HOW TO PURSUE CFA CHARTER FROM INDIA

CFA or Charter financial analyst is a USA based designation recognised worldwide for investment analysis domain. Since USA has the more than 50% of the world equity market CFA obviously is more revered in US market than anywhere else. In India the CFA was entangled in lots of legal problems when people were trying to appear for the exams. I have known people who appeared for the test in 90's when there were no course study only guideline curriculum.
               the days have gone now a days CFA provides the course study material included in the exam fees. It gives two options of hard printed material or soft copy downloaded from Vital source. Soft copy is cheaper by $20 but its tedious to read and use as its not many book-reader friendly. Once can print only 170 pages at a time and not allowed to zoom in zoom out either. The basic search does not work properly with very basic kind of notes can be jotted down. I would suggest soft copy as a additional purchase who want to study material during office hours or in transit. This can also be used by returning students who already have books from last year.
                  Printed books quality of the CFA exams is one of the best, one can always keep the books as reference on the top shelf of the office, it always shows off knowledge of the person. For Indians most important thing about CFA exam is the fees. We need to pay fees in dollars and rupee is all time low against dollar. It may seem a paltry sum in US to pay $1000 fees its huge for Indian students. At least when Indian students are not getting any concession for having English as second language. they are competing with all of the world on the equal grounds ate least for fees CFA should provide concession. The good news is after CFAI got permission from AICTE for conducting exams it has already rolled out the scholarship program in India.
              The basic structure of the program consists of professors in graduate institutions having right to nominate maximum of 6 students year for CFA exam. These students get the exam fees waived off and only need to pay for material fees. Now the problem is the professor needs to be a CFA holder too which is a very rare case in India. So what these institutes in India do? They can hire CFA charter holders as board faculty which has official status. they need to pay monthly salary to these faculties, and need to teach some minimum hours a month. CFA recognises these professors as eligible for nominating the students for Scholarship.
                 Or CFAI can rope in eminent faculties holding the CA degrees in India so as to increase the base of CFA in India. Lets see what happens next in this space.

WHAT CFA CAN DO AT PERSONAL LEVEL

I have spoken lot about being CFA can do this do that, how it is useful for Indian students to reach the level of international competition and everything. But yesterday my colleague asked me what CFA study has contributed for you at personal level? How as a person do you feel different after starting the journey for getting CFA charter? and it started a thinking process in me, I could not answer him at that time but I think now after 2 days of thinking I can say yes CFA study has contributed tremendously in improving me as a person.
               It got me the confidence that academics is out of my reach if enough hard work is put in anything is achievable. I am from a science background with MBA in marketing, a typical marketing student who used to fear finance during college and after it as well. But this did not stopped me from pursuing the CFA when I started working in the sales department of a Mutual fund. 4 years ago I appeared for a debt exam module from NCFM to test whether I am able to understand the finance terminology and grasp the different world of concepts.
                 when I could pass the exam at first go it gave the confidence to start the study for CFA, I failed first level in Nepal on border. Many of my friends in marketing said why are you going to a different side after 2 years of MBA and 2 years of experience. I had no answer, I just felt its my calling. After three years I am looking back and seeing how much I have changed since start of the CFA study. I was a happy go luck 4 years back with hatred for study and discipline, now I found myself concentrating and studying at stretch for hours for CFA when in HSC exam my mother used to cry because of my bad study habits.
              So its a sea change for me from a useless happy go around person to serious and focused person. CFA study also help me in making my moral concepts clear, I can now take firm decision where moral decisions needs to be taken. I can wait in the line for an hour without trying to jump it or I can give 500 rs as fine without trying to negotiate a bribe to policeman. Its is a attitude what CFA provided me in last four years.
                   CFA study also provided me friends, just last week I was in Delhi and lived with a friend of mine who became my friend just because both of us were preparing for CFA. This is possible on because of CFA. It has such a high value on ethical behaviour that you ought trust a fellow CFA candidate.
             So next time my friends do let me what you gained personally from CFA exam preparation.