CA Course in India

Considered the dream career of many, Chartered Accountants (CA) is one of the reputable certifications in India and is pursued by a majority of commerce students. Conducted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) in the country, it is also considered one of the toughest exams in the world and is often organized by the national CA institutions of the specific country. Although, it is a challenging one to clear yet the expected outgrowth of the program turns out to be phenomenal. As the requirement of Chartered Accountants is always there in every organization, earning this certification is quite a difficult quest. If you are aspiring to build a career in Accountancy and are aspiring to avail a plethora of career prospects in the same, then the Chartered Accountancy course can be a suitable option to opt for. To help you understand the process of how to become a Chartered Accountant, this blog aims to explain the essential aspects of the CA course in India. 

CA Course in India: An Overview 

Chartered Accountancy (CA) involves in-depth management of auditing, financial accounts, business, budgeting, taxation, strategy etc. There are varied reasons why a multitude of young minds are allured by this profession. But as we all know, this one is a hard nut to crack. For those who successfully qualify for all the examinations of the CA course in India are all set to acquire the esteemed position of Chartered Accountant. Thus, CAs are those professionals who are rigorously trained in various aspects of the functioning of an economy from managing the finances or advising people on financial management. This program is of three levels i.e. CA Foundation, CA IPCC, and CA Final.   

As mentioned above the CA course in India is divided into three levels and here is a table elucidating the individual eligibility criteria of each of these stages:

Levels	Entry Requirements for CA Course in India
CA Foundation	Candidates must possess minimal schooling of 10+2. Timely registration for the examination in the months of May and November.
CA IPCC	Formal schooling of 10+2 and candidates have to qualify the CA Foundation exam.  Those with a bachelor’s or master’s degree in commerce or its related fields are exempted from the foundation exam and can directly enter at this level. The candidate must have around 55-60% marks in graduation or post-graduation.  (Know more about CA IPPC Eligibility)
CA Final	After qualifying for both the groups of the CA IPCC level exam, students have to do the following: 1. Complete an articleship of 3 years before registering for the Final level exam; 2. Finish their training of four weeks in the Advanced Integrated Course on Information and Technology and Soft Skills (AICITSS)

Now let us have a look at the different levels of the CA Course in India in a detailed manner:

Important Dates

Events	Tentative Dates
Last date for registration for the Foundation Course	Last Week: December 2022/June 2023
Foundation Exam	May 2023/November 2023
Last Date for registration for the intermediate course	First Week: March/September
Intermediate Exam	November/May
Last Date for registration for the intermediate course (direct entry)	First Week: February/August
Intermediate Exam	November/May

CA Foundation 2023 Exam Form Fees

Exam	Fee Details
For Indian Centre(s)	Rs 1500
Late Exam Fee	Rs 600
For Nepal Centre	Rs 2200
For Overseas Centres	USD 325 (INR 26,661)
Late Fee for Overseas  Centre	USD 10 (INR 820)

CA Foundation 

CA Foundation is an entry-level examination for CA aspirants consisting of 4 papers and having flexible eligibility criteria as students from any stream can appear. There are objective-type questions with negative markings for incorrect answers. The test comprises 2 sessions and the individual duration of each session is 2 hours. Hence, the total duration of the exam is 4 hours. The essential topics covered under this level of the CA course in India are: 

• Business Mathematics
• Logical Reasoning
• Business Economics 
• Business Correspondence and Reporting

The ICAI requires the following conditions to be completed before one appears for the CA foundation: 

• The candidate must have completed their 10+2 examination i.e. senior secondary level or its equivalent from a recognized board or university. 
• Applicants must complete a rigorous training period of 4 months and register by 31st June (for the November exam) or 31st December (for the May exam). This is done so as to establish that only focused candidates appear for it. 

Take A Detailed Look at CA Foundation Syllabus here.

CA IPCC  

After qualifying for the necessary examination with flying colors, candidates become eligible to enter the second level i.e CA Integrated Professional Competence Course (CA IPCC). The aim of this stage of the CA course in India is to establish strong basics for the students thus helping them secure an articleship which is mandatory at this level. More emphasis is laid on the theoretical aspects of Chartered Accountancy which is further complemented by the practical learning in articleship. This level comprises 2 groups offering 7 subjects in total. Here are some core topics in the two groups:

• GST Laws 
• Environment and Ethics 
• Company Accounts
• Payment Bonus Act of 1965
• Accounting for Special Transactions 

CA Final

Once the candidates clear the 2 groups of the CA IPCC examination and are through with 3 arduous years of intense articleship in firms, they can finally start preparing for the concluding milestone of their journey of CA course in India. This level is also bifurcated into two sections and has a total of 8 subjects. Following are some of the major topics of the CA Final:

• Value Added Statement 
• Valuation of Liabilities
• Foreign Exchange Exposures and Risk Management 
• Merger and Acquisition 
• Risk-based Auditing 

Duration of the Chartered Accountancy Course 

The duration for the two routes of the CA certification varies, i.e.

• For a student wanting to pursue the CA course after class XIIth, they are required to take the CPT route which spans across a minimum of 4.5 years.
• For a candidate aiming to become CA after graduation, the Direct Entry route will encompass a minimum of 3 years.

Further, when it comes to the maximum duration, there is no specified time period as the number of attempts as well as age limit has been removed by the ICAI.

CA Course Fee

CA Course Fees	Fees
CA Foundation (CPT)	₹10,900
CA Intermediate- Single Group	₹28,200
CA Intermediate- Both groups	₹33,400
CA Intermediate- Direct	₹33,600
Articleship Fee	₹2,000
CA Final	₹39,800

How to Crack the CA Exam?

Books for CA Exams

Here are some important books to refer to for CA Exams 2023:

CA Foundation 

1. Shuchita Prakashan Scanner CA Foundation on Principles And Practice Of Accounting (New Syllabus) Paper
2. Shuchita Prakashan Scanner CA Foundation on Business Laws And Business Correspondence And Reporting (New Syllabus) Paper – 2 For May 2022 Exam
3. Shuchita Prakashan Scanner CA Foundation on Business Mathematics, Logical Reasoning And Statistics (New Syllabus) Paper – 3 For May 2022 Exam
4. Shuchita Prakashan Scanner CA Foundation on Business Economics And Business And Commercial Knowledge (New Syllabus) Paper – 4 For May 2022 Exam
5. Business Economics And Business And Commercial Knowledge Study Material For CA Foundation
6. Introduction to Financial Accounting

CA IPCC

1. Law For CA – PCC /IPCC
2. CA Intermediate Study Guide 2021
3. Handbook On Income Tax For CA Inter / IPCC
4. Goods & Services Tax (GST) Law & Practice With MCQs
5. Corporate Governance, Ethics And Social Responsibility
6. Auditing And Assurance: Theory And Practice
7. Advanced Cost Accounting
8. Business Ethics And Communication (CA-PCC / IPCC / ATC)
9. CA-IPCC Auditing And Assurance (For CA-IPCC Group-II)

CA Final

1.  CA Final Study Guide 2022
2. Indirect Taxes Containing GST, Customs, FTP & Comprehensive Issues
3. Strategic Management
4. Mergers And Acquisitions: Strategy, Valuation, And Integration
5. International Accounting
6. Financial Management eBook
7. Derivatives And Risk Management
8. Tulsian’s Financial Reporting

Career Scope After CA Course in India

After completing the famed CA course in India and attaining this certification, your gateway to a plethora of job opportunities in several sectors opens up. To convert your career aspirations into success, you need to begin with an impressive CA fresher resume. Here are some of the major sectors in which Chartered Accountants can work after completing this program: 

• Income Tax Department 
• Auditing Firms 
• Insurance and Banking Sector
• Tax Advisory Firms 
• Law Firms 
• Finance Companies 
• Stock Broking Firms
• Investment Banking Firms  
• Asset Management Firms 
• Corporate Firms 
• CA Firms 

Here are some popular job profiles with salary structures:

Job Profiles	Salary per annum (In INR)
Accounts Clerk	Rs. 4,00,000
Business Services Accountant	Rs. 5,50,000
Chief Finance Officer	Rs. 8,00,000
Cost Accountants	Rs. 7,50,000
Auditors	Rs. 485816

FAQs

Thus, we hope that this blog has provided you with all the key features of the CA course in India. If you are planning to pursue Accounting courses and don’t know where to begin, reach out to our Leverage Edu experts and we’ll guide you in selecting a suitable program and university that aligns with your interests and aspirations thus helping you take an informed step towards a fulfilling career.