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:
| Particulars | CA Course Details |
| Full-Form | Chartered Accountancy |
| Conducting Body | ICAI |
| Fees | Rs. 4 lakhs |
| Duration | 5 Years |
| Levels | 3 levels + Articleship |
| Degree | Bachelors |
| CA Course Eligibility | 50% in class 12th |
| CA Salary in India | Rs. 7 – 8 Lakhs |
| Job Roles | Accountant, 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.
Important ICAI links for the Chartered Accountancy Course:
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.
How to Become a CA in India?
Check the step-by-step procedure to become a CA in India:
- Register for the CA Foundation Course.
- Complete the 4 months study period and crack the CA Foundation exams.
- Register for the CA Intermediate Course.
- Crack any one group of CA Intermediate.
- Enrol for the Practical training after clearing any one group of CA Intermediate.
- Crack both groups of the CA Intermediate exams.
- Complete the CA Articleship Training for 3 years.
- Register for the CA Final Course.
- 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
Students are excited to know how many years they can add the prefix CA before their names. Hence, the CA Course duration after the 12th is five years, whereas the duration after graduation is 4.5 years. The duration of each level is:
- CA Foundation: The total duration of the CA Foundation Course is 6 months, where the study period is 4 months and the waiting period is 2 months.
- 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 3 years.
- CA Final: The study period for the CA Final Course is 6 months. Furthermore, the CA Final result will be declared after 2 months; thus, the total time period will be 8 months. However, students can also study for their CA Final exams while doing the articleship training and take them earlier.
However, the CA course duration depends upon the route you have opted to enter into the course and the number of attempts you have taken to clear each level.
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.
| CA Course Fees | Indian Student | Foreigner Student |
|---|---|---|
| CA Foundation Fees | INR 10,900 | $1065 |
| CA Intermediate Fee (Single group) | INR 28,200 | $925 |
| CA Intermediate Fee (Both groups) | INR 33,400 | $1500 |
| CA Intermediate Fee (Direct Entry) | INR 33,600 | $1500 |
| Articleship Fee | INR 2,000 | |
| CA Final Fee | INR 39,800 | $1550 |
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. But there are deadlines fixed by ICAI to apply for the particular sessions.
Therefore, the last date to submit the registration form for the CA Foundation and Final exams for the May attempt is January 1, and for the November session is July 1 of the same year. For CA Intermediate, the last date to register for the May session is 1st Sept and 1st March for the November session.
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 CA Course Registration, you can refer to the below table:
| Course | Registration Fee (India centres) | Registration Fee (Overseas Centers) |
|---|---|---|
| CA Foundation | Rs. 9800 | $ 780 |
| CA Intermediate | Rs. 15000 (Both Groups) Rs. 11000 (Single Groups) | $ 1000 (Both Groups) $ 600 (Single Groups) |
| CA Final | Rs. 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 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.
You can check the form fee for each category mentioned by ICAI in the table below.
| CA Course | Exam Form Fee (Indian Students) | Exam Form Fee (Overseas Students) |
|---|---|---|
| CA Foundation Exam Form Fees | Rs. 1500 | $ 325 |
| CA Inter Exam Form Fees | Rs. 1500 (Single group) Rs. 3400 (Both groups) | $ 325 (Single group) $ 500 (Both groups) |
| CA Final Exam Form Fees | Rs. 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 CA exam form. Students can visit CA exams page to gather information including paper pattern, 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
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: Principles and Practices of Accounting
Paper 2: Business Laws and Business Correspondence and Reporting
- Part I: Business Laws
- Part II: Business Correspondence and Reporting
Paper 3: Business Mathematics, Logical Reasoning, and Statistics
- Part I: Business Mathematics and
- Part II: Logical Reasoning
- Part III: Statistics
Paper 4: Business Economics & Business and Commercial Knowledge
- Part I: Business Economics
- Part II: Business and Commercial Knowledge
Also, Check: CA Foundation Exam Pattern
Furthermore, you can check the CA Foundation Result June 2023 exam.
CA Intermediate Syllabus
In CA Intermediate, the number of subjects increases from 4 to 8. The CA Intermediate syllabus is divided into two groups, i.e., Group 1 and Group 2. 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: Accounting
Paper-2: Corporate Laws & Other Laws
- Part I: Company Law
- Part II: Other Laws
Paper-3: Cost and Management Accounting
Paper-4: Taxation
- Section A: Income-tax Law
- Section B: Indirect Taxes
Group 2
Paper-5: Advanced Accounting
Paper-6: Auditing and Assurance
Paper-7: Enterprise Information Systems & Strategic Management
- Part I: Enterprise Information System
- Part II: Strategic Management
Paper-8: Financial Management and Economics for Finance
- Part I: Financial Management
- Part II: Economics of Finance
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 eight subjects that are divided into two groups. In CA Final also, ICAI allows you to appear in both groups or any of the groups at once.
The major topics that the students will cover in CA Final 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: Strategic Financial Management
Paper-3: Advanced Auditing and Professional Ethics
Paper-4: Corporate and Economic Laws
Group II
Paper-5: Strategic Cost Management and Performance Evaluation
Paper-6
- Paper-6A: Risk Management
- Paper-6B: Financial Services and Capital Markets
- Paper-6C: International Taxation
- Paper-6D: Economic Laws
- Paper-6E: Global Financial Reporting Standards
- Paper-6F: Multidisciplinary Case Study
Paper-7: Direct Tax Laws and International Taxation
Paper-8: Indirect Tax Laws
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.
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:
- Good Communication
- Honesty and Accountability
- Confidentiality
- Ethics
- Ability to constantly learn new things
- Analytical Skills.
- Discipline, Diligence and hard Work
- Ability to Accept Failures
- General Business Interest and Awareness
- Conceptual Understanding
- Managing the tightrope walk
- IT Proficiency
- Organisational and time management skills
- 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
- Deloitte India
- PwC India
- Ernst & Young India
- KPMG India
- Grant Thornton International
- SR Dinodia & Co. LLP
- 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.
| Particular | Salary of a CA |
|---|---|
| Freshers | INR 6-7 lac per annum |
| Experienced (4-5 yrs) | INR 9 lac per annum |
| Lowest salary | INR 4-5 Lac per annum |
| Average Salary | INR 8 lac per annum |
| Highest Salary | INR 2 crore per annum |
Read about CA salary in Hindi
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 five years 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.