Pursuit of Happiness

I now know how it feels like to have half a doze of happiness. You all probably know that I've been pursuing the Chartered Accountancy course for the last 4 years. All was fine, hunky-dory until I was doing my graduation. I was adamant to be known as CA Smriti Srivastava, in a few years.


Once I was done with my graduation, while most of my peers took up jobs, I decided against it. I wanted to concentrate on clearing my CA PE2 exam. It is the second level of the CA course and I tried hard for two years. Under the scheme that I was in, I couldn't start my articleship(internship) unless I clear my PE2 exam. We were supposed to have a maximum of five attempts and I managed to clear only one group out of two in a total of five attempts.

I thought this was the end of my CA journey. Maybe I wasn't destined to be a CA after all. I joked with friends after the results and said my resume will read "Semi-CA INTER" in educational qualifications. I put up a happy face, saying it doesn't matter. This is the end of it all. I won't be known as CA Smriti Srivastava, EVER.

As I sat pondering over all the things I gave up for this course, I got a call from one of my friends. She said there might be a way out of all this. In previous courses, as well as in the new scheme of things, there wasn't any restriction on the attempts. It was only our batch which got stuck with the attempts scheme. She said she'll monster support from all friends of our batch who discontinued or are still continuing to do the course, as well as some CA's too. They would sign a petition for people like me who got stuck with clearing just one group, and for a chance to give us an additional attempt.

I got back home, talked to that friend and also other CAs I knew. We thought, "There has got to be some way out of all this". I went to the local branch of the ICAI in Hyderabad the following day, and sought to find a way out for me. I wanted to find a ray of hope. Just anything. And for the first time in years, the lucky stars shone on me.

I could switch to the new scheme and write another group that is pending, in the May 2008 exam. I would have to register myself with a CA firm as an articled clerk for a period of three years. If everything goes well, I could be a CA by 2010. Two more years. When I've come this distance, I wanted to complete my journey. Another two years wouldn't matter for this journey. It will all be worth it.

The sadness of it all-- My father isn't happy with my decision to pursue this. He doesn't think I can do it. He doesn't say it but I know my dad. Actions speak louder than words. I have bowed down a lot to family pressure, but I guess now no more. This is my life, I will live it the way I choose it. I will be held responsible for my actions. I know I'm taking a risk, but you don't gain anything by playing safe all the time. This is my happiness.

I think I am more confident than EVER. I know as a result I won't be able to do things that I wanted to the time i'm 24, cos I would still be studying then. But I know, life will begin after that. The kind of life I want, the kind I imagined.

I will still be here for the next few years, blogging, on the ups and downs of it all. And needless to say, in a few years my profile information WILL read CA SMRITI SRIVASTAVA. I promise. I promise PAPA!!!

Peace!!!!!