CA Foundation Exam

CA Foundation Exam is a beginner’s gateway into the world of Chartered Accountancy. It is the first hurdle you need to cross in order to get your foot in the door with a career in CA. It might be the easiest one to crack out of all three CA exams, but it’s still a vital step in your CA journey and you’d want to make sure you don’t miss a beat. 

As they say, “Well prepared is half done”, and that’s what CA Foundation exam calls for — solid preparation. It all begins with getting a thorough understanding of the CA Foundation exam details such as the CA Foundation exam pattern, structure, time table, and so on. This guide will arm you with everything you would want to know about CA Foundation exams so you can get started on the right note! 

A candidate can write the CA Foundation exams in either English or Hindi.

Click here to find the ICAI syllabus copy in both Hindi and English.

The ICAI permits  students with certain educational qualifications to skip the CA Foundation course and take a direct entry into the second level, which is the CA Intermediate Course. 

Following students can avail this special category exemption.

• The following candidates are allowed to directly register for the CA Intermediate course:
  1. A Commerce graduate/ Post-Graduate (with minimum 55% marks) or Other Graduate/ Post-Graduate ( with minimum 60% marks)
  2. A candidate who has passed the Intermediate level exam conducted by the Institute of Company Secretaries of India or the Institute of Cost Accountants of India.

Late fee of INR 600 (Indian candidates)/ US$ 10 (Overseas candidates) is applicable if you submit your CA foundation application form after the last date.

According to ICAI’s amendments, class 10 passed candidates qualify for an admission to the CA Foundation Course via the provisional route. However, they are not eligible to appear for the CA Foundation Exams unless they clear their class 12th examinations. 

The option to provisionally register for the CA Foundation course gives you an early head start into the CA career and allows you to complete the course and become a CA six months in advance.

Is there a negative marking in the CA Foundation Exams?

Yes, but only in two objective papers (papers 3 & 4) where for every wrong answer ¼ or 0.25 marks will be deducted.

Can I darken more than one circle as answers for the MCQs in Paper 3 and 4?

No, please don’t! More than one darkened circle for a single question is considered a wrong answer. It will result in a negative marking of 0.25 for every question that’s answered in this manner.

How many attempts can you take to clear CA Foundation exams? 

There is no limit on the number of attempts you can take. However, you can only appear for CA Foundation Exams till your registration is valid. The validity period for registration in the Foundation Course is for 4 years from the first eligible attempt in the Foundation Examination. Revalidation is not permitted at the Foundation level.

The number of attempts you take might influence your career. We cover it in detail in one of our blog posts. Do give it a read.

Is the CA Foundation exam easy or not?

There’s no straightforward answer to this question. But it’s a fact that CA Foundation is the easiest of all three levels.

What should I do after the 10th or 12th to become a CA?

You can provisionally register for the CA Foundation course right after class 10, but you have to wait till you pass your class 12 exams to appear for the CA Foundation exams.