Sushant Suri, CFA, CAIA (Director & Lead Trainer, FinGuru)

“I have no doubt the program was tough and challenging. There are no shortcuts to doing well on the exam. The program requires commitment and dedication, the 250 recommended study hours are a minimum. The 6 hour exam on a Sunday can be very stressful. These elements, combined with long working hours, can make an in-digestible cocktail. Working full time only makes the preparation tougher. 

But the rewards of earning the CFA charter are worth all the effort. One gets to be a part of an elite club which is well respected and recognized by anyone in the financial world. The global fraternity of Charterholders is a great source for networking. Having the three letters (CFA) against my name has helped me get connected with senior people in companies across the globe. 

CFA research publications are an excellent source for research ideas. The monthly magazines, quarter journals allow Charterholders to share research ideas on current relevant topics. 

Despite having done a Masters in Economics and Finance, the CFA charter has significantly added to my financial knowledge and immensely improved my job prospects.”

Saurabh Basrar, CFA (Director Altais Advisors)

“I believe CFA has an excellent curriculum for anyone who is interested in the financial markets. It helps one develop different frameworks to analyze different investment classes be it equities, debt, derivatives, real estate etc. It gave me a wider perspective to look at things which is a key ingredient of success in the investment field. CFA is a globally recognized qualification and surely adds weight to anyone’s resume. Being a CA it was not very difficult for me to write the CFA exam as it was more objective based. It did test my understanding of the basics and how to co-relate the different frameworks and modules of the curriculum like economics, equity, debt, financial statements etc”

Karan Mehta, Level 3 Candidate (Director, Mefcom Securities Ltd)

"In my opinion, the CFA charter is a must for any serious finance professional.  The charter bodes well with employers, both in India and abroad, primarily because of its rigorous course content and strong relevance to industry needs.  Specifically in India, given a dearth of world-class finance courses, the CFA Program opens an important window of opportunity for professionals who seek to advance their knowledge of theoretical finance, without having to attend a costly masters program at a foreign university.  Obtaining the CFA charter is, however, a tough ask specially for those with a limited background in maths, economics and accountancy.    Such applicants are best off preparing under the guidance of coaching institute such as FinGuru, with experienced instructors who can help them clear the exam in a single attempt."

Zera Tyagi, Level 3 Candidate, (Associate Research Specialist, Fidelity Investments)

"CFA course is a great help in enhancing one’s analytical skills and developing sound fundamental base of financial concepts. This course is helpful in getting clarity about investment concepts and getting s in depth understanding of various valuation tools. Unlike other courses that do not have practical applicability most of the concepts learnt are used in work assignments. The exams tests our analytical abilities which is what is required in investment profile globally.

It was at my first job at one of the portfolio management firm, I realized that my MBA (finance & marketing) background is not sufficient to grow and develop understanding of markets and various asset classes. I came to know about CFA from one of the candidate in this program and found that it’s quite helpful for investment professionals. I enrolled for this course and started preparing on my own but always felt a need for guidance. I really had to struggle in getting around on topics in FSA and Economics. The vastness of the course and paucity of time made all this more complicated. I found that the guidance provided by other CFA candidates and charter holders was indeed valuable in all the three levels."

Swati Sethi, Level 3 Candidate

“Upon completing my Master's Degree, I eagerly hunted around for a Course that would assist me in gaining a foothold in the world of finance. After mulling over the several available alternatives, I opted for the CFA Program. What I love the most about the Program is its dynamic approach and comprehensive in-depth coverage of the various aspects of finance.

The curriculum is undoubtedly exceptionally challenging, therefore enables one to acquire a considerable wealth of knowledge – the foundation of a successful career.  In my view, it is absolutely essential to put in a minimum of recommended 250 hours of dedicated effort. The focus of the preparation should be on a thorough understanding of the study material & mastering all the key concepts. Also, it is of significant help to devise a preparation strategy, effectively allocating time & effort among his strong & weak areas.

I can confidently say that the last three years of my involvement with the CFA Program has been a splendid learning experience. It is most encouraging and rewarding to witness the kind of recognition & credibility the Program commands in the Industry.”

Dr. Abhishek Sharma, Level 3 Candidate

"I trained as a medical Doc and thereafter completed my MBA a few years back. I had planned to start my CFA after a few years of work experience. Its only when I landed in a financial services firm, did I begin to truely appreciate the importance of CFA. The CFA curicullum is very topical and takes one through many financial concepts in an exhaustive manner. Most of the stuff taught in CFA can be immediately and directly applied to one's work. The course content is so relevant that I usually reference study material in case of doubt with my work. CFA also helps establish credentials for job opportunities as it reflects one's focus to pursue this line as career. It serves both to open new doors and also to send the right signals to recuiters. At senior level positions, CFA qualification assumes an entirely different meaning by providing financial discipline to strategic efforts."

Vivek Agarwal, Level 2 Candidate (NTU Singapore)

“Coming for an engineering background I decided to pursue the CFA charter after much deliberation. Having worked on the IT side in an asset management company, the proverb "The grass is always greener on the other side" bothered me. The greener side here being the core of asset management - "Aiding and making investment decisions". The CFA charter is indisputable in its recognition across the industry and is relevant for both beginners and veterans and thus it was my only option. 

The tripartite structure and curriculum of the CFA is both exhaustive and rigorous. Level 1 is all about the fundamentals and getting to know the basic valuation tools and techniques. I did struggle with topics in FSA and Economics to begin with but they are very doable with that extra push at times. For having cleared the Level 1 I can only recommend being regular and spending at least the last 4 weeks on questions and test papers before the exam.”