For Classroom Course

CA Course Guide 2024: Eligibility, Duration & Syllabus Under New Scheme 

CA course is among the most opted professional courses in India. Thousands of students enrol in this course every year to become Chartered Accountants. If you’re also registering for the Chartered Accountancy course and want to know everything about it, this is the only guide you’ll need.

Furthermore, In this guide, you’ll get all the CA course details, such as fees, syllabus, eligibility, duration, training, salary, books, and more.

The ICAI is the governing body that conducts the CA exams. Recently, it has proposed a new scheme of education and
training for the CA Course. To know all the details about the CA new scheme 2024, visit the page through this link.

Table of Contents

CA Course Details

The below table mention the CA Course complete details:

ParticularsCA Course Details
Full-FormChartered Accountancy
Conducting BodyICAI
FeesRs. 4 lakhs
Duration5 Years
Levels3 levels + Articleship
DegreeBachelors
CA Course Eligibility50% in class 12th
CA Salary in IndiaRs. 7 – 8 Lakhs
Job RolesAccountant, Banker, Financial Manager, Consultant, Auditor

Levels of the CA Course

The CA Course has three levels:

  • CA Foundation
  • CA Intermediate
  • CA Final

In addition, students also have to complete the CA articleship training of three years. So, after passing these three exams and completing the practical training, you will become a CA.

Read More: How to Become CA after 12th Science

Key Takeaway of CA Course

The CA course consists of three exams – Foundation, Intermediate and Final. It will take a duration of at least 5 years to clear these three exams, complete the practical training and become a CA. In these five years, you’ll get in-depth knowledge of Accounting, Taxation, Auditing, Corporate Laws, etc.

CA Course Details:-.

  • Full-Form – Chartered Accountant
  • Eligibility – 50% in class 12th
  • Course Duration – Five Years
  • Total Fees – Rs. 4 lakhs
  • Job roles – Accountant, Banker, Financial Manager, etc.
CA Course Guide - Roadmap to become a Chartered Accountant

What is a CA?

Chartered Accountant or CA is a designation given to an accounting professional responsible for preparing, auditing and managing the financial books, offering insights & advice that help in the business growth, ensuring compliance with the taxation work, etc. To become a Chartered Accountant in India, you must pursue the CA course. The major job profiles of a CA are Accountant, Financial Analyst, Auditor, Senior Executive, etc.

What is CA?

How to Become a CA in India?

Check the step-by-step procedure to become a CA in India:

  1. Register for the CA Foundation Course.
  2. Complete the 4 months study period and crack the CA Foundation exams.
  3. Register for the CA Intermediate Course.
  4. Crack any one group of CA Intermediate.
  5. Enroll for the Practical training after clearing any one group of CA Intermediate.
  6. Crack both groups of the CA Intermediate exams.
  7. Complete the CA Articleship Training for 2 years.
  8. Register for the CA Final Course.
  9. Clear Both groups of CA Final Exams and apply for the ICAI membership.

Check the VSI web story on the steps to become CA in India.

जानिए भारत में सीए बनने की पूरी प्रक्रिया हिंदी में।

CA Course Duration for Foundation, Inter and Final in 2024

Students are excited to know how many years they can add the prefix CA before their names. As per the CA New Scheme 2024, students can complete the CA course in 42 Months. Prior to the Old Scheme, students completed the CA Course in 4.5 to 5 years, but in the CA New Scheme, Some changes were made by ICAI. We cover the complete duration of the CA Course from Foundation to Final. The CA Course Duration of each level is here: 

CA Foundation:  The Duration of the CA Foundation Course is 4 months, and there is a 2-month waiting period for the CA Foundation Result. 

CA Intermediate: For the CA Intermediate Course, the study period is 8 months, and candidates must wait 2 months for the CA Inter results. Hence, the total duration of the Intermediate will be 10 months.

Articleship Training: The total duration of the CA articleship training is 2 years (as per the CA New Scheme).

CA Final: The study period for the CA Final Course is 6 months. Furthermore, the CA Final Result for Nov 2023 exam will be declared in Jan 2024; thus, the total period will be 8 months.

Note: However, the CA course duration depends upon the route you have opted to take to enter the course and the number of attempts you have taken to clear each level.

Also, If any Student fails to Clear any of the CA Exams, an additional 6 months will be added to the Overall duration.

Chartered-Accountancy-Course-Duration

ICAI CA Course Fees for Foundation, Inter and Final

The CA Course fee after the 12th class will be Rs. 87,300. For graduate students, the total fees will be Rs. 76,200. This amount includes the registration and the exam form fees, which will be the same for every student.

ICAI CA Course FeesIndian StudentForeigner Student
CA Foundation FeesINR 11,300$1105
CA Intermediate Fee (Single group)INR 28,000$925
CA Intermediate Fee (Both groups)INR 34,200$1500
CA Intermediate Fee (Direct Entry)INR 34,400$1500
Articleship FeeINR 2,000 
CA Final FeeINR 39,800$1650

Here, we have not included the cost of coaching and study materials, as they will differ for each student. However,
the cost of the CA Course is around Rs. 3 to 4 lakhs in India.

Check out VSI Jaipur’s web story for CA Cours fees for all levels.

Get Updates from VSI Jaipur

Hey CA aspirants, if you want the admission details of the VSI Jaipur Institute, crucial updates about the CA courses, or the VSI expert-made mock test papers, fill out the form below.


    Eligibility Criteria for Each Level of the CA Course

    Registration is the first step in the CA course. However, before filling out the registration form, the candidates must fulfil the eligibility criteria. Check out the eligibility for each level of the Chartered Accountancy course:

    • CA Foundation: According to the CA Foundation eligibility, one must have passed the class 12th exams from a recognized board. In addition, the commerce students must secure 50%. At the same time, the Science background students should get at least 55% in their class 12th.
    • CA Intermediate: Students can register for CA Intermediate through 2 routes: the CA Foundation route and the Direct entry route. The CA Intermediate eligibility for both the routes are: 
      • For the CA Foundation route, the candidates need to clear the CA Foundation exam with an aggregate of 50% and at least 40% in each subject.
      • For the Direct entry route, candidates need to pass their graduation/ postgraduation with 55% from a commerce background and 60% from other backgrounds.
    • Articleship: For articleship registration, the students must have undergone the ICITSS training and should qualify the following criteria:
      • Students must have completed at least one group of CA Intermediate.
      • Students taking the direct entry can start articleship directly after the CA Intermediate Registration.
    • CA Final: For CA Final registration, one must have cleared both the groups of the CA Intermediate exam and complete at least 2.5 years of articleship training.

    CA Course Registration

    Students who want to become CA, have to register for CA foundation level. The registration form is available on the ICAI website and is open all around the year. However, ICAI has fixed deadlines for applying for the particular sessions.

    The CA courses are held twice a year in the month of May, with a minimum period of eight months on or before the 1st day of the month in which the examination is held.

    Documents Required for the Registration of CA Course

    Check all the documents that you’ll need to register for the CA Course for all the levels:

    • PP size photograph and signature.
    • Class 12th and 10th self-attested mark sheet.
    • Nationality Proof
    • CA Foundation mark sheet or Graduation Marksheet (For CA Intermediate Registration)
    • CA Intermediate mark sheet (For CA Final Registration)
    • Certificate of Articleship training (For CA Final Registration)

    How to Register for the Chartered Accountancy Course?

    Once you have arranged the documents, it is time to know how to register for the CA course. As the CA Foundation is
    the first level, here is the procedure to apply for the Foundation level.

    • Visit the official ICAI portal.
    • Create a new account with ICAI by entering your basic details such as name, email, and number.
    • Verify the OTP sent in your mail and number and complete the verification process.
    • Now, using the registration credentials you received, login into the portal.
    • Click on “Apply for Foundation.”
    • Now, the registration form will appear on the screen.
    • Enter the enquired details and then click on next.
    • Now, upload all the mentioned documents as asked on the site.
    • Click on save and next.
    • At last, confirm your registration by making the payments.

    Therefore, this is the procedure that you need to follow while registering for CA Foundation Exam. The same steps
    will be followed in CA Intermediate and CA Final, but the only difference is that you have to log in with the same
    old I’d and upload different documents.

    Moreover, for CA Intermediate registration, students go for either CA Foundation or Direct Route. So, you can choose the option accordingly.

    For the fee for the ICAI CA Course Registration, you can refer to the below table:

    CourseICAI Registration Fee (India Centres)ICAI Registration Fee (Overseas Centers)
    CA FoundationRs. 9800$ 780
    CA IntermediateRs. 15000 (Both Groups)
    Rs. 11000 (Single Groups)
    $ 1000 (Both Groups)
    $ 600 (Single Groups)
    CA FinalRs. 22000$ 1100

    CA Course Exam Form

    The exam forms are different from the registration form. After registration, the next major step is to fill out the examination form. You can find the dates of filing the exam form on the official website.

    For instance, the dates for filling out the application form for the May 2023 exams are from Feb 3 to Feb 24, 2023, without the late fee. Make sure to fill out the form before the deadline announced by ICAI. Now, let us see how to fill out the exam form for CA courses.

    • Visit the official examination portal of ICAI.
    • Use your registration credentials to log in.
    • Now, click on the “Apply” option.
    • The examination form for the respective course will appear.
    • Enter the personal details in the application form carefully and click on save and next.
    • At last, pay the exam form fee and complete the process.

    To get more information about the exam form at each level, you can visit the following links – CA Foundation Exam Form, CA Inte Exam Form, and CA Final Exam Form May 2024.

    You can check the form fee for each category mentioned by ICAI in the table below.

     CA CourseICAI Exam Form Fee (Indian Students)ICAI Exam Form Fee (Overseas Students)
    CA Foundation Exam Form FeesRs. 1500$ 325
    CA Inter Exam Form FeesRs. 1500 (Single group)
    Rs. 3400 (Both groups)
    $ 325 (Single group)
    $ 500 (Both groups)
    CA Final Exam Form FeesRs. 1800 (Single group)
    Rs. 3300 (Both groups)
    $ 325 (Single group)
    $ 550 (Both groups)

    After submitting the examination form, the students can wait for the admit card, which is released 14 days before the
    CA course exams. Admit cards for all the CA courses are available on the ICAI website. Besides that it is important
    for the students to know all about CA exams after filling out the CA exam form. Students can visit the CA exams page to gather information, including paper patterns, dates and more.

    Subjects in the Chartered Accountancy Course

    Now is the time to know the CA syllabus and the subjects that will be covered at each level. The CA syllabus will revolve around accounting, auditing, financial management, taxes, and laws.

    CA Foundation Syllabus 2024

    The CA Foundation syllabus is divided into four different subjects. In these four subjects, you will learn about accounting, business laws, quantitative aptitude, mathematics, mercantile Laws, commercial knowledge, etc. Some parts of the CA Foundation syllabus are already covered in your schools.

    The four subjects of the CA Foundation course are:

    Paper 1: Accounting 

    Paper 2: Business Laws 

    Paper 3: Quantitative Aptitude

    1. Part I: Business Mathematics and
    2. Part II: Logical Reasoning
    3. Part III: Statistics

    Paper 4: Business Economics

    Also, Check the CA Foundation Exam Pattern

    Furthermore, you can check the CA Foundation Result Dec 2023 exam. Along with the Result ICAI also released the CA Foundation Passing Percentage for the Dec 2023 Exams. 

    CA Intermediate Syllabus 2024

    The CA Intermediate syllabus is divided into two groups, i.e., Group 1 and Group 2. In the CA Intermediate New Scheme, there are only 6 papers divided into two groups, 3 in each. Here, you’ll learn about taxation, cost and management, advanced accounting, corporate laws, auditing, financial management, and more.

    The students can appear in either or both groups at once.

    Group 1

    Paper-1:  Advance Accounting

    Paper-2: Corporate Laws & Other Laws

    Paper-3: Taxation

    1. Section A: Income-tax Law
    2. Section B: Goods and Service Tax 

    Group 2

    Paper-4: Cost and Management Accounting

    Paper-5: Auditing and Ethics

    Paper-6: Financial Management and Strategic Management 

    1. Part I:  Financial Management
    2. Part II: Strategic Management

    Register for the CA Intermediate classes from VSI to clear the Intermediate exams on the first attempt.

    CA Final Syllabus and Subjects

    The final stage of the CA Course, i.e., CA Final, also has 6  subjects that are divided into two groups, 3 in each group. CA Finally, ICAI allows you to appear in both groups or any of the groups at once.

    The major topics that the students will cover in the CA Final New Syllabus include Financial Reporting, auditing, strategic cost management, taxation, etc. Here, let us discuss the subjects of the CA Final course:

    Group I

    Paper-1: Financial Reporting

    Paper-2: Advance Financial Management

    Paper-3: Advanced Auditing, Assurance and Professional Ethics

    Group II

    Paper-4: Direct Tax Laws and International Taxation

    Paper-5: Indirect Tax Laws

    Paper-6 Integrated Business Solution

    1. Section ACorporate and Economic Laws
    2. Section B –  Strategic Cost & Performance Management

     

    Best Books to Prepare for Chartered Accountancy

    Ideally, all students should refer to the ICAI books. But, if you feel the need for extra material for better understanding, then we have mentioned some of the best reference books for the CA exams.

    CA Foundation Books

    • General Economics – S.K.Agarwal
    • Padhuka Basics of Accounting for CA Foundation – G. Sekar & b Saravana Prasath
    • Fundamentals of Accounting – D.G Sharma
    • S Chand Mercantile Laws for CA Foundation – P P S GOGNA
    • Mercantile Laws for CA Foundation – P C Tulsian
    • Quantitative Aptitude Mathematics With Short Tricks – CA Rajesh Jogani
    • Quantitative Aptitude – Dr T.Padma and K.C.P Rao

    To get more details on CA Foundation study material and books, check this page.

    CA Intermediate Books

    • First lessons in Accounting Standards by MP Vijay Kumar
    • Taxmann’s Students’ Guide to Accounting Standards by DS Rawat
    • A Handbook on Corporate and Other Laws by Munish
    • Padhukas Students Handbook On CMA by CA B. Saravana
    • T.N. Manoharan’s Students Handbook on Taxation
    • Padhuka’s Students Handbook on Advanced Accounting by CA G. Sekar and CA B. Saravana Prasath.
    • Dinesh Madan’s Information Technology (IT)

    Check the complete list of the best CA Intermediate books for the 2023 exam preparation.

    CA Final Books

    • Accounting Standards (D.S Rawat)
    • CA Praveen Sharma Accounting Standard & INDAs
    • SFM Module with Solution by Rahul Malkan
    • CA Munish Bhandari (HandBook)

    Passing Criteria for CA Foundation, Intermediate and Final Exams

    The passing criteria is almost the same for all the CA exams. To pass each CA Foundation course, the students must secure 50 per cent in aggregate and 40 per cent in each subject. To pass the CA Foundation exams on the first attempt, students should join a CA Foundation coaching. Check all the details of VSI classes by clicking on this link.

    In the Intermediate and Final exams, students have to get a minimum of 40 per cent in each and 50 per cent overall to clear a group. The students who have secured these percentages will only be eligible to register for the next CA courses and become Chartered Accountants.

    Basis of Assessment for CA Course levels

    If you find the CA course is difficult to pass then you should register at VSI Jaipur Institute. VSI Jaipur is an established brand and it provides best offline and online classes for CA course in India. At VSI you’ll get all the relevant resources that help you in clearing CA exams in the first attempt.

    Training in Chartered Accountancy Course

    Training is the third and compulsory stage of the Chartered Accountancy course. Without completing the training, the students cannot appear in the CA Final exam. The training teaches you the daily responsibilities of a CA.

    There are four trainings in the CA Course, among which the articleship training is of 3 years. These are:

    • ICITSS Training
    • AICITSS Training
    • Articleship Training
    • Industrial Training (Optional)

    ICITSS Training

    ICITSS (Integrated Course on Information Technology and Soft Skills) is the first training to develop soft skills and information technology in candidates. This training will consist of Information Technology (IT) and Orientation Course (OC) each of 15 days. 

    Articleship Training 

    The articleship training plays a crucial role in CA Course. This training will give you three years of practical knowledge and experience in the work of a CA.

    The CA students can apply for the articleship training only after clearing one or both CA Intermediate groups. But to apply for the articleship training, students compulsorily need to undergo the ICITSS training.

    The students who have taken the direct entry to the CA Intermediate course can directly start the articleship training after registering themselves for CA Intermediate. But here also, the ICITSS training is compulsory.

    After completing the three years of articleship training, one can apply or register for the CA Final Course. You can check out the guide on how to get an articleship in the big 4 firms

    AICITSS Training

    AICITSS, or Advanced Integrated Course on Information Technology and Soft Skills is compulsory training conducted by ICAI. This training will teach you 2 skills – Advanced IT and Management & Communication skills. Each of the skills requires 15 days to complete.

    The main motive behind this training is to accomplish the candidates with different sets of skills such as communication, presentation, leadership skills, understanding business environment, etc. Therefore, this training also helps the students of CA to get the desired job.

    Industrial Training

    Industrial training is optional for CA aspirants with the motive of training candidates with industrial functioning and knowledge. So, the candidates who want to make their career in the industries and their development can opt for the industrial training program provided by the ICAI. This training program is optional and depends upon the will of the CA candidates.

    Skills Required to Become CA

    To become a good Chartered Accountant, a candidate must have these skills:

    1. Good Communication
    2. Honesty and Accountability
    3. Confidentiality
    4. Ethics
    5. Ability to constantly learn new things
    6. Analytical Skills.
    7. Discipline, Diligence and hard Work
    8. Ability to Accept Failures
    9. General Business Interest and Awareness
    10. Conceptual Understanding
    11. Managing the tightrope walk
    12. IT Proficiency
    13. Organisational and time management skills
    14. Self-motivation and commitment.

    Scope after Chartered Accountancy Course in India in 2023

    Before enrolling in the course, it is crucial to know the scope of Chartered Accountancy in India. When it comes to CA, you will find ample opportunities as the demands for Chartered Accountants are high.

    The primary reason behind the high demand in India is the lack of CAs in the country. A report by the Times of India has shown that India has only 44% of the total needed Chartered Accountants, which is not enough to handle the available workloads in the firms.

    Also, with time, the number of businesses and taxpayers is increasing in the country, which eventually increases the demand for CA. This demand will increase in the future as the graph tends to always move in the upward direction.

    In India, there are different job roles and opportunities for CA. Also, they work in various sections such as:

    • CA Firm
    • Financial Institutions
    • Businesses
    • Consultancy Firms
    • Independent Practice

    Different Job Roles of a CA

    CAs have deep knowledge of different sectors related to finance and taxation. Therefore, they have a wider range of job roles in which they can fit. Here are the job profiles of a Chartered Accountant in which you can go:

    • Chartered Accountant
    • Financial Officer
    • Auditor
    • Cost Accountant
    • Business Analyst
    • Consultant
    • Account Assistant

    Top Chartered Accountant Firms in India 2023

    1. Deloitte India
    2. PwC India
    3. Ernst & Young India
    4. KPMG India
    5. Grant Thornton International
    6. SR Dinodia & Co. LLP
    7. Luthra & Luthra India

    We have a detailed article on the top 10 CA firms in India. You can check the article to know more about these firms.

    CA Salary in India

    After knowing about the CA Course details, let us find the answer to how much a CA earns in India.

    The recent placements conducted by ICAI in recent years have indicated that the CA salary in India is around Rs. 70000 to 75000. Moreover, the salary of any Chartered Accountant depends upon their post, experience, knowledge, and their ranks. To get even a higher package, the students need to get good ranks in the CA Final exam and clear all the levels with fewer attempts.

    This is the starting salary which definitely increases to Rs. 70 lakhs per annum with time and experience.

    The students who have cleared the CA Final Exams on the first attempt and other rank holders will get priority in placements and higher packages. Here you can check the CA salary in India.

    ParticularSalary of a CA
    FreshersINR 6-7 lac per annum
    Experienced (4-5 yrs)INR 9 lac per annum
    Lowest salaryINR 4-5 Lac per annum
    Average SalaryINR 8 lac per annum
    Highest SalaryINR 2 crore per annum

    Advance Courses after CA For Higher Career Growth

    Many candidates after completing their CA search for advanced level courses that will give a boost to their career and give them a higher salary. So, in the following section, we have mentioned the best courses after CA you should pursue.

    • Diploma in Information System Audit
    • Chartered Financial Analyst
    • Certified Information System Auditor
    • Investment Banking
    • Financial Risk Management
    • Bachelors of Law

    FAQs

    Ques 1. When can I start the CA Course? 

    Ans. One can start CA Course after clearing the class 12th exam or after graduation, while you can still start the preparation after class 10th.

    Ques 2. What is the qualification of the CA Course? 

    Ans. To qualify for the CA Course, you need to clear the class 12th exam with 50%. Graduated students with a commerce background need to get at least 55%, and students with a science background need to get a minimum of 60%. 

    Ques 3. What are the subjects that I am going to study in Chartered Accountancy?

    Ans. The subjects will vary as per the courses. However, overall, you will still study the subjects such as accounting, auditing, finance and management, Cost accounting, Income Tax, General studies of finances, etc., in Chartered Accountancy.

    Ques 4. How to join a CA course after graduation? 

    Ans. After graduation, one can get direct entry to the CA Intermediate course. So, if you have completed graduation, register yourself for the CA Intermediate Course.

    Ques 5. What is the duration of the CA Course after the 12th class? 

    Ans. After the 12th class, it will take almost 42 Months to complete the CA Course.

    Ques 6. Is the CA Final course tough to crack? 

    Ans. Although the CA Final exam syllabus is lengthy, it is not so tough that one cannot pass it. You can definitely crack it in your first attempt with proper strategy and preparation tips.

    Ques 7. What is CA Salary?

    Ans. The Salary of a Chartered Accountant in India on various based job profiles.

    • CA – 7.25 Lakhs Per Annum
    • Financial Officer – 35 Lakhs Per Annum
    • Assistant Account Manager – 5 Lakhs Per Annum
    • Financial Analyst – 6 Lakhs Per Annum

    Ques 8. Is there an age limit for CA?

    Ans. Candidates can pursue the CA with their completion of the 12th Standard, and there is no upper age limit for the Program.

    Ques 9. Can I Enrol in the CA Course after class 12?

    Ans. Yes. You must take the Common Proficiency Test (CPT) before enrolling in the CA course after 12th grade. Once you pass this exam and are declared qualified, you can sign up for the CA foundation course.

    Ques 10. Is Maths compulsory for CA?

    Ans. No, Maths is not compulsory for CA.

    Ques 11. What are the registration fees for CA courses?

    Ans. The fees to be paid for registration of CA courses are given below:

    • CA Foundation: INR 9,800
    • CA Intermediate: INR 18,000
    • CA Final: INR 22,000

    Ques 12. Why CA Course?

    Ans. The average compensation for a CA at the beginning of his career is around 7-8 lakh INR per annum. This is higher compared to most other professional courses. There is a single regulatory body certifying an individual as CA compared to other courses which are offered by many institutes thereby reducing disparities among CAs, unlike students who pursue other courses from various colleges. 

    Ques 13. Is CA a difficult course?

    Ans. Becoming a CA is not tough as long as the applicants are committed, diligent, and sincere. This course requires a good amount of effort from the student. Long study hours and concentration are key when preparing for the CA examinations.

    Ques 14. Is CA an expensive course?

    Ans. It’s not as expensive as a professional finance degree like MBA. The whole cost of the CA course in India, including ICAI fees, books, study materials, coaching, and tuition costs, doesn’t exceed Rs. 4 lakh. 

    Ques 15. What is the CA New Syllabus?

    Ans. The CA New Syllabus is an up-to-date curriculum created to meet the changing demands of the financial and business worlds. In a nutshell, it includes a shorter articleship duration, a new syllabus, and a higher stipend. As an aspiring professional, you should stay current with these changes and plan your CA career to succeed in this demanding but rewarding field.

    Ques 16. How to prepare for CA?

    Ans. To prepare for CA exams online, start with a structured study plan. Utilize reputable online resources, join virtual study groups, practice mock tests, and seek guidance from experienced mentors. Stay disciplined and focused to excel in your exams.

    Open chat
    1
    Hello
    Can we help you?