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Beyond Doctor,
Engineer, CA

How to prepare

CA Foundation

Chartered Accountancy Foundation Course Examination. Run by The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI).

The exam
Four papers of 100 marks each. Papers 1 and 2 are written (subjective) answers in 3 hours with 15 minutes' reading time; Papers 3 and 4 are objective (multiple choice) in 2 hours, with 0.25 marks cut for each wrong answer.
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CA Foundation is the first of the three levels (Foundation, Intermediate, Final) of the Chartered Accountancy course run by ICAI; passing it, with Class 12, lets you register for CA Intermediate, and graduates can skip it through the direct entry route.
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Your plan, step by step

  1. Class 11, now to March 2027

    Decide, and learn what CA involves

    Read ICAI's page on the New Scheme and the Foundation FAQ with a parent. CA takes several years and has low pass rates at every level, so choose it because you like accounts, law and numbers, not only for the salary. Take Accountancy, Economics and, if you can, Mathematics seriously at school; they overlap with Papers 1, 3 and 4.

  2. Class 11 summer to Class 12, April to December 2027

    Register and start with ICAI material

    You can register after Class 10, but the four-year validity only starts at your first eligible attempt, so registering by mid-2027 is early enough for most students. Register no later than 1 January 2028 for a May 2028 attempt. Once registered, use the free ICAI study material and Live Virtual Classes on the BoS Knowledge Portal. Study Business Laws and Economics alongside school, one chapter a week.

  3. Class 12 boards, February to March 2028

    Boards first

    Give the board exams full attention; you must pass Class 12 to move to Intermediate, and your board marks matter for college too. Keep CA work to light revision.

  4. After boards to May 2028

    Full revision and mock tests

    Fill the exam form when ICAI opens it (about two months before the exam). Finish the ICAI study material, then do the ICAI Revision Test Papers and both series of Mock Test Papers under time. Practise writing full answers for Accounting and Law; neat working and correct format earn marks.

  5. Exam and after

    If you pass, and if you do not

    If you pass, register for Intermediate. If you do not, the next session is about four months away (September, then January), so check which paper pulled you below 40 per cent or the 50 per cent total, fix that, and try again. Many students also start a B.Com or other degree alongside, which keeps a backup open.

This plan is advice from the author, not an official schedule. Adjust it to your school and your pace.

What the exam testsPapers, marks, marking and the syllabus

Four papers of 100 marks each. Papers 1 and 2 are written (subjective) answers in 3 hours with 15 minutes' reading time; Papers 3 and 4 are objective (multiple choice) in 2 hours, with 0.25 marks cut for each wrong answer. You pass by scoring at least 40 per cent in each paper and 50 per cent in total, in one sitting. (ICAI FAQ on the New Scheme; ICAI January 2027 exam announcement.)

  • Paper 1: Accounting, 100 marks, subjective, 3 hours.
  • Paper 2: Business Laws, 100 marks, subjective, 3 hours.
  • Paper 3: Quantitative Aptitude (Business Mathematics, Logical Reasoning, Statistics), 100 marks, objective, 2 hours.
  • Paper 4: Business Economics, 100 marks, objective, 2 hours.
  • Negative marking: 0.25 marks for every wrong answer in the objective papers (3 and 4). None in the written papers.
  • Pass rule: at least 40 per cent in each paper and at least 50 per cent aggregate (200 of 400), all at one sitting, so all four papers must be cleared together.
  • Timing (January 2027): Papers 1 and 2 from 2 pm to 5 pm with reading time from 1.45 pm; Papers 3 and 4 from 2 pm to 4 pm with no reading time.
  • You may answer in English or Hindi.
  • Exam fee (January 2027, Indian centres): Rs 1,500 per attempt, with a Rs 600 late fee. Exam cities are spread across every state, including many smaller towns (see the ICAI list).
  • Recent results: 20.09 per cent of 90,217 candidates passed in May 2026, and 19.23 per cent passed in January 2026 (Careers360 reports of ICAI results). So most candidates need more than one attempt.

When. Three times a year, in January, May and September (ICAI FAQ on the New Scheme). The January 2027 exam is on 3, 5, 7 and 9 January 2027, with exam forms from 3 to 16 November 2026 (ICAI announcement, 23 September 2026). A student now in Class 11 can register now, but can first sit the exam only after writing Class 12 boards: the earliest realistic attempt is May 2028, with registration done by 1 January 2028.

Syllabus. ICAI sets the syllabus and publishes free study material for all four papers on the BoS Knowledge Portal under the New Scheme of Education and Training (launched 1 July 2023). Class 11 and 12 Accountancy, Economics and Mathematics help, but they are not required; the ICAI study material starts from basics.

Source: ICAI: FAQs on the New Scheme of Education and TrainingSource: ICAI: New Scheme of Education and Training (syllabus and study material)
Study materialFree official material first, then books

Free and official

Books students commonly use

Commonly used, not endorsed. Finish the free official material first.

  • ICAI Study Material for CA Foundation (all four papers) by Board of Studies, ICAI

    The main text; it follows the current syllabus exactly and comes with the registration fee. Commonly used, not endorsed.

  • CA Foundation Principles and Practice of Accounting by P.C. Tulsian

    Extra practice problems for Paper 1. Commonly used, not endorsed.

  • Business Laws for CA Foundation by M.C. Kuchhal

    Reference for Paper 2. Commonly used, not endorsed.

  • CA Foundation Business Laws and Correspondence by Munish Bhandari

    Question practice for Paper 2. Commonly used, not endorsed.

  • Quantitative Aptitude for CA Foundation by Dr S.C. Gupta

    Extra practice for Paper 3. Commonly used, not endorsed.

  • Business Economics for CA Foundation by Dr P.V. Rathi

    Extra practice for Paper 4. Commonly used, not endorsed.

Source: CollegeDekho: Best books for CA Foundation (not official)
Coaching: do you need it?Your options, how to choose, red flags

Self-study with ICAI's free classes and material

Free after the Rs 9,000 registration fee, which already includes the study material

Most students who can follow a timetable. ICAI's Live Virtual Classes, recorded lectures, RTPs and mock papers cover the whole syllabus.

ICAI branch coaching classes

Example: the Northern India Regional Council in Delhi charged Rs 8,500 for all four papers (Rs 2,500 for one) for its January 2026 regular batch

Students near an ICAI branch who want classroom teaching at a low fee. Branches run their own schedules, so ask your nearest branch.

Private online or classroom coaching

varies

Students who want a fixed daily schedule, a particular teacher's style, or more practice in written answers for Accounting and Law.

How to choose a coaching centre

  • Start with ICAI's free Live Virtual Classes for two to four weeks before paying anyone; if they work for you, you may not need more.
  • If you buy a course, check it is for the current New Scheme papers and your exact attempt (January, May or September).
  • Ask whether the course includes written-answer practice with correction for Accounting and Business Laws, not only video lectures.
  • Get the fee, validity of access, refund policy and any extra book charges in writing before paying.
  • For a classroom centre, ask about batch size, counsellor and helpline (Supreme Court directions, July 2025) and check timings do not clash with school, since CBSE enforces 75 per cent attendance.

Red flags

  • A promise that you will pass or rank.
  • Pressure to buy a combined Foundation plus Intermediate package upfront before you have passed Foundation.
  • No refund policy in writing, or video access that expires before your attempt.
  • Rank-holder adverts that do not say which course the student took; the CCPA has penalised coaching institutes for this.
  • Advice to skip school or join a 'dummy' school to make time for CA classes.
Names families usually consider
Mocks and the last monthsPractice tests, final months, common mistakes

All official and free on ICAI's BoS Knowledge Portal and bosmtp.icai.org: two series of Mock Test Papers before every exam (question papers posted by 9.30 am on the scheduled day, answer keys within 48 hours), and Revision Test Papers. Coaching and aggregator sites say ICAI also hosts past papers with suggested answers on the portal; check there. ICAI branches also hold physical mock tests; ask your nearest branch. ICAI also runs 'Success at CA Exam' revision sessions before each attempt.

  • Write every Mock Test Paper series in full, in the real time limit: 3 hours for Papers 1 and 2, 2 hours for Papers 3 and 4.
  • Aim for well above 40 in every paper; one weak paper fails the whole attempt even if your total is over 200.
  • For Accounting, practise full formats (journal, ledger, final accounts) by hand; for Law, write answers as provision, facts, conclusion.
  • In Papers 3 and 4, skip questions you cannot narrow down; each wrong answer costs 0.25.
  • Read the latest Revision Test Paper for any changes in the law or syllabus before the exam.

Common mistakes

  • Registering late and missing the four-month cut-off (1 January for May, 1 May for September, 1 September for January).
  • Forgetting that registration and the exam form are two separate steps with separate fees.
  • Studying only from short notes or videos and skipping ICAI's own study material, which the paper follows.
  • Neglecting Business Laws writing practice because it seems like reading only.
  • Letting Class 12 boards suffer; you must pass Class 12 to enter Intermediate.
Who can sitAttempts, age, marks and subjects
  • You can register for the Foundation Course after passing Class 10 (provisional registration). You can sit the exam only after you have appeared in the Class 12 exam.
  • Any stream. ICAI does not ask for commerce or a minimum Class 12 percentage for the Foundation route. You must pass Class 12 before registering for Intermediate.
  • Registration cut-off: register at least four months before the first day of the exam month. By 1 January for May, by 1 May for September, and by 1 September of the previous year for January.
  • Registration fee: Rs 9,000, paid once, including the prospectus and printed study material (ICAI FAQ, October 2024). Register online through the Self Service Portal at eservices.icai.org.
  • A separate exam form and fee is needed for each attempt; forms usually open about two months before the exam.
  • Registration is valid for 4 years from your first eligible attempt, and cannot be revalidated at Foundation level.
Source: ICAI: FAQs on the New Scheme of Education and Training

This exam leads to

Chartered AccountancyCommerce

Want a plan for your own situation?

Tell Raahi your class, your marks and how many hours you have.

Plan my CA Foundation preparation
Sources, checked 27 September 2026

Rules change every year. Confirm each detail on the official site before you register or pay.