Durban – UKZN accounting graduate Jyoti Maharaj trumped the country’s top accounting minds by being ranked second in the Institute of Chartered Accountants Initial Test of Competence.
“I did not think that I would do it, as I was competing with the best students from around the country. The thought that I could be in the top 10 had crossed my mind, but I thought I was being silly,” said Maharaj.
The exam is written after the completion of an accredited Certificate in the Theory of Accounting programme and needs to be completed on the journey towards becoming a charted accountant.
This is just one achievement on Maharaj’s long list of academic accomplishments. She was recognised as the province’s top matric pupil and the top female pupil in mathematics and physical science in 2012.
Maharaj was awarded the College Deputy Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship at UKZN for making the top 10 list of women entrants at the University in 2013. She was also named the Top Over All second year student at the UKZN-SAICA Awards Ceremony hosted by the School of Accounting, Economics and Finance.
When asked what is the recipe for her success Maharaj says it’s about hard work, preparation, being goal orientated and staying positive no matter what.
“Most of my preparation was done during my studies at UKZN. I am so grateful for the hard work my lecturers put into the programme. I started studying for the exam about a month and a half before. I was mostly practising work I had already mastered at that point. It was a lot of hard work, but my family and friends were always there to stop me from losing my mind with all the studying. The end result made everything worth it,’ she said.
Looking to the future, Maharaj, who is currently serving her articles at Deloitte, plans on qualifying as a Chartered Accountant and making a meaningful contribution to the economy.
The Independent on Saturday
