1:1 ISTQB exam coaching
I'm Girish Sharma, an automotive ECU validation specialist with 6+ years at Tata Elxsi, Claas, KPIT, Bosch and American Axle. Between January and October 2022, while working full-time, I passed ISTQB Foundation, Automotive Software Tester, Advanced Test Analyst and Advanced Test Manager. I teach the exact plan that got me there.
Run time: 10 months · alongside a full-time job
Credentials
Each exam has its own syllabus, K-levels and question style. Because I've passed all four, I can show you where candidates usually lose marks in each one.
| Certification | Level | Who it's for | Passed | Credential ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CTFL Certified Tester Foundation Level | Foundation | Anyone starting or formalising a testing career | Jan 2022 | CTFL-111170 |
| CTFL-AuT Automotive Software Tester | Specialist | Testers in automotive: ASPICE, ISO 26262, HIL and virtual test environments | Mar 2022 | CTFL-AuT-211 |
| CTAL-TA Advanced Test Analyst | Advanced | Testers designing structured, risk-based functional tests | May 2022 | CTAL-TA-2809 |
| CTAL-TM Advanced Test Manager | Advanced | Leads who plan, estimate, monitor and report testing | Oct 2022 | CTAL-TM-3279 |
You can check these credential IDs on the ISTQB Successful Candidate Register.
How I did it in less time
In 2022 I was a full-time validation engineer on powertrain ECUs, and halfway through the year I moved to Bosch. I had evenings and weekends, nothing more. So I treated each exam the way I treat a validation cycle: fixed scope, a timebox, early feedback, and a defect log for my own mistakes.
That gave me roughly one certification every two to three months. Here is the five-step plan I'll take you through.
Every learning objective in an ISTQB syllabus carries a K-level, from K1 (remember) to K4 (analyse). I map each one to the marks it's worth, so you spend time where the points are.
You already do equivalence partitioning, risk analysis and defect reporting. Tying each topic to one of your real projects makes it stick much faster than rereading.
Foundation feeds Automotive, and Test Analyst feeds Test Manager. Taking them in that order while the material is fresh is the biggest time saver.
Every wrong answer goes in a log with its root cause: a misread question, a glossary gap, or a concept gap. The log decides what you study next, not the score.
How to read scenario questions, eliminate distractors, pace yourself on multi-point K3 and K4 items, and when to flag a question and move on.
What you get
Every coaching package includes the full study kit for your certification. You keep all the material after the exam.
Course material
Slide decks for every live session, plus workbooks with worked examples from real automotive and software projects.
Notes
Concise notes for each syllabus chapter, with key glossary terms, K-level tags and "exam traps" called out.
Syllabus
Every learning objective mapped to its K-level, study time and exam weight, so you always know what's left to cover.
Sample questions
Questions written in ISTQB style after each chapter, with explanations for the right answer and every distractor.
Mock tests
Full-length papers that match the real exam's question count, point weights and time limit, reviewed with me afterwards.
Support
A week-by-week plan built around your job, plus answers to your questions between sessions.
Chapter-wise syllabus
Notes, sample questions and a mock section are provided for every chapter below. We always work from the syllabus version your exam provider uses.
I passed CTAL-TM on the earlier 2012 syllabus and coach on the current v3.0. The concepts carry over; the structure changed.
Try it now
These are written in the style of my chapter quizzes. Pick an answer to see the explanation. Each mock test has the full set, timed.
0 / 3 answered
Plan your path
Pick your exams and how many hours a week you can study. The planner sequences them the way I did and projects a date for each exam. The hour estimates come from my coaching plans and are adjusted for your experience.
Select at least one certification to see a plan.
Book a call to start this planWhy bother with all four
Learning
Work
Professional level
Background
Six years validating safety-relevant ECUs across powertrain, ABS, zonal body control and harvester systems. I work daily with ECU-Test, VtestStudio, the Vector toolchain (CANoe, CANape, VT System), CAPL, PREEvision, Polarion and IBM DOORs, under ASPICE and ISO 26262.
Coaching & pricing
Every package is 1:1 over video and includes the full study kit: course material, chapter-wise notes, the syllabus breakdown, sample questions, mock tests and chat support. You pay ISTQB exam fees separately to your exam provider.
Secure checkout by Razorpay or Stripe: UPI, cards, netbanking and international cards. After payment you'll get a confirmation email and a link to book your first session.
CTFL
₹5,999
CTFL-AuT
₹9,999
CTAL-TA
₹14,999
CTAL-TM
₹16,999
Full path · save about 19%
CTFL, then Automotive, then Test Analyst, then Test Manager. This is the same sequence I followed in 2022, now with a coach.
₹38,999
Choose full pathPay as you go
₹1,299
For doubt clearing, a mock exam review, or a study-plan check.
Book an hourTeams
Custom quote
For QA teams preparing together, with group pricing per learner.
Ask for a quoteFree consultation
We'll go through your experience, pick the right certification, and set a realistic exam date. There's no obligation to sign up.
Pick a time on my calendarREQUEST RECEIVED
I'll email within 24 hours with a time for your free call. If you'd rather choose a slot yourself, use my calendar.
Pick a time nowFAQ
CTFL. It's the prerequisite for the others. After that, take Automotive Software Tester if you work in automotive, Test Analyst if you design functional tests, and Test Manager if you lead a team or want to.
With a full-time job, most people need 4 to 6 weeks for CTFL or Automotive, and 8 to 10 weeks for each Advanced module. We set your date together on the free call.
Yes. If you prepare together with a friend or as a team, each of you gets a discount on your package. Tell me on the free call who you're joining with and I'll apply it.
No. You book and pay for the exam with an ISTQB member board or exam provider. I'll help you choose the provider and the date.
We go through your result, fix the weak areas from your defect log, and I add two extra sessions before your retake at no cost.
Whichever version your exam provider currently uses. We confirm it before we start, because boards switch versions at different times.
No. CTFL, Test Analyst and Test Manager apply to any software domain. Automotive is my day job, so it supplies plenty of real examples, but the coaching fits any testing background.