From Managing a Mobile Shop to CA Foundation AIR 16: How Harshit Taparia Scored 344/400 with PW

Preparing for CA Foundation while managing family responsibilities can leave little room for uninterrupted study time. Harshit Taparia from Jodhpur, Rajasthan, faced this challenge as he balanced his studies with work at his family's mobile shop. Starting on April 1, he gave himself five months to prepare, gradually shifting his focus towards studies as the examination approached.

With support from his family and online learning resources from Physics Wallah (PW), Harshit stayed consistent and made the most of his preparation time. His efforts paid off when he scored 344/400 marks and secured AIR 16 in the CA Foundation September 2026 examination

Harshit Taparia’s Five-Month CA Foundation Challenge Began With a Clear Goal

Harshit was clear about pursuing CA Foundation even before completing his Class 12 examinations. As soon as his Business Studies paper ended on March 28, he started preparing for the next milestone.

“Toh right 1st April ko main padhne baith gaya tha, taaki mere paas exactly 5 months rahein.”

He followed a consistent routine throughout these five months. Having a friend, Lakshit, preparing alongside him made the journey more competitive and encouraged both of them to work towards their targets.

“Sir, poore five months maine padha tha regularly, consistently. Aur saath mein mera dost bhi tha. Toh hum dono ek target leke chalte the aur ek doosre se competition karte the, jis wajah se kaafi competitive spirit rehti thi.”

However, preparation was not his only responsibility. Harshit also had to manage his family's mobile shop, which meant finding time to study around his daily commitments.

From Shop Counter to Study Desk: Harshit's Final Two-Month Sprint

During the initial three months, Harshit maintained a routine that included both fitness and studies. He would go to the gym early in the morning and begin studying at around 8 AM, continuing until 2 PM. After lunch and other daily activities, he would head to the mobile shop and study there until around 7–8 PM.

“Shuruaat mein toh maine gym regular hi rakhi thi. Subah jaldi gym jaake aate the, 8 baje phir baithte the padhne ke liye. 8 se lekar lagbhag 2 baje tak hum padhte the.”

The shop also became an additional study space for him. He had arranged charging facilities, mobile phones, and tablets there, allowing him to watch lectures and study while managing the shop.

“Toh phir yahan pe matlab poora maine system rakh rakha hai. Idhar charging station wagairah sab complete aur idhar mobiles rehte hi hain. Kaafi saare tablets, iPad sab rehte hain. Toh usmein ekdum aaram se dekh leta tha main.”

As the examination approached, Harshit realised that he needed more dedicated study time. He discussed this with his father and brother, who took over the shop responsibilities so he could focus entirely on preparation.

“Toh phir maine papa aur bhai ko keh diya ki aapko hi sambhalna padega. Toh phir main us time 2 mahine poora ghar pe baith gaya tha aur gym wagairah phir maine sab chhod diya tha.”

During the final two months, he increased his study time to 10–12 hours every day and concentrated fully on the examination.

How Harshit Used PW Resources and Focused on Weak Subjects

Harshit completed most of his CA Foundation preparation through YouTube and also enrolled in PW's Chanakya 4.0 batch on the CA app to access study notes and other resources.

“Sir, basically bataun toh maine poora ka poora lagbhag YouTube se hi kiya. Aur CA wale app pe Chanakya 4.0 mein enrol kiya, taaki kuch notes wagairah ke hisaab se hum...”

His subject-wise preparation was based on identifying where he already had a strong foundation and where he needed more time. Accounts was one of his stronger subjects, so he completed most of it within the first two to two-and-a-half months.

“Matlab mera Accounts shuruaat se strong tha, toh phir Accounts maine shuruaat ke do-dhai mahine mein hi khatam kar diya tha.”

After completing Accounts, he shifted his attention towards Business Law and Mathematics. Economics, which was completely new to him because he had not studied it in Classes 11 and 12, became his focus during the final two months.

“Nahi sir, strong nahi tha sir. Economics ka mereko E bhi nahi aata tha sir, kyunki 11th-12th mein thi hi nahi.”

He completed Economics during this final preparation phase, making sure all four subjects got attention before the exam.

Five Revisions and a CA Foundation AIR 16 Finish

For Harshit, completing the syllabus was only one part of preparation. He placed equal importance on revising everything multiple times before the examination. His weekly routine included studying six days a week and keeping Sunday for revision lectures and reviewing the topics covered during the week.

“Ek hafta padha, chhe din padha. Phir Sunday ko chhutti rehti thi. Sunday ko main jaanboojh ke chhutti karta tha. Sunday ko main revision lectures dekh ke poora revise kar leta tha.”

By the time he completed the syllabus, he had already finished his first in-depth revision. He then completed his second revision in approximately 14 days and the third in seven days. His fourth revision took just two days, while he completed the fifth one on the day before the examination.

“Aise kar-kar ke jab tak mera course khatam hua, tab tak main ek baar revision kar chuka tha, ekdum in-depth. Uske baad course khatam hote hi doosra revision chalu kiya. Woh revision mera lagbhag 14 days gaya tha, mujhe jahan tak yaad hai.”

“Woh bhi poora in-depth kiya tha. Teesra bhi ekdum in-depth kiya tha, saat din gaya tha woh mera poora. Chautha jo kiya tha woh do din mein hua tha aur last wala exam se ek din pehle, ek din ke andar khatam kar diya tha.”

This repeated revision strategy helped him retain concepts and approach the examination with confidence.

When the CA Foundation September 2026 result was announced, Harshit checked it on his phone at around 10:30 AM. Seeing his All India Rank of 16 left him so excited that he suddenly shouted, surprising his parents.

“Jaise hi All India Rank 16 aayi, toh main ek baar ko thoda chilla pada achanak se. Toh mummy aur papa thode darr gaye, kya ho gaya isko?”

Harshit ultimately secured 344 marks out of 400 and AIR 16. His subject-wise scores included 89 in Economics, 89 in Accountancy, 89 in Quantitative Aptitude, and 77 in Business Law.

His Business Law score also had a special secret. He attributed his performance to revising the subject five times.

“77 ka raaz toh hai paanch revision.”

Harshit's journey shows how consistent preparation, family support, and a well-planned revision strategy can make a difference. From studying at a mobile shop to dedicating his final two months entirely to CA Foundation, he managed his responsibilities without losing sight of his goal. His achievement of AIR 16 with 344 marks is an encouraging example for aspirants preparing for their own CA examinations.