As a CA student, your preparation journey is intense. You’ve spent countless hours:
- Solving ICAI’s Test Your Knowledge (TYK) questions and illustrations
- Practicing Mock Test Papers (MTPs) and Revision Test Papers (RTPs)
- Going through Previous Year Questions (PYQs) and BOS MCQs
- Even attempting many expected questions
You feel confident, maybe even overconfident, thinking you’ve ticked all the boxes.
Yet, there’s one extremely important resource that many CA students completely ignore and it can actually determine whether you score just average or top marks.
That resource is the Examiner’s Comments hosted by ICAI.
Despite being officially provided, a surprising number of students either don’t know it exists or underestimate its importance. And that’s where the real difference lies between average and high scorers.
Let’s dig deeper into why this resource is a goldmine for CA exam preparation.
What Are Examiner’s Comments?
Examiner’s Comments are a detailed set of observations released by ICAI after every exam attempt. These comments are not just a casual note; they are structured feedback on how students performed and what examiners expected.
They highlight:
- Question-wise comments
- Common mistakes students make
- Concepts students are lacking
- Where students commonly go wrong
- Which questions most students answer correctly
- Misconceptions vs actual answers
- Key points often missing in answers
- Performance ranking of students (Poor, Below Average, Good & Above Average)
In simple words, it’s like getting insider knowledge about what examiners want, even before you attempt your exams.
Why Most CA Students Ignore Examiner’s Comments
It’s natural to think that revising more papers, solving more questions or memorizing answers will automatically translate to marks. But many students ignore Examiner’s Comments due to a few common reasons:
- Unawareness: Some students simply don’t know such a resource exists on the ICAI website.
- Time Constraints: With so much to cover, students feel they don’t have time to go through comments.
- Overconfidence: Some think solving TYK Questions, PYQs, MTPs and RTPs is enough preparation.
- Underestimation of Value: Many assume it’s not worth reading because it’s “just commentary” but in reality, it’s actionable feedback from the examiners themselves.
Ignoring this resource is a missed opportunity to avoid marks loss from simple and recurring mistakes.
How Examiner’s Comments Can Change Your Preparation Strategy
Let’s break down the ways in which examiner comments can be a game-changer:
1. Identify Common Mistakes
Examiner comments point out the most frequent errors students make. For example, in accounting, many students might forget to reconcile certain adjustments in final accounts. Or in law, students may misinterpret certain sections.
Knowing where students go wrong helps you:
- Avoid repeating the same mistakes
- Strategically practice areas where mistakes are common
- Save valuable exam time
2. Understand Examiner Expectations
One of the biggest hurdles for CA students is knowing how to present answers. Examiner comments clearly indicate:
- Which points are considered essential
- The preferred answer structure
- The level of detail expected
- How to phrase answers concisely
Essentially, it’s a blueprint for presenting answers the way examiners want.
Pro Tip: Even if you know the content perfectly, failing to write it in the examiner’s preferred style can cost marks. Examiner comments give you the “format roadmap” that others miss.
3. Highlight Missing Key Points
Often, students know the concepts but fail to include critical points that fetch marks. Examiner comments reveal these gaps:
- “Students generally miss mentioning X”
- “A lot of candidates ignore this step”
- “Key point Y was omitted by majority of examinees”
By noting these points during preparation, you can ensure your answers are complete and accurate, giving you an edge over other candidates.
4. Boost Accuracy Through Conceptual Clarity
Examiner comments often show which concepts students misunderstood. For instance:
- Taxation: Misapplication of certain sections
- Accounting: Confusion between types of reserves
- Auditing: Misunderstanding of audit procedures
Reading these comments allows you to strengthen weak areas and minimize conceptual errors in exams.
Tip: Make a “conceptual correction list” from examiner comments. Before each exam, revise these points to ensure clarity.
5. Track Performance Trends
Examiner comments also provide overall student performance insights. They may classify results as Poor, Below Average, Good & Above Average.
This helps you gauge:
- Which areas are scoring high marks generally
- Which sections are challenging for the majority
- How to allocate preparation time for maximum impact
How to Effectively Use Examiner’s Comments
Knowing the importance is one thing; using them effectively is another. Here’s a structured approach to get maximum benefit:
Step 1: Access the Comments
- Visit the ICAI official website
- Find the link to Examiner Comments for your subject
Step 2: Read Strategically
Don’t read passively. Focus on:
- Common mistakes
- Key points students missed
- Examiners’ instructions on answer presentation
Step 3: Take Notes
- Maintain a separate notebook or digital document
- Summarize important points for each chapter or topic
- Highlight recurring mistakes or important answer formats
Step 4: Revise Before Exams
- Go through your summarized points multiple times
- Focus on weak areas or recurring mistakes
- Apply insights to your mock test answers
Step 5: Implement in Answer Writing
- Structure your answers as examiners prefer
- Write point-wise, concise answers
- Include all critical points mentioned in comments
- Avoid common pitfalls highlighted by examiners
Benefits of Going Through Examiner’s Comments
Reading examiner comments is not just about avoiding mistakes; it’s about preparing smarter, not just harder. Here are the top benefits:
- Targeted preparation – Focus on areas that matter
- Improved answer presentation – Structured, concise, examiner-friendly
- Minimized errors – Avoid common mistakes that cost marks
- Boosted confidence – Know exactly what examiners are looking for
- Strategic time management – Concentrate on high-scoring topics
- Better conceptual clarity – Identify misunderstood topics
- Edge over competitors – Many students ignore this, giving you a scoring advantage
Common Misconceptions About Examiner Comments
I already solved PYQs, so I don’t need this.
No. Exam comments reveal the examiner’s expectations and preferred answering style, not just the content.
But I thought solving questions is enough.
Solving helps, but understanding examiner feedback shows how marks are actually awarded and common pitfalls to avoid.
It takes too much time.
Definitely not! Spending 1–2 hours analyzing examiner trends saves you much more time and marks in the long run.
So it’s like an investment of time?
Exactly! A small time investment now leads to better efficiency and higher scores later.
Practical Tips for Maximum Benefit
- Combine with PYQs: After solving previous year questions, read the examiner’s comment for that attempt.
- Highlight recurring mistakes: Keep a “mistake log” and revise before exams.
- Use it for mock tests: Compare your mock answers with examiner insights to refine writing style.
- Stay updated: ICAI releases comments for every attempt. Regularly check before the next exam.
- Create a visual checklist: Use flowcharts, tables or mind maps to remember common mistakes and key points.
Many CA students spend months preparing with TYKs Questions, RTPs, MTPs, and PYQs, yet still lose marks for simple mistakes. Examiner comments are the bridge between knowing content and writing perfect answers.
Don’t just prepare harder, prepare smarter. Use examiner comments to:
- Avoid common mistakes
- Present answers the way examiners prefer
- Gain clarity on weak areas
- Achieve higher marks effortlessly
Remember, success in CA exams is not just about studying more, but studying strategically. Examiner comments are a free, official and highly effective tool that most students overlook. Don’t be one of them.
If you found this post helpful, share it with your CA friends, comment your thoughts and start implementing examiner comments in your preparation today.
Your marks will thank you!