Aspiring CAs Rejoice! ICAI to Conduct CA Final Exams Three Times a Year
Aspiring CAs Rejoice! ICAI to Conduct CA Final Exams Three Times a Year
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has made a significant change to the CA Final exam schedule. Previously held twice a year, the exam will now be conducted three times annually, starting in January, May, and September.
This decision was announced on Thursday, March 27, 2025, following the 26th Council meeting of the ICAI, the apex regulatory body for chartered accountancy in India. This shift in the exam schedule is likely to impact aspiring chartered accountants and their preparation strategies.
CA. Charanjot Singh Nanda, President-ICAI with CA. Prasanna Kumar D, Vice President-ICAI, esteemed CCMs & Secretary-ICAI engaged in key deliberations at the 441st Council Meeting held on 27th March 2025 at ICAI HQ, New Delhi.#ICAI #Leadership #CouncilMeeting pic.twitter.com/zfecF824pV
— Institute of Chartered Accountants of India – ICAI (@theicai) March 27, 2025
Increasing exam opportunities for aspiring chartered accountants
The CA exam is structured across three levels: Foundation, Intermediate, and Final. Last year, the ICAI implemented a change to hold the Foundation and Intermediate exams three times a year, instead of twice.
With Thursday’s announcement, the final exam will also now be held three times annually, meaning all levels of the CA exam will be offered thrice a year. This decision aims to provide more opportunities for students to take the exams and achieve their chartered accountancy goals.
The ICAI has announced that the assessment test for the Post Qualification Course in Information Systems Audit will be conducted three times annually—in February, June, and October.
The institute explained that this move is aimed at aligning with “global best practices” and providing students with more opportunities. For comparison, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) offers its ACA exams in three levels: ‘certificate,’ ‘professional,’ and ‘advanced,’ which can be taken in any order.
The ‘professional’ exams are held four times a year, the ‘advanced’ exams twice a year, and the ‘certificate’ exams can be attempted anytime during the year.
A total of 31,946 students passed the CA final exam last year. This figure is comprised of 20,446 students who passed in May and 11,500 students who passed in November.
