“I attribute my success to this - I never gave or took any excuse.” - Florence Nightingale.

None of the greats whether Steve Jobs or Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam or Sachin Tendulkar ever gave excuses.

While studying for exams and you think “I don't have enough time” or “I'm not good at exams,” understand that your mind may be tricking you into making excuses instead of figuring out a way to get the job done.

Don't give your mind the time to drift into anxious thoughts. If it does, then gently guide it back to a concrete task, such as planning your time, jotting down useful facts and figures to use in later questions, proof-reading your work, thinking about ways to gain extra marks.

Remember, at every moment in life you can either have excuses or results, not both.

Instead of making negative excuses, learn to think positive thoughts and at the same time constructive solutions to enable you to study or work better. This will strengthen you mentally and help you find success in whatever you choose to do.

At WICASA of WIRC, we have always believed that practice builds confidence. To enable students to get a real experience in terms of time and environment, we organised a number of 'Mock Test Series' of papers for students studying for the CA Final, CA Intermediate and CA Foundation papers.

WICASA of WIRC always looks to develop all round professionals who are provided the education and more importantly have the necessary tools to grow holistically.

Hence, along with the half-day webinars on academic topics such as 'Verification of Advances in Bank Audit', 'Basics of Transfer Pricing Principles' and 'Audit trail and Tally Prime' we also conducted exam focused workshops on 'Strategic Preparation For Success' and on 'Techniques To Read Faster & Read Better'.

Every generation brings new ideas and new life to an organisation. WICASA is run by the students and for the students, so who better than other students to understand the movement of current times and work together to take students forward.

The recent elections of 'Students Representatives of WICASA' concluded recently and I am pleased to state that they were conducted with great diligence and professionalism as befits students of WIRC. The new committee brings its own positive dynamism to the table and we look forward to a very engaging year ahead.

The 58th Annual General Meeting of WICASA took place recently and the newly elected representatives experienced the systems and processes in place which are needed for the smooth functioning of a professionally run organisation. We are proud to welcome the new generation of WICASA representatives and look forward to their contributions towards the growth of the students across the Region as well as WICASA as a whole.

The 'Orientation Program' for WICASA Branch Committee Members saw the students in attendance absorb new teachings from the veterans of the profession including Past President of ICAI, current Chairman of Board of Studies (Academic), Chairman of SSEB (BOS-Operations) and many more. The intense learnings obtained at this event should prepare them for the year ahead in terms of the expectations of the organisations and more importantly managing the students' expectations.

“Either I will find a way, or I will make one.” - Philip Sidney.

This quote by Philip Sidney, a prominent writer of the Elizabethan period, is perfect for those who struggle with taking tests. Maybe you're a visual type of learner or you have an auditory style of learning or you are a social learner who studies best in a group. Maybe you haven't quite figured out a way to study that works for you. Try different types of study techniques and if nothing is working, make your own way. In any event, keep on going until you master your task.

Remember the words of Thomas Edison who said, “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”

Thomas Edison, known best for his invention of the light bulb, certainly knew failure in life. His teachers said he was stupid. He was fired from his first two jobs for being “unproductive.” He tried thousands of times to get the light bulb right. But try, he did. And, as we know and can appreciate, he succeeded. The next time you're tempted to give up on getting the result you really want, take your motivation from Thomas Edison.

Success comes in different shapes and forms. It is your attitude, your perseverance and your work ethic which makes a difference in whichever career or profession you choose.

I wish all the students the best and look forward to your success and Stories.