Science Based Study Strategies of Rankers | Get a Rank in All Levels of CA | Kushal Lodha

Summary

The video presents four study strategies that the speaker says helped CA students, including rank-holders, learn and retain material more effectively. The speaker draws on personal experience, conversations with rank-holders, and research studies.

1. Interleaved Study: Alternate Between Subjects

• Avoid spending the entire day on a single subject, which may lead to boredom and reduced focus.
• Study at least two subjects per day. Given the size of the CA Finals syllabus, the speaker recommends studying around two subjects each day.
• The speaker shares these examples from his own study routine:
  • Two subjects per day for CA Finals.
  • Four subjects per day during Intermediate, dividing a 12-hour study day into roughly three hours per subject.
  • All four Foundation subjects in one day, for about two hours each.
• Consider pairing different kinds of work—for example, studying theory in the morning and practical subjects later.
• The speaker cites a 2007 mathematics study that reportedly found substantially better results—described in the video as a threefold increase—when related concepts were studied in an interleaved way.

2. Dual Coding: Turn Ideas Into Images

• When learning a concept, form a visual or pictorial representation of it rather than trying to memorize textbook sentences word for word.
• Use the mental image as a cue, then reconstruct the explanation in your own words—for example, by writing it on a separate sheet.
• The speaker’s rationale is that visual and verbal information are processed through different systems. Images can be encoded in both ways, while words are generally encoded verbally.
• The video attributes this explanation to research by Clark and Paivio (1991).

3. Self-Explanation: Teach the Concept

• After studying a topic, explain it as though you were teaching it to someone else.
• Aim to explain the idea simply and clearly rather than merely repeating definitions. If you cannot explain it, that may reveal a gap in your understanding.
• Practise with a friend or explain the material aloud. The speaker describes using time with a friend to answer questions, which helped the friend while also reinforcing his own knowledge.
• The speaker cites an unspecified 1989 study: students described as “good” learners reportedly used self-explanation more and averaged 82%, compared with 46% among “poor” learners.
• The video presents self-explanation as a way to notice misunderstandings and strengthen understanding of underlying principles.

4. Practice Testing: Use Mock Exams

• Take at least one full mock exam, and take two or more if time allows. The speaker says rank-holders he spoke with often took three or four, while some took seven or eight. He personally took one full mock.
• Sit the mock under exam-like conditions. Use it to check whether you can finish within the time limit, answer the questions, recall relevant topics, and manage exam pressure.
• The video contrasts practice testing with simply rereading or repeatedly studying. It describes a 2006 study in which repeated study helped recall on a test taken shortly afterward, but students who had practised testing retained more after delays of two days and one week.
• The takeaway is to test yourself rather than rely only on repeated review.

Speakers and Sources Featured

• Kushal Lodha — The video’s speaker and narrator. He shares his own study routines and says he earned All India Ranks in CA Foundation, Intermediate, and Final.
• CA rank-holders interviewed by the speaker — Discussed as a group; no individuals are named in the subtitles.
• Research cited by the speaker:
  • Rohrer and Taylor (2007), on interleaved practice in mathematics; the names are rendered unclearly in the subtitles.
  • Clark and Paivio (1991), on verbal and visual processing.
  • An unnamed 1989 study, cited for the self-explanation comparison.
  • An unnamed 2006 study, cited for practice testing and longer-term retention.