For your FYI, you can work while pursuing your ACCA and the story that we are covering today is of such an inspirational student from arts background, Deepak Saini. He is about to appear for the strategic level but has already got an internship in forensic accounting.
Forensic accounting applies investigative methods to examine financial documents for legal reasons, especially when fraud or other financial wrongdoing is suspected. It finds and exposes anomalies by fusing investigative and accounting knowledge, providing data and analysis to back up court cases.
Turning Failures Into Success
From a sports background breaking into the world of forensic accounting, Deepak, a determined student from Haryana, defied all odds. While exploring career options, he discovered the ACCA course in India through various online platforms like Instagram and YouTube.
On asking about his journey, well! He planned it to be in sports. In fact, he initially took admission into Christ College, Kerala, through a sports quota after completing his 12th. But destiny had other plans and a sports injury cut short his ambitions and ultimately forced him to drop out of that path.
“I didn’t really plan to pursue arts,” Deepak shared. “After the injury, I just went with what was available at the time. There were no real career prospects in what I was studying—I was just doing it for the sake of it.”
Finding Direction with edZeb and CA Akhil Iyer
His curiosity led him to take action and everything changed when he eventually enrolled in the best ACCA coaching institute after meeting CA Akhil Iyer. He is one of their core faculty members and a mentor known for guiding students with unconventional backgrounds.
Deepak quotes, “When I started ACCA, I was very demotivated about my sports history and I didn’t touch the gloves for like 2 years. Then Akhil sir told me about balance, like study for 5 days a week and do whatever you like for the rest of 2 days and motivated to keep a positive perspective about everything, whatever I have done in sports or different streams I studied.”
Encouraged by this support, Deepak enrolled in offline classes at the institute. Despite having no prior knowledge in commerce, he dove into the curriculum with determination. The first level went well under Akhil’s guidance, but he faced the real challenge came with Financial Accounting. Deepak got his first true exposure to accounting principles. It was overwhelming at first, but with Akhil sir’s consistent guidance, things slowly began to make sense.
“He never let me feel like I was behind,” Deepak says. “From helping me understand how to manage papers to giving me personalised feedback on audit answers, Akhil sir’s support was constant. I was never made to feel like an outsider.”
With every session, his confidence grew and so did his clarity about the path he wanted to pursue.
Building Practical Skills
Deepak appreciated edZeb’s focus on practical learning rather than rote learning. “Subjects like Audit and Assurance do have a lot of theory, but they always connect the concepts with real-life examples,” he explains. He also gained exposure to related skills such as financial modelling and data visualisation tools like Power BI, which are increasingly relevant in today’s finance and auditing roles.
Securing the Internship
While pursuing his ACCA qualification, Deepak was simultaneously looking for job opportunities. He admits “It was difficult to find roles that matched my arts profile.”
But things took a positive turn after ACCA coaching and this internship was his second chance as he appeared for one before as well. His internship is with the Global Association of Forensic Accountants, GAFA. Kanwaljit Kaur Soni is the president and herself, a forensic auditor with 20 years of experience.
He says, “This was my second interview, and thanks to the detailed guidance on how to present answers and manage interview questions, I was able to stay calm and confident.”
Transforming Mindset and Outlook
Deepak says his ACCA journey has changed him personally as much as professionally. “Earlier, I used to feel like I had wasted time on sports and arts. But now, with the skills and exposure I’m gaining, I am more positive about my future,” he reflects.
This change in mindset is crucial for any student facing setbacks or switching fields. “I realised that every experience counts, and what matters most is how you use it to move forward.”
He also conveyed “Absolutely! I have already suggested ACCA to some friends and juniors who want a strong career in finance.” “The faculty and mentors genuinely care about your progress. There’s nothing I can suggest to improve because everything was good.”
He is determined to complete his ACCA qualification and build a successful career in this niche field.
Therefore, his story is a testament to the power of determination, the right guidance, and practical learning. Despite coming from an arts background and facing early setbacks, he has carved a promising career path through ACCA with the help of edZeb’s expert mentorship.
