CA Course & Syllabus Details

By IIC Lakshya

19 Jul 2025

Chartered Accountancy (CA) is one of the most respected and rewarding professional courses in business. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) runs the CA course, which teaches students about accounting, auditing, taxes, financial reporting, and corporate law. People think highly of it because of its well-organized curriculum and tough training. The CA qualification offers doors all around the world, whether you want to work for a big MNC, establish your own business, or become a CFO. The new ICAI scheme, which started in 2023 and was modified in 2025, changed the course structure to make it more useful and relevant around the world.

Overview of the CA Course Structure

There are four primary parts to the Chartered Accountancy course, and you must finish them in order:

CA Foundation: Test for people who have just finished Class 12.
CA Intermediate: basic theoretical and practical subjects
Articleship Training: Two years of hands-on instruction with a CA
CA Final: Advanced knowledge and understanding of all subjects

The course is set up such that students learn both theory and practice, which makes them become skilled professionals.

CA Course & Syllabus Details

1. CA Foundation (Entry-Level Test)

Eligibility: Passed or appearing in Class 12

Duration: 4 months of study (exam held in June and December)

Subjects (4 Papers):

Paper 1: Accounting (100 points)
Paper 2: Business Laws (100 points)
Paper 3: Quantitative Aptitude (Statistics, LR, Math) (100 points)
Paper 4: Business Economics (100 points)

All papers are now descriptive, and there is no more negative marking. To be eligible, you need at least 50% overall and 40% in each topic.

2. CA Intermediate (Middle Level)

Eligibility: You must have passed the CA Foundation or be eligible for direct enrollment (for example, B.Com graduates with 55% or higher).

Duration: 8 months of study with the Integrated Course on Information Technology and Soft Skills (ICITSS)

Subjects: Split into two groups, each with three papers

Group I:

Advanced Accounting
Laws for Businesses and Others
Taxes (Direct and Indirect)

Group II:

Cost and Management Accounting
Ethics and Auditing
Management of finances and strategy

Each paper is worth 100 points. To pass a group, you need to get at least 50% overall and 40% on each paper.

3. Articleship Training

Eligibility: After passing both groups of the CA Intermediate

Duration: 2 years (3 years before, now 2 years in the new plan)

Students work under a working CA during their articleship and get hands-on experience in:

Auditing & Assurance
Planning and filing taxes
Reporting on finances
Advisory and internal control services

Students must also finish Advanced ICITSS (Information Technology + Management Communication) before taking the CA Final exam.

4. CA Final (Advanced Level)

Eligibility: After finishing CA Intermediate and 6 months of articleship

Subjects: Two groups of three papers each

Group I:

Financial Reporting
Advanced Management of Money
Advanced Auditing and Professional Ethics

Group II:

Taxes on Income and Taxes on Business
Laws about indirect taxes
Multidisciplinary Case Study (test with open book)

The final papers are meant to see how well you can combine what you've learned with ethics and professionalism.

Key CA Exam Tips

Don't forget how important articleship is. A lot of students just think about their tests, however articleship is the most important part of your CA journey. Pick your firm carefully; working with a wide range of customers and genuine cases can give you a big professional edge.

There is no age limit for the CA course.
Language of the Test, English or Hindi
ICAI's self-study materials, online coaching, or in-person classes
All papers are now descriptive, and only some parts of the intermediate have MCQs.
Unlimited (although it's advisable to pass on the first or second try to keep your CV strong)

To become a member of ICAI and get the title of Chartered Accountant, you need to pass the CA Final, do two years of articleship, and take the GMCS course.

Is CA the right choice?

If you want a hard yet rewarding job in accounting, finance, or auditing, you should definitely go for CA. It takes a lot of work, consistency, and a practical attitude, but the results are amazing. The 2025 CA curriculum is more in line with worldwide trends, helps you understand more about your profession, and gets you ready for changing roles in the business world.

Did you know?

ICAI announced a new CA scheme in 2023 after more than 15 years. It shortened the articleship, updated the syllabus to match worldwide norms, and added open-book exams to CA Final. This was done to encourage real-world problem-solving and professional judgment.