CA (Chartered Accountant) Course Duration:
Chartered accountant course in India is a professional course which involves both skill and knowledge assessment. CA course is designed in such a manner that student can get the professional certificate at any stage of their life as there is no age limit to this. The CA course duration is scheduled to be completed in 4.5 years.
We got inspired to write this article about CA (Chartered Accountant) course duration, when we get the queries every year from a CA aspirants. They poured down the questions related to course duration which were confusing to him. We were glad to help him and unravel his notions, regarding the duration of the CA course at the end of the conversation.
CA Course Duration after 12th:
Q: How Much Time Will It Take to Clear CA Course After the 12th Examination?
MCC: We want you to understand the fact that CA is a holistic professional course which creates an analytical and skillful set of Accountants, who can meet the demand and expectation of the market.
The course is completed by clearing three main levels CA Foundation, CA Intermediate, and CA Finals. So if we can frame out a general schedule for you then the timeline for you to clear CA course will be as follows:
Process | Months | Timeline |
Registration for CA Foundation course | 1st January 2022 | – |
Appear in 12th standard examination | March 2022 | – |
Enroll for CA Foundation exam | January 2022 | – |
Appear for CA Foundation exams | May 2022 | – |
Result declared | July 2022 | 7 months |
Register for CA Intermediate level (both group) | 31st August 2022 | – |
Appear for Intermediate exams | May 2023 | – |
Result declared for Intermediate levels | July 2023 | 1.7 years |
Register for 3 years Articleship program | July 2023 | – |
Register for final level after 2.5 years of completion of Articleship | December 2025 | 4 years |
Appear in CA Final exams | May 2026 | – |
Result declared | July 2026 | 4.7 years |
The step by step process and CA course duration after 12th class will be:
Step 1:
Timeline in Clearing 12th std to clear foundation level = 4 months
*(Mandatory study period between registration and examination date is 4 month)
Step 2:
Timeline in clearing Foundation to clear Intermediate level= 8 months
*(Study period between registration and examination date is 8 month)
Step 3:
Timeline in Clearing Intermediate to clear Finals = 3.5 years
*(Articleship period is for 3 years and preparation leave took to prepare for finals examination is assumed to be 5 months)
“Hence the total duration of CA course after 12th class is 4.5 years!”
CA Course Duration after 10th:
Q: Is It Possible to Register for CA Foundation after my 10th Examination? How Much Duration I Must Consider for CA Course After 10th standard Examination?
MCC: According to the new amendments made by ICAI, students can register via provisional certificate in their 10th class. The new candidate applies for Foundation course, where eligibility to apply is only after appearing for 12th std. So, if you are studying in 10th standard in 2022, you will require a commitment of 6.5 years to become a CA.
If you ask us, How it will take 6.5 years to complete CA course after 10th std then you need to read the step by step timeline.
Step 1
Clearing 10th to clear 12th = 2 years
Step 2
Clearing 12th to clear foundation level = 4 months
Step 3
Clearing Foundation to clearing Intermediate level = 8 months
Step 4
Clearing Intermediate to clear Finals =3.5 years
“Hence CA course duration after 10th class is 6.5 years!”
CA Course Duration for Direct Entry Scheme:
Q: I Want to Ask, What if I Miss Registering Myself for the Course, or Want to Apply After My Graduation?
MCC: We understand your apprehension but do not worry. Under the new revised scheme, ICAI has paved routes to the following.
- Allow early entry to the professional through the Foundation level for the young students having interest and accounting education and
- Allow graduates and other qualified students to pursue this course through the direct entry route.
Q: Oh Great!! Please Tell Me More About the Duration of the CA Course Under Direct Entry Route
MCC: Direct entry Scheme is eligible for a student who is either graduate or postgraduate or they have appeared in the intermediate level of CS course or CFA course or MBA or after appearing in the intermediate level of CS or CFA.
In Direct entry, route student is exempted from Foundation level.
The total duration varies for 3- 4 month in case of graduates and postgraduate candidate. The vague duration schedule for CA course after graduation is as follows.
Step 1
Clearing graduation to clear Intermediate level – 10 months ( after registration at intermediate level through direct entry route students undergo 1 month of ICITSS and register for Articleship programme and undergo 9 months of its training before appearing in both or single group of intermediate level)
Step 2
Clearing Intermediate to clear expect levels takes approximately 2.8 years (2.3 years of Articleship programme and 5 months of the study period for CA finals)
Student: Oh! So it takes approximately 10 months to clear the Intermediate level and 2.8 years to clear Final level, which means I can complete my CA course in 3.6 years (10 months+ 2 years+8 month) under Direct Entry Route
MCC: yes, you got it right.
Q: Can I Ask You One More Question?
MCC: yes sure, feel free to ask from our experts.
Q: My Elder Brother is Registered Under the CS Programme. He Appeared for His Intermediate Level, Can He Apply for CA Course?
MCC: We want our reader to understand the fact that CA is a holistic professional course which creates an analytical and skillful set of Accountants, who can meet the demand of market expectation. Understanding the significance of commitment to this course, ICAI has barred any other professional course to be undertaken simultaneously. Hence, your Elder brother cannot register under the CA course. but if he wants to switch over from CS course to CA course then he can register under Direct Entry option.
Student: Thanks for the information.
We can conclude from the above discussion that “CA course is a 5-year commitment”
CA Course Duration if You Don’t Clear Exams at any Level:
Q: I Understand Whatever You are Saying But What If I Don’t Clear My Exams at Any Level?
MCC: This would be “twelfth of never” case for MCC students, but still we don’t outlook such possibilities.
Knowing the gravity of the course, ICAI gives the opportunity to reattempt the exams on failure for a specific period.
The student has the opportunity to re-attempt the examination in case of failure of their first attempt. In that case, the time is extended accordingly.
But here we are just giving you the basic schedule of the course with a few assumptions, to have a clear understanding of the process
- We assume that you will be able to clear your 10th, 11th to become eligible for registering under foundation course
- We assume that you will be able to clear your 12th std exams with more than 60% marks if you are from science or arts background and 55% if you are from commerce background, to become eligible for registering under foundation course.
- We assume candidate to register for eligible level on the very first registration dates available.
- We assume that the student has enrolled for both group for CA Intermediate and Final level
- The student has cleared CA exams at all levels on the first attempt.
- The student undergoes practical training ICITSS and AICITSS during their study period for intermediate and final level.
Student: Ok! So that means I need to clear all my exams at first attempt and register for all levels and training schedule on time and undergo my practical training during my study period, then I will clear my CA in your time frame.
MCC: you got it right.
Students should be updated with the Important dates and any miss in that will extend the duration of their course.
Please read our article CA timetable for May 2022 for the upcoming events dates. The selection of groups should be made on basis of your preparation, not to save time.
Hope you got the answer of what is the duration of the CA course 2022 in India, Chartered Accountant course duration after graduation and how many years for CA after 12th.
Please feel free to comment and ask from our experts.