Originally Posted by fawadhash

I prepared around 6 months during my first attempt and 3-4 months in second attempt.
For this year essay, gender studies came in handy. For 2016 essay, current affairs came in handy. I relied on Dawn(I didn't read Dawn in my first or second attempt but before that I was reading for a while) and CA book and other course contents for essay. There is usually at least 1 essay that can be easily attempted if one has prepared current affairs, read Dawn and prepared all optionals.