Gerald D'Cunha

A few hours ago, one of my dear ex-students, and now a dear friend, Vikas, called me. “Sir, I ‘finally’ cleared ‘it’… I am a ‘full’ CA now!” Vikas is a truly hard-working student. He has a razor-sharp and practical bent of mind… His grip on technology is praiseworthy… He has been working for a CA firm, where he is immensely liked by his boss… He already has several clients whose IT and GST returns he files. Yet, for Vikas, the road to Chartered Accountancy was not a smooth ride by a chartered plane… It was tough, hard and long! Students, much below his caliber, have become Chartered Accountants with less struggle and frustration… Some of them, even, in the very first attempt! “That’s luck,” I hear some reasoning out... Maybe. But, I have known Vikas for too long a time. So, I, always, felt bad for him. Every time, he would tell me, “Sir, I couldn’t clear, this time, too,” my heart would bleed from inside… “Is it worth all that frustr...

S ome days ago, a parent called me. His daughter studied in S.Y. B.Com in one of the best Commerce colleges in the city. He wanted me to teach her in some subjects. “Sir, I can certainly teach your daughter,” I said, “But, can I please talk to her?” That’s the time I realized, that the young girl was a deaf-and-dumb and wasn’t able to talk on telephone. So, we met, here, in my office yesterday. The young girl was a tough girl. She wanted me to help her for the entrance exam (CPT) of Chartered Accountancy. “Sir, she says she doesn’t need help for S.Y. B.Com,” the father explained to me, “She is determined to get into Chartered Accountancy.” I had not taken up any CPT commitments this year, and I only taught one of the four subjects. So, I suggested some good classes, where professional coaching was provided. But, while I was politely making this suggestion, a silent guilt was simmering in my heart. I did not want the father and the daughter to mis...

P ic .: Chetna Shetty T he Final-CA results (2015) were out yesterday. As usual, only 8.26% (of the total 42, 847 students appeared) passed the exam. The top ranker had scored 75.75%! Yes, as usual, the plight of a final-year CA student is quite unpredictable, even dicey. Some, who you thought would pass, don’t… and, some, who you thought won’t, do. So, am I trying to prove, through this, that it all depends on one’s luck… or, God’s moods? I have never believed in luck… and, I don’t want to. In my entire teaching career, I have never ever asked, even a single student, whether he has passed or failed… Leave alone how much he has scored. I have taught them well… with all my commitment, focus and love… I have not compromised on my work… my outlook towards it. And, I have reminded my students about the same: “You need the right aptitude and attitude… You need to remain committed, focused and passionate… You have the control on your work, your efforts… but, not on...