ICAI CA 2025: 71-year-old bank retiree cracks exam

JAIPUR: Tarachand Agarwal, a 71-year-old retired bank manager from Jaipur, cleared the Chartered Accountant (CA) exam last week, achieving what many half his age find daunting. Agarwal was born to a farmer-cum-businessman, in Hanumangarh's Sangria and was the fourth among eight siblings.

He did his schooling in Sangria, married his wife, Darshana, in 1974, and joined the State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur (now the State Bank of India ) in 1976 as a clerk. After 38 years of service at the bank, he retired as the Assistant General Manager in 2014. Agarwal found his way back to the books after his wife's death in November 2020.

"There was a lot of emptiness. Though my children and grandchildren were with me, I just couldn't focus," he said. On the advice of his children, he turned to reading the Bhagavad Gita, rediscovering a love for learning. When he proposed doing a PhD, his children suggested something even more challenging.

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Agarwal qualified CA Foundation in May 2022

"They said, 'Do CA. It's difficult, but it will give you recognition. My granddaughter said 'If you can guide me, why can't you do it yourself?'" Tarachand said. Encouraged, he registered for CA in July 2021. He passed the foundation in May 2022, cleared the intermediate in January 2023, and after failing his first final attempt in May 2024, succeeded this year. The results were declared on the ICAI website on July 6.

Tarachand studied for up to 10 hours every day, battled shoulder pain, and practised writing for hours in preparation. He relied on books, YouTube videos, and took no professional help. Sometimes he would study at his younger son's general store to avoid the loneliness of home. His elder son, Lalit, is a CA in Delhi, while his younger son, Amit, is in tax practice.

Their encouragement was crucial, Tarachand said. "They brought me a laptop, helped with the registration, and supported me at every step." But above all, he credits his success to a lesson he learned from his uncle, who taught him the Gita. "Do any work you take up with firm determination," he said. It's a value he lived by every day. "Whatever work I do, I do it firmly. This is what the Gita taught me," Tarachand said.