Admission Process for CA Final & Inter New Course ICAI May 2026| Latest

The ICAI administers the CA exams, commonly called ICAI exams, which are among the most challenging in India. There are three levels of the CA exam: Foundation, Intermediate, and Final. Students will receive ICAI membership and be permitted to practice as CAs after passing all three exams. Three times a year, in May, September, and January, these exams are administered.

Levels of ICAI CA Exam

CA examination, as already mentioned above, comprises three levels that are explained below-

CA Foundation- In the CA course, the CA Foundation is the first level of becoming a CA. This course is held three times a year, that is, in January, June, and September, and is conducted by the ICAI. Registration is done after passing the 10th class in the Board of Studies (BOD). Students are said to be qualified for the CA Foundation after passing class 12th.

CA Intermediate- The second level of the CA course, CA Inter, consists of two groups, Group A and Group B, which involve three papers. The CA Inter exam is conducted three times a year, in January, May, and September, by the ICAI. To become eligible for the CA Inter examination, students must clear the CA Foundation examination.

CA Final- CA Final is the last level in the journey of becoming a CA. During the articleship time, students can enroll for the CA Final exams after they have qualified for both groups of the CA Inter course. The CA Final comprises two groups, that is, group A and group B, where each group contains four subjects, and there is an elective paper six where students are given options in which they have to choose only one subject.

Eligibility Criteria for CA Final Exam

In order to pass the CA Final level, students have to clear both groups of the CA Inter level and complete at least two and a half years of articleship training under the supervision of a certified firm.

CA Final Syllabus

Sr. no.	Papers	Marks
Paper 1	FINANCIAL REPORTING	100 MARKS
Paper 2	ADVANCED FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT	100 MARKS
Paper 3	ADVANCED AUDITING, ASSURANCE, AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS	100 MARKS
Paper 4	DIRECT TAX LAWS & INTERNATIONAL TAXATION	100 MARKS
Paper 5	INDIRECT TAX LAWS PART I: GOODS AND SERVICES TAX PART II: CUSTOMS & FTP	100 MARKS 80 MARKS 20 MARKS
Paper 6	INTEGRATED BUSINESS SOLUTIONS (MULTI-DISCIPLINARY CASE STUDY WITH STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT)	100 MARKS

Total:- 600 Marks

CA Final Exam Fees

For Indians – 2700/- for both groups, 1500/- for a single group

For Kathmandu – Both groups- 3400/-, Single Group- 2200/-

For Overseas – both groups- USD 500, and the Single group- $ 325

CA Final Exam Pattern & Scoring System

The CA Final exam is the last level of the CA exams, and it is divided into two groups: Group A and Group B. Each group contains four disciplines, and students have to clear each exam. Check out the table given below describing the ICAI CA Final exam pattern.

CA Final Documents for Registration

The following documents are required to be scanned before submitting the CA Final application form-

A password-sized and coloured photograph.
Authenticated CA IPCC/CA Inter marksheet.
For international students, proof of nationality is required.
A category certificate copy for SC/ST/specially abled students.
CPT msrksheet of the CA Foundation when the student is not directly applying.

Registration through the SSP Portal for CA Final

Students have to register through the SSP portal by following the steps given below-

Visit the ICAI official website, which is icai.org, then go to the Self Service Portal section.
Fill in the user ID and password for login.
Then select the option "Click here to access SSP portal" tab.
Then you will see the two options: student cycle and article cycle, and for the CA registration form, select the “Final” option.
Your information will be filled automatically and can be changed as needed.

Validity of CA Final Registration 2026

CA Final exams, according to ICAI standards, are available for 5 years. Then, students have to validate their registration period again. Revalidation can be finished by using the student dashboard to submit a properly filled-out online form. Pay the Rs. 500 CA Final revalidation fee and register as an existing student.

CA Final Passing criteria

Students must receive at least 40% on each paper and a total score of 50% in order to pass a CA Final group. You will be deemed successful for that group if you obtain the required grades. To pass the CA Final exams and become a CA, students must pass both sets.

ICAI New Course CA Inter

The ICAI has declared the revised test schedule for CA Final, Inter, and Foundation commencing in May 2026. In this new structure, the ICAI changes the exam pattern as a whole, as marks are reduced to six from eight for CA Inter and CA Final. Moreover, MCQs are involved in all CA Inter and CA Final disciplines.

CA Course Duration May 2026 under the New Course

The length of the CA Articleship is three years in the previous plan; It will be reduced to 2 years in the latest scheme starting in May 2026, and the time of the whole.

CA Foundation

The Business Regulation topic is removed from the paper-2, Business Law and Business Correspondence and Reporting.

Paper 4 Business Economics- in this, the Business and Commercial Knowledge topic has been removed from the Economics paper.

CA Intermediate

Paper-5 Audit and Code of Ethics- CA Inter students have seen that the code of ethics section has been changed totally.

CA Final

Advanced Financial Management is also said to be AFM, where some subjects are added, and a few topics are involved in derivatives.

Negative marking under the new scheme for CA Final and CA Inter

Students will find that the ICAI has implemented a 25% negative marking policy in both CA Inter and CA Final subjects under the new course.

CA Foundation, CA Final and CA Inter Passing Criteria 2026

There is a change in the exemption required under the new scheme.
Now the ICAI has considered papers with marks above 60 as permanently passed papers.
Students have to score 50% marks in the remaining papers individually.
Students can also claim their exemption under the new ICAI scheme.

Important changes in the ICAI New Exam Format, May 2026

The ICAI has brought change in the new pattern under the new scheme, where the marks have been lowered to 6 from 8 marks for both CA Inter and CA Final levels, and MCQs have been introduced with every subject of the CA Inter and CA Final course, which seems to be a huge improvement. The CA articleship tenure has been shortened; now it is two years for the upcoming years. It is a very important modification in the new system of chartered accountants. Resultantly, the duration of the course has now been reduced to 42 months from 48 months.

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Source: The information mentioned above is collected from the official ICAI website by our content strategist experts.

General FAQs

Q: What's the deal with getting into the CA Inter and CA Final New Course for January 2026?

A: To get in, you've gotta sign up for the course and send in your exam application through the ICAI Self Service Portal. Fill out the form, upload what they ask for, and pay the fee online. If you do it all before time runs out, you're good to go for the exam.

Q: Who's in charge of admissions and signing people up for the CA Inter and CA Final exams?

A: The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) handles all that. You have to register through their official online portal. They also decide who can apply, when the exams are, and what the rules are for each exam period.

Q: Where do students go to apply for CA Inter and CA Final for January 2026?

A: You need to go through the ICAI Self Service Portal on their website. Log in, find the exam form, and fill it out. The portal is also where you pick your exam location, upload your stuff, and pay.

Q: What's the main to-do list for CA Inter and Final admissions?

A: Usually, it's about getting on the ICAI portal, picking the exam time, and filling out the form. Then, you upload things like your photo and signature. The last thing is paying the fee and saving the confirmation slip.

Q: What do you need to get into CA Inter under the new rules?

A: To get into CA Intermediate, you either need to pass the CA Foundation exam or come in through the direct entry way. You also gotta finish the registration stuff before you apply for the exam. Basically, you have to meet ICAI’s school and sign-up rules to take the Intermediate exam.

Q: What do you need to get into the CA Final January 2026?

A: You have to finish your articleship training to be able to take the CA Final exam. Some people can apply if they're almost done with articleship and will finish on time. ICAI makes sure everyone knows the rules before each exam.

Q: Do you have to do articleship training for CA Final admission?

A: Yep, it's a must. You either need to wrap up the whole training or be close to finishing it when you apply. Articleship gives you real-world experience, which is a big part of the CA course.

Q: What courses do you need to finish before you can apply for the CA Final exams?

A: You gotta finish the Advanced Integrated Course on Information Technology and Soft Skills (AICITSS). It's all about the IT skills and pro know-how you need as a Chartered Accountant. Finishing this course is a must before you can take the Final exam.

Q: What are Self-Paced Online Modules (SPOM) in the new CA scheme?

A: SPOM is an online learning platform ICAI made for the new course setup. You need to finish certain ones and pass the Self-Paced Module Test before you can sit for the Final exam. They cover stuff like corporate laws and how to handle costs wisely.

Q: How much does it cost to take the CA Inter and CA Final January 2026 exams?

A: For exam centres in India, CA Intermediate is ₹1,500 for one group and ₹2,700 for both. CA Final is ₹1,800 for one group and ₹3,300 for both. It might cost differently for exam centres outside India, and if you're late signing up.

Q: Can you fix mistakes on CA exam forms?

A: Yeah, ICAI lets you fix stuff on your exam forms if you need to. You can change things like where you want to take the exam or what language you want to use. The time to fix things for January 2026 was open for a bit after registration closed.