As a student during your 10th or 12th exams, your main focus was solely on your studies, with no additional responsibilities such as professional commitments or other exams. However, when preparing for professional certifications like NISM and NCFM, many of you are already working professionals or pursuing your professional degrees, graduate, or postgraduate studies. This leaves you with limited time to dedicate to these certifications, making it crucial to pass on the first attempt.
Reflect on the times you scored over 75% in your academic exams. The extra effort and exam strategy you employed then are essential even for your NISM exam preparation, especially for the NISM Research Analyst, Investment Advisor levels, and PMS level exams.
Many students tell me they feel 80% prepared after reading the workbook. While the workbook is undeniably useful—I always recommend having a hard copy and a highlighter to mark important lines—it’s not enough on its own. Many theory questions come directly from the workbook, with sentences often picked verbatim, particularly in "choose the correct statement" type questions.
However, when preparing for the NISM Research Analyst or any exam involving case studies and numerical questions, practical, number-based questions are your true allies. They provide specific answers, reducing the chances of confusion often associated with theory questions. For example, if you need to calculate the PE ratio given EPS and CMP, you’ll arrive at one definitive answer that you can match with the given options, minimizing errors.
Many students tend to skip case study questions. But if you’re confident with the concepts and numerical problems, reading a case study won’t take much time. It will provide all the necessary inputs, allowing you to secure those 8 marks easily.
So, if you’re planning to take the NISM Research Analyst exam, remember: unless you’re very comfortable with numerical questions and case studies, it’s best to hold off on booking your exam.
Stay tuned for my next blog where I’ll share post-exam experiences from my students. Thanks for reading!
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