Born and raised in New Delhi, Lakshay’s story is a testament to resilience and adaptability in the face of challenges. After completing his B.Com from the University of Delhi via distance mode, his initial goal was to become a Chartered Accountant. But, life took an unexpected turn, leading him to ACCA course which became a career-defining decision that shaped his future.
Lakshay started his CA journey in 2021, a time when the world was struggling with the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenges of remote learning and disrupted routines, he cleared the CA Foundation exam with top scores, which further gave him more confidence and enthusiasm. He then successfully cleared the CA Intermediate Group 1 exam as well which further reinforced his belief in his abilities.
However, when he came for Group 2 exams, things were a bit more difficult. He attempted the same multiple times, with much effort, but failed to clear them. This made him frustrated and created self-doubt in his mind, and even with parental support, it was getting very difficult for him to continue. After several unsuccessful attempts, he thought it was time to seek other careers that could suit his interests.
Let’s explore Lakshay’s career journey, his chosen career path, the pivotal educational decisions he made, and the milestones he’s reached along his journey
Below is a transcript of his interview with us:
Why Did You Choose the CA Path and What Made You Interested in Accounting?
My journey toward becoming a CA started in high school. It began with a conversation I had with my uncle, who was already a practicing Chartered Accountant. Over a call, he shared his experiences and explained how CAs play a key role in helping businesses stay financially disciplined, comply with regulations, and grow. What really caught my attention was when he mentioned that CAs are often considered the ‘financial backbone’ of a company. That conversation made me want to learn more about what CAs actually do.
In my 12th grade, I had the opportunity to attend a guest lecture where a speaker discussed various career paths in commerce. Among all the options, I found the role of a Chartered Accountant the most prominent. After attending that guest lecture, one thing was clear to me that CA wasn’t just about numbers and balance sheets but being a CA literally required critical thinking, problem-solving skills, deep financial knowledge and a lot of practice. The idea of helping companies grow by providing strategic advice and ensuring their financial health intrigued me. I realized then that CA was not just a profession but a heavy responsibility.
Despite Your interest in the CA, why did you face struggles, and how did it impact you?
My interest grew more towards CA when I began studying accountancy as part of my subject. While many of my classmates found it tough, I actually enjoyed working with numbers and solving tricky accounting problems and felt really satisfied doing it. Balancing the books, understanding financial statements, and learning about taxes really sparked my interest. I loved how every number told a story, and it was a CA’s job to figure out what that story actually meant.
I realized that CAs are more than just people working behind the scenes. They are trusted advisors and leaders who guide businesses to make smart decisions and operate efficiently and ethically.
This realization pushed me more to pursue the CA course with full focus. I joined an online coaching, interacted with mentors and classmates with the same goals, and started following financial news and updates, realizing how important CAs are to the economy. I cleared the CA Foundation and Group 1 but wasn’t able to clear Group 2.
Even after spending many sleepless nights and repeated attempts to clear Group 2 of CA, I was stuck in a cycle of frustration. No matter how much I studied, certain concepts just wouldn’t click. The online classes, which were supposed to make things easier during the COVID-19 lockdowns, only made things worse. Concepts I thought were straightforward felt more challenging and confusing. I kept putting in the effort, but the results weren’t coming. I didn’t stop there but decided to take a PAUSE and RETHINK.
What Made You Consider the ACCA as an Alternative Career Path?
I was continuously facing failure in CA inter Group 2 exams which made me disheartened and prompted me to make the decision to transition. So I started looking for alternative options. Then one day, while I was browsing the internet and thinking about alternative career paths, I got to know about the ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) course. I heard about that course for the first time so started exploring more about the course and what caught my attention was how flexible and globally recognized the ACCA qualification is. If I compare it to the CA course, which requires several years of studying and has multiple levels to clear, ACCA allows you to get certified in a shorter time frame.
I wanted a career that had more global opportunities and allowed me to work with Numbers and Figures and that’s where ACCA seemed the perfect option for me. I became even more drawn to it because it covers a broader range of financial and business topics, giving you a more international perspective and is also recognized in many countries, which could open doors to work abroad if I ever wanted that option.
From what I’ve seen and read, ACCA offers competitive salaries, especially in global firms and markets. I also understand that factors like experience and location play a big role, but the idea of global recognition was something that adds extra value to this course.
Why Did You Decide to Switch from CA to ACCA and How Did You Find the Right Guidance?
Switching to ACCA wasn’t an easy decision, but it turned out to be the right one. The struggles I faced with CA taught me the importance of adapting and finding the right guidance that works for me. After doing a lot of research, I found a few well-known institutes like WallStreet School, VG Learning, among others. After attending demo sessions from both of the institutes to get a feel for their teaching style. I found WallStreet School’s demo to be the more impactful. Their offline weekend classes caught my attention, and I decided to take admission. I was genuinely impressed by how practical and engaging their classes were.
Despite the long teaching hours, Vidhi Ma’am’s teaching kept me attentive and made difficult concepts much easier for me to understand in a better way, something I usually struggle with. The rigorous practice sessions, especially the 300+ questions I had to solve, were exhausting but incredibly helpful. I went into the exam feeling calm and confident, which I hadn’t experienced before, all thanks to the consistent practice and guidance I received there.
Besides Vidhi Ma’am, one of the inspiring people in my journey was Shilpi Jain Ma’am, who is the lead mentor of the ACCA program at The Wall Street School and is ACCA qualified herself. Her deep knowledge, real-world insights, and supportive teaching style really helped me throughout my learning.
With all that support I have got, I successfully passed my FR exam and am now preparing for other ACCA exams with them. I’m truly satisfied with my results and the supervision I’ve got.
How Did ACCA Preparation Helped You Secure a Job at KPMG?
Attending offline classes and understanding the concepts in a practical manner really made a big impact on my learning. It wasn’t just about learning stuff for exams, but actually applying what we were taught to real-world situations, which helped me a lot. I’ve always struggled with picking up concepts quickly, but WallStreet School made things easier by simplifying those in a way that actually made sense to me.
This conceptual clarity helped me in a great way when I went for the interviews.I had an opportunity to appear for the interview round with one of the Big 4s, KPMG. To prepare for this rigorous interview process, I attended mock interviews and case studies. Resources and sessions provided by The WallStreet School came in very handy. I managed to hone my problem-solving skills, clarity of thoughts when under pressure, and ability to put them forth clearly.
I also had an opportunity to build soft skills like communication, team work, and time management skills which are quite important to get in this demanding industry
Feedback I received after every mock test and continuous improvement played an important role in my preparation. After every mock interview and case study, I actively gathered feedback to understand what I could do better to improve my skills and refine my approach step by step
My preparation for the ACCA exams paid off when I secured a position at KPMG, what attracted the most to the interviewer at KPMG was my knowledge in IFRS which I picked up during my preparation for FR, was, in which I eventually got a job after completing the Skill Level of ACCA.
Lakshay’s story is an inspiring example of how education, along with proper guidance, can transform a struggling CA to ACCA success. The WallStreet School takes immense pride in his achievement and continues to support thousands more toward realizing their dreams.
To connect with Lakshay, you may directly Contact The WallStreet School.
