Complete Guide to CMA Articleship: Eligibility, Duration & Stipend

If you’re serious about becoming a Cost & Management Accountant (CMA), understanding CMA articleship is crucial. Through this blog, you’ll know everything you need to know  about CMA articleship — duration, eligibility, stipend, how to apply, what forms to fill, rights & duties — all up to date with ICMAI official rules. Let’s jump in.

What is CMA Articleship

• The cma articleship (also called Practical Training or Practical Training Scheme) is a mandatory training component under the Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI).
  
• Purpose: to give students hands-on work experience in cost accounting, management accounting, financial accounting, taxation, audit, compliance, etc., so that theory meets practice.

Why CMA Articleship Matters

Because CMA Articleship is where you get actual exposure: you’ll build skills in cost control, financial reporting, budgeting, compliance, audit, taxation — plus work discipline, ethics, professional behavior. It’s what separates those who only read theory vs those who can do the job.

Also, without fulfilling cma articleship, you cannot qualify for Final CMA membership.

Eligibility For CMA Articleship

If you want to do articleship for cma inter (or CMA Intermediate level), you must satisfy:

1. You must have registered with ICMAI for the Intermediate (Inter) level.
2. You’re eligible to start the CMA practical training immediately after registration at Intermediate level. You needn’t wait for all exams to be cleared.
3. The training organization must be recognized under “Appendix A” by ICMAI, and the work must be in recognized areas under “Appendix B”.

Recognized organizations include:

• Practicing Cost Accountants / Firms of Cost Accountants
• Government / Semi-Government / Banks / Insurance / PSUs
• Universities / Educational Institutes, NGOs, Co-operatives
• Management consultancy divisions (provided the work is relevant to cost/management accounting etc.)

CA/CS articleship is not allowed to be set off/recognized as CMA articleship except in limited “management consultancy” sub-divisions under strict conditions.

CMA Articleship Duration

• For students who registered for CMA Intermediate on or after 11 February 2020, the minimum duration of practical training (articleship of cma) is 15 months.
• Before that date (older registration), there was a longer/traditional scheme (often 3 years), but the new scheme mandates 15 months.
• To appear for the Final Examination (for both groups or the remaining group), you need to complete at least 10 months of training by certain cut-off dates.

Recognized Areas of Training

During your cma articleship, the training must be in areas defined by ICMAI’s “Appendix B”. These include:

• Cost Accounting, Management Accounting, Financial Accounting
• Financial Management, Auditing, Regulatory Compliance
• Direct & Indirect Taxation, Corporate Laws, Commercial Laws
• Systems Analysis & Information Technology (including ERP)
• Project Management, Banking Operations, Insurance, Insolvency & Valuation, Financial Services
• Teaching in finance / accounts / taxation / costing / management is also recognized.

Stipend Structure In CMA Articleship

This is one of the most asked parts: “How much will I be paid during articleship for cma?”

The stipend depends on:

• Whether you’re training under a Practicing Cost Accountant or firm vs. a Corporate / Organization
• The location / city classification — metropolitan / “A-grade” cities vs other towns.

Here are the official minimum stipends as per ICMAI’s New Practical Training Scheme:

Note: These are minimums. Many organizations pay more based on their capacity and the value of work you are doing. Also, rates may be revised, so always check the latest ICMAI notification. 

Leave & Working Hours During CMA Articleship

• Working hours: 35 hours per week for a Cost & Management Trainee.
• Leave with pay: One day per month (excluding normal holidays).
• Leave without pay: Up to 60 days total in the articleship span for ICMAI exams. Excess leave requires making up extra time.

Forms and Process — How to Start & Complete CMA Articleship

To begin and manage your articleship for cma, you need to follow these steps:

1. Find an eligible organization under Appendix A. If needed, empanel organizations with ICMAI.
2. Get an appointment/offer letter stating your role, duties, duration, stipend, start date.
3. Within 30 days of joining, intimate ICMAI using Form T-1 (if under a PCMA / firm of Cost Accountants) or Form T-4 (if under some other recognized organization).
4. If your experience in recognized organization/area already qualifies, you may apply for exemption using Form T-3.
5. Before appearing for Final exam, there is Form-T5, certifying that you have completed the required practical training (10 months or 15 months per case).
6. If you change employer/trainer, it’s allowed but the change must be informed to ICMAI with relevant certificates. Only up to 3 employer changes in 15 months allowed.

Checklist — Before & During CMA Articleship

Make sure:

• Your employer is empaneled or recognized.
• Your job role clearly involves tasks approved under recognized areas (Appendix B).
• Stipend, leave, working hours are documented in offer letter.
• You file Form T-1 / T-4 within 30 days.
• Keep records of leave, change of employers monthly reports if required.
• Submit Form T-5 in time when appearing for Final exam.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: If I registered Inter before 11 Feb 2020, do I follow old scheme?
A: Yes. Old Practical Training Scheme continues for them. 

Q: Can I do part-time or remote articleship?
A: ICMAI rules don’t explicitly provide for remote unless the work is under recognized employer and recognized nature of work. Part-time is tricky; full-time is standard under the 15 months rule.

Q: What if I take leave exceeding allowed?
A: If leave exceeds what is allowed (paid leave + exam leave), you must make up that extra period. 

Q: Is stipend paid via bank or cheque mandatory?
A: The institute requires stipend to be paid by either crossed account payee cheque or deposited into a bank account opened in trainee’s name.