evaluation tests, and mock tests provided by CA Wallah.

Managing Backlogs

Facing a 20-day lecture backlog, Riyan overcame the pressure by creating a realistic schedule and breaking pending lectures into smaller daily targets. He watched recorded lectures at double speed while still making sure he truly understood the core concepts rather than merely rushing through the material. He also completed two structured revision cycles to strengthen his overall understanding and catch topics needing extra focus.

Expert Guidance

For theoretical subjects such as Auditing, Corporate Law, and Ethics, Riyan credited his faculty member Chaitanya Jain, also known as CJ Sir, for making the subjects interesting and easy to grasp. He also relied on his teachers at CA Wallah for conceptual clarity and motivation. Whenever a topic felt too difficult, he returned to basics instead of giving up.

Future Plans

Following his success, Riyan plans to gain practical experience through articleship while preparing for the CA Final examination to build a strong career in accounting and finance. He advises fellow students to avoid comparing themselves with others and instead focus on consistency, realistic study plans, and regular self-testing.

Context

The Chartered Accountancy intermediate examination is a rigorous professional test administered in India, requiring candidates to master both theoretical legal frameworks and complex practical accounting principles. Top rankers typically follow intensive multi-month schedules involving thousands of hours of self-study, repeated revision cycles, and rigorous mock test practice to handle the vast syllabus.