ICAI has released the CA Foundation exam date, the form, the correction window dates, and the deadlines. You can also find the eligibility, exam pattern, subjects, syllabus, etc. Check this article for more details.
The ICAI, or the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, is responsible for conducting the CA course exams. The CA exam is a professional course with three levels and mandatory practical training that aspirants must complete to gain the CA title. The CA Foundation exam is the first level of the CA course that aspirants must clear to proceed to the following levels.
Earlier, ICAI conducted the CA Foundation exams twice a year. Yet, as per the new ICAI scheme, ICAI will conduct the Foundation exam thrice a year. The CA Foundation exam date Jan 2025 is out, and the exam will commence from 12th Jan 2025 to 18th Jan 2025. Let’s check some more important details related to CA Foundation Exam Date.
CA Foundation Exam 2024 Overview
The CA Foundation exam is a pen-paper-based offline exam conducted by the ICAI thrice a year. The foundation course has four papers and Paper 1 and Paper 2 are subjective papers, whereas Paper 3 and Paper 4 are objective-based papers that test an aspirant’s practical knowledge. These objective papers have negative markings, and each paper has 100 marks.
The following are the highlights of the CA Foundation Exam:
| CA Foundation Exam 2024 Overview | |
| Exam Name | CA Foundation Exam (earlier known as the Common Proficiency Test) |
| Exam conducting body | Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) |
| Mode of exam | Pen and Paper-based |
| Frequency | Thrice a year (June, September, and January) |
| Level of exam | National level |
| Medium of Exam | English/ Hindi |
| Number of Papers | 4 |
| Total marks | 400 |
CA Foundation Exam 2024 Important Dates
As mentioned earlier, the ICAI will conduct the CA Foundation exam thrice a year and the June 2024 exams are over. So here are some important CA Foundation Exam Date 2024 that aspirants must note down if they are appearing for the September attempt:
| CA Foundation Exam Date Jan 2025 | |
| Events | January 2025 Dates |
| Availability of exam form for Jan 2025 | November 10, 2024 |
| Deadline for filling the exam date without a late fee | November 23, 2024 |
| The last date to fill out the CA foundation exam form is 2024 with a late fee (of Rs. 600) | November 26, 2024 |
| Correction window for Jan 2025 Exam | November 27 to November 29, 2024 |
| Availability of admit card for Jan 2025 | Around 10 days before the exam |
| CA Foundation 2024 exam date Jan 2025 | Jan 12, 14, 16 and 18, 2025 |
| Announcement of CA Foundation Result Sept 2024 Exam | First Week of November 2024 (expected) |
Follow the following steps for the CA Foundation Registration –
Step 1. Visit the official website of ICAI i.e. icai.org.
Step 2. Click on “e-services”.
Step 3. Select “student services” from the drop-down menu.
Step 4. Click on the “Entry-level forms- Foundation and Intermediate (Direct Entry).
Step 5. Complete the CA Foundation Application form.
Step 6. Upload the required documents.
Step 7. Make an online payment.
Step 8. Save the money receipt for future reference.
The details of the CA Foundation registration is as follows:
| CA Foundation Registration Fees | ||
| Fees details | For Indian Students(INR) | For Foreign Students (USD) |
| Prospectus | 200 | 20 |
| Registration fee | 9000 | 700 |
| Total | 9200 | 720 |
CA Foundation Subject and Syllabus
Besides knowing the CA Foundation exam schedule, students must also know the latest and updated syllabus. According to the new scheme of the CA Foundation Exam, the ICAI has introduced the new syllabus for the CA Foundation course on 1st July 2023. Also, the first CA Foundation Exam based on the latest syllabus took place in June 2024. The new syllabus of the CA Foundation 2024 is as follows:
| CA Foundation Exam 2024 Syllabus | |
| Papers | Subjects |
| Paper 1 | Principles and Practice of Accounting |
| Paper 2 | Business Laws and Business Correspondence and Reporting |
| Paper 3 | Business Mathematics, Logical Reasoning and Statistics |
| Paper 4 | Business Economics and Business and Commercial Knowledge |
Now that you know about the CA Foundation Exam Dates, the next thing to note is the exam pattern. Here is everything to know about the CA Foundation exam pattern:
| CA Foundation Exam Pattern 2025 | |
| Exam Mode | Pen and Paper-based |
| Question Types | Paper 1 and 2: Subjective Paper 3 and 4: Objective |
| Exam Duration | Paper 1 and 2: 3 hours & Paper 3 and 4: 2 hours |
| Medium of Exam | English/ Hindi |
| Total Papers | 4 |
| Total Marks | Total 400 (100 for each paper) |
| Negative Marking | Paper 1 and 2: NoPaper 3 and 4: 0.25 mark deduction |
CA Foundation Exam 2024 Eligibility Criteria
Before students enroll for the CA Foundation exam, they must meet the eligibility criteria. The ICAI sets the eligibility criteria and CA aspirants can find it on their website and should review them thoroughly before proceeding for the CA Foundation Exam Dates registration.
- Passed or admitted in the 12th class recognized by the Central Government
- Must register under the Board of Studies [BoS]
- Must undergo a four-month study duration
What is the ICAI CA Foundation Exam Process?
The CA Foundation exam of the ICAI is the first level of the Chartered Accountancy courses in India. Here is the CA Foundation exam process overview, including registration, preparation, admit card download, and taking the exam. Once the aspirant clears the CA Foundation level, they can move on to the next level:
1. CA Foundation Registration
The process of registration for the CA Foundation exam is the first step to commence with the course. First, to take the CA Foundation course, the candidates must register with ICAI online. After registration, they will undergo a four-month study period. After that, ICAI will release the CA Foundation exam form dates, and the CA Foundation aspirants need to fill out and submit the form with the prescribed fees before the due date. Failing to do so will not allow them to sit for the exams, as they will not get the admit cards.
Registered applicants can use their login credentials to proceed. The CA Foundation will occur thrice a year – June, September, and December. So aspirants must take note of the dates and complete the registration and form fill-up process. You must take note of the CA Foundation Exam Dates and plan your study accordingly.
2. Download the ICAI Admit Card
About fifteen days before the exam, ICAI publishes admit cards for students on its official website. To permit aspirants to sit for the exams, candidates must download their admit cards from the ICAI website. Aspirants must note that ICAI doesn’t e-mail students the admit cards.
3. Sit For CA Foundation Exams
So, as for the CA Foundation Date Sheet, aspirants should now appear for the exams. The exams will take place offline in the designated exam centres. When completing the exam form, candidates choose their desired exam centres. Candidates need to write all the exam papers to clear the Foundation level. Moreover, they should score passing marks to clear the CA Foundation level.
4. Check The CA Foundation Result & Register For CA Intermediate
ICAI releases the CA Foundation results on its official website, typically about a month after the exam is conducted. After passing the exam, the candidates can enroll in the CA Intermediate course. Candidates who fail can reappear for the exam during the next attempt.
Frequently Asked Question
Q.1 When is the last date to complete the CA Foundation Examination Form?
Answers- The last date to fill out the CA Foundation Exam form is Nov 23, 2024, for the Jan 2025 examination without a late fee of 600 Rs.
Q.2 Is one Month enough for the CA Foundation?
Answers- Yes, 1 Month is enough for CA Foundation preparation, so you need to Study 7-8 hours a day. In 15 days you can complete Accounts and the rest 15 Days for the remaining Subjects.
Q.3 What is the late submission fee for the CA Foundation Application Form?
Answers- Students who are not able to fill out the CA Foundation Application Form before the due date, have to pay an amount of 600 Rs.
Q.4 What are the CA foundation exam dates for the Jan 2025 attempt?
Answers- The CA Foundation 2025 exam dates for the Jan 2025 attempt are 12, 14, 16, and 18 Jan 2025.
Q.5 Does solving CA Foundation Papers and Scanner help in increasing marks in your examination?
Answers- Yes, Solving CA Foundation Question Papers 2025 and CA Foundation Scanner really help in increasing your performance in the examination.
Q.6 Can I write answers to the CA Foundation Question paper in Hindi?
Answers- Yes, ICAI has allowed students to write answers to the CA Foundation Question Paper in Hindi.
Q.7 How Many attempts of the CA Foundation you can give?
Answers- A student can give 6 attempts in the CA foundation examination. Your CA Foundation registration is valid for 3 years and a student can appear for examination Thrice a year.
After going through this article I hope the above information will be enough to give the full information about the CA Foundation timetable for the upcoming examination. For More Information, you can check to visit our home page. Get the latest updates and Information on the Chartered Accountant on our website.
Commencement of Live Virtual Classes (LVC Batch – 2) under the New Scheme from 15th April 2024 for the students of CA Foundation/Intermediate/Final courses appearing in September/November 2024 Examinations – (10-04-2024)