And then someone asked me how I studied - and I gave them the honest answer.

I told them about the 900-page modules I read three times without understanding once. About the mock tests that felt like they were designed by someone who genuinely disliked students. About the coaching classes where the faculty spoke so fast that my notes were basically abstract art. About the night before my exam when I was less "prepared professional" and more "person questioning all life choices since class 10."

I cleared it anyway. But here's what bothered me - I cleared it despite the system, not because of it.

The resources were outdated. The guidance was scattered. The good stuff existed, but finding it felt like a separate exam nobody told you about. And the students who made it through? Most of them had something extra - a cousin who was a CA, a college senior who shared notes, a teacher who actually gave a damn. The rest were just figuring it out alone at 2am with cold chai and blind hope.

That's not preparation. That's survival.