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Common questions on the CA course, ICAI registration, exams and articleship – answered by a practising Chartered Accountant.
Students / ExamsHow long is CA articleship under the new scheme?Bottom line: Practical training (articleship) is now 2 years under the new scheme, down from 3. 1. Duration Two years of practical training under a practising CA. 2.…Students / ExamsHow long are CA Foundation and Intermediate registrations valid?Bottom line: Foundation registration is valid for 4 years and Intermediate for 5 years. 1. Foundation Valid for four years from the first eligible attempt, with no revalidation…Students / ExamsHow many papers are there in CA Foundation, Intermediate and Final?Bottom line: Foundation has 4 papers, and Intermediate and Final have 6 each under the new scheme. 1. Foundation Four papers — Accounting, Business Laws, Quantitative Aptitude and…Students / ExamsWhat is the difference between CA, ACCA and CPA?Bottom line: CA is India's statutory qualification, ACCA is UK-based and global, and CPA is the US qualification. 1. CA (ICAI) Only Indian CAs in practice can sign…Students / ExamsIs coaching mandatory for CA, or can I self-study?Bottom line: Coaching is not mandatory — ICAI is built around a self-study model. 1. What ICAI gives Free Board of Studies study material, revision test papers, mock…Students / ExamsHow does the exemption (set-off) rule work in CA exams?Bottom line: Scoring 60 or more in a paper earns an exemption you can carry to the next three attempts. 1. The rule If you appear in all…Students / ExamsWhat are the Self-Paced Online Modules (SET A, B, C and D)?Bottom line: Before the CA Final you must clear four self-paced online modules, each needing 50%. 1. Compulsory SET A (Corporate and Economic Laws) and SET B (Strategic…Students / ExamsCan I do CA along with my graduation (B.Com)?Bottom line: Yes — there is no ICAI bar on pursuing CA alongside graduation. 1. Study phase Many students clear Foundation or Intermediate while completing B.Com. 2. The…Students / ExamsWhat are ICITSS and Advanced ICITSS in the CA course?Bottom line: These are the two compulsory IT-and-soft-skills trainings, one before articleship and one before the Final exam. 1. ICITSS A four-week course (orientation plus IT training) completed…Students / ExamsWhat is the ICAI direct-entry route and who is eligible?Bottom line: The direct-entry route lets graduates skip CA Foundation and register straight for Intermediate. 1. Who qualifies Commerce graduates or post-graduates with at least 55% (60% for…Students / ExamsWhat is the CA course structure under ICAI new scheme (Foundation, Intermediate, Final)?The CA course has three levels (Foundation, Intermediate and Final) plus four Self-Paced Online Modules and two years of practical training. Under the New Scheme of Education and…Students / ExamsWhat is the passing criteria for CA exams, 40% in each paper and 50% aggregate?You need a minimum of 40% in each paper and 50% in the aggregate of all papers in that group, at one sitting. This rule applies at Foundation,…Students / ExamsHow many times a year are CA exams held, and how many attempts do I get?Foundation and Intermediate exams are now held three times a year (January, May and September); the Final is held twice a year (May and November). There is no…Students / ExamsHow long is CA articleship now, 2 years or 3 years?Articleship (practical training) is now 2 years under the New Scheme, reduced from 3 years. You can start it after passing both groups of the Intermediate exam and…Students / ExamsHow long does it take to become a CA after 12th under the new scheme?Around 4 to 4.5 years after Class 12 if you clear each level on your first attempt. The rough path is: register and sit Foundation after your Class…Students / ExamsDifference between CA, CMA and CS, which course should I choose?All three are professional commerce qualifications, but they specialise differently: CA in accounting, audit and taxation; CMA in cost and management accounting; CS in corporate law and governance.…Students / ExamsIs there negative marking in CA exams and how many MCQs are there?Negative marking applies only to the objective papers at Foundation, not at Intermediate or Final. In Foundation, Papers 1 and 2 (Accounting, Business Laws) are subjective, while Papers…Students / ExamsCan I register for CA Foundation after 10th, and when can I take the exam?You can register for the Foundation Course after passing Class 10, but your first eligible exam attempt is only after appearing in your Class 12 exams. Early registration…Students / ExamsWhat career options are available after qualifying as a CA?A qualified CA can either practise independently or take up a wide range of employment roles across industries. In practice, CAs run their own firms offering audit and…Students / ExamsCan I skip CA Foundation and join Intermediate directly after graduation?Yes: graduates can skip Foundation and join Intermediate through the Direct Entry Route. Commerce graduates and post-graduates need a minimum of 55% marks; graduates and post-graduates in other…
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