(March 18, 2022) As a child, Nandini Agrawal had a burning desire to have her picture published in a newspaper. At age 19, her dream came true when she cleared her chartered accountant finals with All India Rank 1, that too, in her first attempt. The 20-year-old from Morena, who became an overnight star, created a record by becoming the youngest person to achieve the feat. “I could not believe my eyes and checked the result thrice. I was certainly not expecting rank 1 as I was unwell during the exam,” the CA topper tells Global Indian in an interview.
Nandini Agrawal, CA topper, 2021
A CA with B.com degree as well, she is listed in the India Book of Records for her extraordinary achievement. Currently working as an associate consultant with Boston Consulting Group, her brilliance has been a gamechanger. Each year thousands of aspirants appear for CA with a paltry average of just 10-15 percent qualifying. Since it isn’t a regular college exam, aspirants make multiple attempts to pass, investing eight to 10 years to clear three levels. Many give up post the intermediate or foundation level after multiple attempts but Nandini aced it perfectly in three-and-a-half years.
Victory over challenges
This is no mean achievement considering the fact that Nandini comes from Morena, a small town in Madhya Pradesh which didn’t have any facility for coaching CA aspirants like her. “After I cleared the CA foundation course, the first level, I wanted to join a coaching institute for my intermediate preparations. But neither was there any coaching institute nor any chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. If I still wanted coaching, it meant travelling to Gwalior (one hour away). There too, there were satellite coaching options without any in-person coaching facility,” says Nandini.
Without any mentor or strategies to crack CA intermediate exams, she travelled from Morena – the place that gets its name from “mor” (peacock) and “raina” (a place) to Delhi for in-person coaching, and stayed at Laxmi Nagar – the hub for CA aspirants. “I did not like the atmosphere – crowded, full of commotion and people eating unhealthy food. Within a few days, I decided to come back as it was difficult to focus and survive for nine months,” she says.
Risk taking with a different approach
Upon her return to Morena, Nandini decided to take the route of self-study. However, things took a pleasant turn when she came across youtube videos on CA preparations. “I made them my source of learning. Since it was pre-Covid, the culture to learn online was not popular. But I really liked it and took the risk of preparing differently. I am glad it helped me score AIR 1,” says an exuberant Nandini. A topper in her school and district, she always had a penchant for studies.
Dreams mattered
Amid her preparations, she also pursued Bcom from Ignou. Her elder brother, Sachin also prepared for CA with her. “He is also a rank holder – AIR 18 in the same year, it’s just that I was able to score more as I missed some Bcom classes,” says the doting sister. It was their mother Dimple’s dream to see both her children become chartered accountants. They have made her dreams a reality with their brilliance. Their father, Naresh Chandra Gupta works as a tax consultant, and owns a proprietorship firm in Morena.
Despite being unsure about what profession to follow as a child, Nandini was clear that she wanted to inspire millions. “I just wanted to be an inspiration for the nation, and see my name in newspapers. I had a fascination to be invited to functions as a chief guest, and honoured. I dreamt of being in such a position one day. All these dreams inspired me to study hard,” says CA topper.
Record breaking achievement
Her result, Nandini reveals, was a great surprise. “I was not expecting rank 1 as I had constant headaches, my BP was low. The doctor said it was due to exam stress. I was literally crying and screaming in excitement when I saw the result, my parents were crying in happiness too. For a week, the media thronged our home, and we barely got time to eat,” says Nandini.
Defying notions
“It’s a general notion that people from small towns do not have opportunities, so they cannot go beyond a certain point. I am happy to set an example that where there is a will there is a way. It gives me immense satisfaction that coming from a small town like Morena, I could achieve such success,” she beams with pride.
The brilliant mind also has a softer side to her – she loves dramatics, anchoring, dancing, reading and cooking. Looking into the future, Nandini sees herself as a leading finance professional who is able to strike the right balance between family, friends and work. “I want to travel the whole of India in the next few years,” she signs off.
