Average Duration | 3 years-56 months | ||
Average Fee | 28 K-2.6 L INR annual | ||
Exams Accepted | CA CPT | ||
Study Mode | Part-time |
Chartered Accountancy (CA) is a part-time professional course that can be pursued after class 12th or after graduation. If you are pursuing a CA course after completing class 12th then you have to undergo the CPT and IPCC exams including 3 years of internship under an experienced Chartered Accountant (CA), whereas, candidates who have completed their graduation can join the CA course via the direct entry route where they do not need to give CPT exam and they can directly go for IPCC exams and 3 years of internship. The CPT route will allow you to become a certified Chartered Accountant (CA) in 4.5 - 5 years whereas the direct entry route will allow you to finish the CA course and become a professional certified Chartered Accountant (CA) in three years.
A professional accounting, taxes, auditing, and financial assessment practice for an individual or company is known as chartered accounting. An accounting expert who has been certified by a statutory authority as being qualified to manage accounting and taxes issues for a business is granted the title of a Chartered Accountant or a CA.
The Common Proficiency Test is a preliminary exam for enrollment in the Chartered Accountancy Program. A student who has completed the 10th grade may enroll in the CPT Course by submitting the required paperwork and payment. In order to enroll in the Chartered Accountancy Course, a student who has earned higher education credentials than the 10th grade, such as a B.Com, LLB, ICWA, M.Com, CS, or MBA, must first appear and pass the CPT Examination.
Some of the top Chartered Accountancy (CA) colleges to pursue the CA course are ETEN CA Guwahati, PIRON Scholl of Business and Finance Mumbai, Navkar Institute Ahmedabad, CMS For CA Hyderabad, Vista Academy Dehradun, etc. The course fees for the CA foundation course is INR 9,800 including an optional fee for students’ and members’ journal membership. The course fee for the CA Intermediate course is INR 18,000 for both groups and INR 13,000 for groups I and II. The course fee for the CA Final course is INR 22,000.
A chartered accountant can offer services in one of four areas: financial accounting and reporting, management accounting, applied finance, and taxation.
Some of the responsibilities are -
Below we have mentioned the tentative important dates related to CA.
Events | Dates (Tentative) |
Last Date to Register for CA Foundation course | June 2022, last week/ December 2022, last week |
CA Foundation Exam | November 2022/ May 2023 |
Last Date to Register for CA Intermediate course (foundation route) | 1st week of March/1st week of September |
CA Intermediate Exam | November/ May |
Last Date to Register for CA Intermediate course (direct entry) | 1st week of February 2022/ 1st week of August 2022 |
CA Intermediate Exam | November/ May |
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) administers CA exams and certifies candidates as qualified Chartered Accountants upon completing the three-level course.
The following examinations are held during the course of the Chartered Accountancy qualification -
The Common Proficiency Test, also known as the Foundation exam, is the first level of testing for the CA course, followed by the Intermediate and Final exams. The CA Foundation, Intermediate (IPC) Examination and Final exams are held twice a year, in May and November.
Aside from these exams, a student must complete three years of practical training, also known as an 'Articleship.'
The CPT, or Common Proficiency Test, previously was the first level of Chartered Accountancy examinations in India. However, as per the ICAI's revised scheme, it has been replaced by CA Foundation.
A person interested in enrolling in the CA course after class 12th must take the CPT Exam. The CPT exam is administered twice a year, in June and December, and the deadline for submitting the CPT Exam Form is April/ October, tentatively.
However, before submitting the CPT Exam form, an individual must first register for CPT. If an applicant has taken the class XII exams but the results have not been released, they can choose the provisional registration option for CPT and will be required to provide the mark-sheets upon passing the class 12th exams.
One can even register after class 10th and take the exam after class 12th. Law, Economics, Accounts, and Quantitative Analysis are the four subjects covered in the exam. Candidates who have passed both the CPT and the class 12th exams can register for the IPCC (Integrated Professional Competence Course - the second level course of CA). Registration must be completed nine months before the first day of the examination month.
After graduating, a person can enrol in the CA course and receive a CPT exemption. Students who enter the CA course after successfully completing their graduation with the specified percentage of marks are exempt from taking the CPT exams and they can take the IPCC exams immediately and begin their articleship.
Students enrolled in the direct entry scheme must first complete at least nine months of articleship training before being eligible to sit for Intermediate level exams.
To be eligible for Direct Entry into the CA program, the aspirant must first meet at least one of the following eligibility criteria -
Here we have outlined the comparison between the CPT route and the Direct Entry scheme in the CA course.
Particulars | CPT Route | Direct Entry Scheme |
Eligibility | After Class XII | After Graduation, or, Passed the CS Executive exam, or, Passed the CMA Intermediate exam |
Exemptions | No Exemptions | CPT Exempted |
Minimum Duration | 4.5 years | 3 years |
Eligibility to start Articleship | After clearing Group I of IPCC | Immediately on joining without clearing IPCC Group I |
Eligibility to appear for IPCC | After 9 months of Study after CPT | After 9 months of Articleship |
The least duration of the Chartered Accountancy course for someone entering after class 12th (CPT method) is 4.5 years. The minimum period of the Chartered Accountancy course for someone joining after graduating (via the Direct Entry Scheme) is three years.
Aspirants must take a quick look at the important skills that one must have to become a CA -
When an aspirant combines the knowledge gained through CA subjects with other advanced courses, they can have an advantage over different roles in an organization and add more value to the organization.
Some of the advanced studies and courses they can refer to include -
An aspirant must complete a training program and pass exams at various levels administered by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) to become a Chartered Accountant.
CA Eligibility Criteria for CA Foundation Route
Here are the eligibility criteria for CA Foundation course -
CA Eligibility Criteria for CA Direct Entry Route
For direct admission to the CA Intermediate course, the aspirant must meet the following eligibility requirements -
Some Exemptions
It is important for aspirants to know the detailed admission process of CA. Different selection methods are adopted for each level of the Chartered Accountancy course.
Here are some important particulars to know about how to become a Chartered Accountant -
The Chartered Accountancy course, which typically lasts 3-5 years depending on how long it takes to pass the exams, is a doorway to one of the most highly regarded professions in the world. Exams can be attempted after completing class 12th in any stream.
Some of the world's top institutes that govern the Chartered/ Certified Public Accountancy program are listed below -
To become a successful Chartered Accountant, the candidates must be aware of the subjects and syllabus for CA to prepare confidently for the exam.
Here we have mentioned the subjects and syllabus for all CA courses.
CA Level | Subjects | Marking Scheme |
CA Foundation |
| 100 Marks each [400 Marks Total] |
CA IPCC |
| 100 Marks each [800 Marks Total] |
CA Final |
| 100 Marks each [800 Marks Total] |
The following are the key CA subjects and topics covered in each of its examination modules:
This table contains the subjects of CA Foundation or CPT:
Paper | Subject Name | Marks |
Paper 1 | Principles and Practices of Accounting | 100 Marks |
Paper 2 | Business Law & Business Correspondence and Reporting -
| 100 Marks |
Paper 3 | Business Law & Business Correspondence and Reporting -
| 100 Marks |
Paper 4 | Business Economics & Business and Commercial Knowledge -
| 100 Marks |
Here are the subjects of CA Intermediate or IPCC:
Paper | Subject Name | Marks |
Paper 1 | Accounting | 100 Marks |
Paper 2 | Corporate and Other Laws -
| 100 Marks |
Paper 3 | Cost Accounting and Financial Management -
| 100 Marks |
Paper 4 | Taxation -
| 100 Marks |
Paper 5 | Advanced Accounting | 100 Marks |
Paper 6 | Auditing and Assurance | 100 Marks |
Paper 7 | Enterprise Information System & Strategic Management -
| 100 Marks |
Paper 8 | Financial Management & Economics for Finance [Section A and Section B] | 100 Marks |
The CA subjects in the final level of the exam are divided into two groups: Group 1 and Group 2. Both the groups contain four papers.
Paper | Subject Name | Marks |
Paper 1 | Financial Reporting | 100 Marks |
Paper 2 | Strategic Financial Management | 100 Marks |
Paper 3 | Advanced Auditing and Professional Ethics | 100 Marks |
Paper 4 | Corporate Laws and Economic Laws -
| 100 Marks |
Paper 5 | Strategic Cost Management and Performance Evaluation | 100 Marks |
Paper 6 [Elective] |
| 100 Marks |
Paper 7 | Direct Tax Laws and International Taxation -
| 100 Marks |
Paper 8 | Indirect Tax Laws -
| 100 Marks |
There are several best books on Chartered Accountancy that candidates can find both online and offline. Referring to the prescribed books is of utmost importance while studying CA.
Books for CA Subjects
Here are the best recommended books for CA subjects.
CA Foundation
CA IPCC
CA Final
Chartered Accountants act as business advisors in high-level strategic decisions such as increasing market share for clients or employers and improving profit margins. Aside from that, many CAs start their businesses and become highly successful entrepreneurs.
Here is a list of top industries for Chartered Accountants -
The following table provides the average annual salary of a CA based on various job profiles.
Job Profile | Average Annual Salary (INR) |
Finance Officer | 30 - 35 LPA |
Accountant | 20 - 25 LPA |
Finance Controller | 18 - 19 LPA |
Account Executive | 20 - 25 LPA |
Finance Manager | 9 - 10 LPA |
Many CAs practice independently, while a majority of them also join reputable business organizations after completing the course. Mentioned below are some of the top organizations hiring chartered accountants.
Hindustan Unilever Ltd | Deloitte |
Reliance Industries | KPMG |
ITC | Tata Company |
Aditya Birla Sun Life | ICICI Bank |
Bharti Airtel | SBI Bank |
Kotak Mahindra | Ernst And Young |
Deloitte | Grant Thornton |
The registration fee of the CA Foundation course for one year for Indian candidates is Rs. 10,900. It includes the CA course registration fees (Rs. 9,000), fees for the online form (Rs. 200), fees for examination (Rs. 1,500), and membership fees for Journal (Rs. 200 - optional).
Yes, the ICAI provides campus placement opportunities for newly qualified CAs.
There are no maximum age limit restrictions for pursuing a Chartered Accountancy course. However, the aspirant should be at least 17 years to pursue the CA course (completed 12th standard).
Chartered Accountants are responsible for Financial Statements, whereas Cost Accountants are responsible for Cost Statements such as Product Costing and Inventory Valuation.
Yes, the candidate will receive a hard copy of the statement of the marks of their CA exam issued by the ICAI.
Advanced Integrated Course on Information Technology and Soft Skills Course (AICITSS) is an advanced course that a CA aspirant must complete before the CA final examination. It consists of Advanced Information Technology (Advanced IT) and Management and Communication Skills (MCS) Courses, each lasting 15 days during the last two years of practical training.
A student who has aced both the groups of the Intermediate Exam and completed at least 2.5 years of articleship is eligible to attempt CA final exam. Apart from that, an aspirant who has successfully completed a four-week Advanced Integrated Course on Information Technology and Soft Skills (AICITSS) is also eligible for the exam.
A Commerce degree is generally required for pursuing CA. Aspirants from other streams can also study CA.
The full form of CA is Chartered Accountancy. CA is also used for the career title Chartered Accountant.
The Chartered Accountancy course for a candidate joining after the 12th standard through the CPT route is 4.5 years. Whereas for someone joining through the Direct Entry Scheme after graduation is three years.
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