Dear Student,

Do not set your goals based on marks. Resolve to improve your English, become more proficient and develop communication skills. Start speaking as far as possible in English, read good literature and reputed newspapers on a regular basis, and start writing something creative every day. See if you can find a person who is very good in English, who is willing to read what you have written and suggest improvements and point out corrections. Secondly, practice answering the questions that you will find in your exams in 9th standard, and again get feedback from a teacher or knowledgeable person about your performance. Read your text books critically to understand, comprehend and analyse, not just to remember and reproduce. This way not only your marks will improve, you will also gain command over the language which will be useful throughout your life.

Dear Abhinav,

A Chartered Accountant primarily deals with numbers, and needs to have long attention span, quick at calculations, an eye for detail, and ability to sit for long hours evaluating balance sheets. A banker (international or otherwise) also needs to be good with numbers, but with greater emphasis on people-interactions, ability to analyse and interpret data, do projections, and understand credit-worthiness of clients. People and communication skills are very important, and also the ability to deal with different situations, cultures and ways of work-life. You can appear for the Foundation exam of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India as soon as you complete your PUC, and if you clear it in the first attempt, you know that you are a CA material. At the undergraduate level you can study BCom and get a good hold on accounting, banking, and other commerce subjects, and then aim for a good college to study your masters in International Banking.