Manya Arora’s journey of becoming an ACCA affiliate was challenging. She began with a dream of pursuing CA, explored her passion for art, and eventually found her direction in ACCA.
From a CA Aspirant to Choosing ACCA
Like many commerce students, Manya was initially fascinated by the CA profession as it is one the most common choices to pursue a rewarding career in the finance industry. She has seen her relatives pursue the field, and that is how she admired the respect associated with being a CA and wanted to follow the same path. But as she learned more about the challenges and struggles involved, she began to reconsider her plans.
At the same time, Manya was passionate about drawing and painting and even considered pursuing art professionally. With CA, ACCA and art on her mind, choosing a career after Class 12 became a confusing decision. It was during this phase that Amit Sir helped her understand the benefits of pursuing the global ACCA qualification, including its challenges.
This global recognition appealed to her, and she decided to take the qualification forward. What made her journey different was that she did not wait until college to begin. Manya started her journey, without any ACCA Exemptions before joining Delhi University’s Ramanujan College for her B.Com (Hons.).
Finding the Best ACCA Coaching Institute and Starting Her Journey
Choosing a qualification was only the first step. She also wanted to find the best ACCA coaching institute in Delhi to prepare for the qualification. Before joining edZeb, she explored different options in the city and studied from YouTube and other platforms. She wanted to understand the teaching style, faculty and overall learning experience before making her decision.
Finally, she chose us and her journey began with Amit Sir, who taught her Financial Accounting and later she was guided by Akhil Sir, who helped her plan her preparation. Manya was pursuing her B.Com (Hons.) at Ramanujan College at the same time. Her mentors encouraged her to focus on regular progress rather than following a rigid study schedule. A target-based approach and around two to three hours of study each day helped her keep moving forward.
Her journey also began around the time of the COVID-19 pandemic which also disrupted regular classes. Everything moved online and she remained connected with her teachers through online classes, calls and messages. This support helped her continue her preparation despite the change in routine.
Learning Through Mentorship and Staying Consistent
Our mentorship became an important part of her preparation when she had to reattempt 2 of her exams. Kapileshwar Bhalla Sir helped her with note-making through his three-step model, while Akhil Sir used concise presentations for subjects such as Audit and SBL. She was told to focus on understanding the important points and revising them effectively.
Manya followed a target-based study approach, while maintaining the same routine which became difficult once she started working. There were days when office work was burdening and she was left with less time to study, and she sometimes lost touch with her teachers.
Instead of letting that continue, her mentors reached out and helped her get back on track. This taught Manya an important lesson: when students communicate their problems, teachers can guide them better. For her, staying connected with mentors was just as important as following a study plan.
Overcoming Setbacks and Completing All 13 ACCA Papers
Manya’s journey also had setbacks. AFM (Advanced Financial Management) tested her confidence the most. At one point, she felt like giving up, but a conversation with Amit Sir helped her regain that as he reminded her that if she had cleared the papers before, she can do it this time as well.
She eventually completed all 13 papers without exemptions. However, AFM and SBL took a second attempt as she was also managing work at the time. For Manya, these setbacks became a reminder that one difficult paper does not define the entire journey.
Her experience also changed the way she looked at failure. Instead of seeing it as a reason to stop, she learned to identify what went wrong, seek help and try again. That persistence helped her reach the milestone of becoming an ACCA affiliate.
From ACCA Student to an Audit Associate at KPMG
While completing her journey, Manya was also building her professional experience. During college, she took up internships and started preparing for full-time opportunities. After completing her B.Com (Hons.), she appeared for interviews and was selected as an Audit Associate at KPMG.
She worked with KPMG for around 1.5 years. Managing a job alongside her preparation with us was not always easy. Office work sometimes affected her study routine and made it difficult to stay connected with her teachers. This was also one of the reasons she needed a second attempt for AFM and SBL.
Still, her work experience added another dimension to her journey. She was able to see how the concepts she was studying connected with the professional world. For Manya, it was no longer just a global qualification she was preparing for. It was becoming part of her early career in finance and audit.
From ACCA Student to Helping Other Students
Today, Manya’s journey has come full circle. After experiencing the challenges of ACCA herself, she now connects with students to help them with their doubts and practice sessions. Students can also approach her when they need guidance with personal or academic concerns.
For Manya, this role is helping her grow as well. She admits that she was not very active or confident in public speaking earlier, but interacting with students is helping her become more comfortable.
Looking back at her journey, Manya believes that consistency and communication are important for accounting and finance aspirants. Her advice is simple: follow a structured plan, keep making progress and do not hesitate to reach out to your teachers when you are struggling. Her own experience showed her that setbacks can be overcome when you stay connected and keep moving forward.
Manya’s ACCA Journey: A Story of Persistence
Manya’s journey from a CA aspirant to an ACCA affiliate shows that choosing a career is not always about following the first plan you make. She explored different possibilities, found her direction and continued even when balancing college, work and exams became difficult.
From starting ACCA after Class 12th to completing all 13 papers, working at KPMG and now supporting other students, every stage added to her growth. Her story is a reminder that the right guidance, consistent effort and the willingness to start again can take you a long way.
Manya’s Advice to Future Aspirants
For Manya, the biggest lesson she gained from her journey with us is to stay consistent and follow a structured plan. She believes students should not disconnect from their teachers when they face difficulties or lose confidence.
Her advice is simple: keep communicating, ask questions and seek help when needed. A difficult paper or a failed attempt does not mean the journey is over. What matters is learning from the setback and making another attempt with greater confidence.
Conclusion
Manya’s story began with uncertainty about whether to pursue CA, ACCA or even her passion for art. Today, she has not only completed her journey but has also gained professional experience at KPMG and started helping other students with their own challenges of this global qualification. Her journey reflects one simple lesson: you do not always need to have everything figured out at the beginning; sometimes, the right guidance and the courage to keep going help you find your way.
