The CA Foundation is the entry-level examination for the Chartered Accountancy (CA) course in India, designed to provide a foundational understanding of accounting, business laws, mathematics, and economics The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) offers a chartered accountancy course, with the CA Foundation Course serving as the entry-level. It was once called the Common Proficiency Test. The CA Foundation has five papers in its series. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) currently administers the CA Foundation test three times a year, replacing the CA-CPT exam. To become a chartered accountant, candidates must pass the Intermediate and Final levels in addition to the CA Foundation test.
Eligibility
You may register if you are enrolled in or have finished class 12. Following registration, you have four months to get ready. There are four papers on the syllabus:
While the final two papers are objective, the first two are subjective. For a total of 400 marks, each paper is worth 100 marks.
The CA Foundation Course fee is Rs. 10,900—covering registration (Rs. 9,200), exam form (Rs. 1,500), and optional journal membership (Rs. 200).
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has made the following modifications to its new CA Foundation program:
Exam structure: Four papers will be in the exam, each worth 100 points. Subjective papers will be Papers 1 and 2, and objective papers will be Papers 3 and 4.
Passing score: To pass the test, students must score at least 50%.
Negative marking: 0.25 points will be taken away for each incorrect multiple-choice (MCQ) response.
Language used in exams: Except For Section (b) of Paper 2, which needs to be finished in English, the exam can be taken in either Hindi or English.
Syllabus: The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) and worldwide education standards were taken into consideration when developing the new syllabus.
Course length: The 42-month course will run for the entire time. CA Articleship: The CA Articleship period has been reduced from three years to two years.
Registration
To enrol in the CA Foundation Course, a candidate must fill out the online registration form found on the ICAI website. December/June is the deadline for registering for the May/Nov terms of examination. The CA Foundation course registration is only good for three years.
CA Foundation Course Details
Check out the table below if you’re a student seeking information on the CA Foundation Course. It contains all the information you require, including details about eligibility, exam difficulty, duration, format, and total costs.
CA Foundation Course Details
| Particulars | Details |
| Exam Name | CA Foundation |
| Conducted By | Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) |
| Eligibility | Completed or Appearing in Class 12th |
| Preparation Period | 4 Months |
| CA Foundation Course Subjects | 1. Principles and Practice of Accounting Business Laws |
| Duration of Exam | 3+2 Hours |
| Mode of Exam | Offline |
| CA Foundation Total Fees | Rs. 10,900 or $1065 (for Foreign students) |
| Frequency | 3 times in a year, i.e January, June, September |
| Passing Criteria | Per subject – 40% Aggregate – 50% |
| Exam Fees | 1500 |
| 3 times in a year, i.e January,June, September | 10,900 |
CA Foundation Course Registration Procedure–
You may easily register for the CA Foundation course by following these few simple steps:
1. To begin, go to the Student’s Tab within the ICAI site and select the ‘Course Registration’ section.
2. Select ‘New User’ from the registration form.
3. Enter your name, birth date, gender, Aadhar card number, email address, and mobile number and establish a password.
4. Select “Generate OTP” and make sure it works. You will receive a verification link in your email, and the OTP will be sent to your mobile device
5. You will receive login credentials after your profile has been created and approved.
6. After logging in, choose “Student Cycle” and then “Apply for Foundation.” After completing the necessary fields, select “Save and Next.”
7. Proceed to use a Master, Visa, Maestro, credit/debit, Rupay, or net banking card to pay the registration fees online.
8. Upon payment completion, the registration form will be sent to you. Within 7 days, sign and turn it in.
The CA Foundation registration is good for three years, and for a little charge of Rs. 300, you can revalidate it for a further three years.
CA Foundation Course Fees–
For both Indian and international students, view the costs for the CA Foundation Course here. The entire cost for Indian students is Rs. 10,900, although this is not an upfront payment. An upfront payment of Rs. 9000 is needed for registration, in addition to Rs. 200 for the foundation prospectus. For the most recent information, you should also think about subscribing to the student journal. The foundation exam form requires the payment of an extra Rs. 1500.
For international students, the registration cost is $1065. An upfront payment of $700 is required, along with $20 for the foundation prospectus at the time of enrolment. For international students, the exam form costs $325.
Please refer to the chart below for a detailed breakdown of CA Foundation fees for students, both foreign and Indian.
CA Foundation Course Details
| CA Foundation Fee Details | Indian Students | Foreign Students ($) |
| Cost of Foundation Prospectus | 200 | 20 |
| Foundation Registration Fees | 9000 | 700 |
| Subscription for Students Journal (For one Year- Optional) | 200 | 20 |
| Foundation Examination Fee | 1500 | 325 |
| Total | Rs. 10,900 | $1065 |
CA Foundation Course Details
It usually takes five years to finish the CA Course. Students must complete their articleship training and pass the Foundation, Intermediate, and Final levels during this time. The duration of the Chartered Accountancy program is shortened to 4.5 years if you enrol through the direct entrance program after graduating.
Remember that the 5-year period is only a minimum; if you don’t pass the CA examinations on time, you could be required to complete the program in an extra six months. The good news is that anyone can enrol in the CA course and obtain a professional certification at any age because there is no upper age limit.
CA Foundation Syllabus
The CA Foundation course has four subjects that are just waiting to be studied, so unlocking them is like opening a treasure vault. Explore the fields of economics, business law, mathematics, and accounting. Every year, the ICAI gives students access to the CA Foundation Syllabus, which provides a road map for achievement. Examine in detail:
Paper 1: Accounting Principles and Practices
Paper 2: Business Law, Business Reporting, and Business Correspondence
Paper 3: Statistics, Logical Reasoning, and Business Mathematics
Paper 4: Knowledge of Business and Commercial Economics
Set off on a four-month adventure to master this curriculum. Look at the entire CA Syllabus to understand what’s in store for you on your academic journey.
CA Foundation Exam Pattern
To improve your exam success, it’s critical to comprehend the CA Foundation course, including paper patterns and grading schemes. The first two papers, on law and accounting, contain both theoretical and practical questions.
Conversely, the following two subjects—mathematics and economics—are multiple-choice and objective. Remember that the revised scheme still assigns a negative grading of 0.25 for the objective papers.
Consult the updated CA Foundation Exam Pattern from ICAI for thorough instructions. Before beginning your CA Foundation preparations, familiarise yourself with the marks and weightage distribution across all four courses.
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