Chartered Accountancy

📋 Chartered Accountancy

Any PUC stream · after SSLC (Class 10) · listed under PUC Commerce

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Duration

3–5 Years

Entrance Exam

Qualification

CA

Job Roles

8 mapped

Who can apply

After Class 12 in any stream via the Foundation route. Graduates with 55% (commerce) or 60% (other streams) can enter directly at Intermediate.

The journey, step by step

SSLC through to leadership.

Your route

  1. Class 10SSLC
  2. PUC — any stream2 years
  3. CA3–5 Years
  4. Chartered Accountantfirst job

Or, after a degree: Direct Entry to CA Intermediate for graduates — 55% for commerce graduates, 60% for others — skipping the Foundation exam

Common ways in:B.Com / BBABBM (Business Management)

  1. 1Foundation · 1 Year🎓 — Class 10Finish Class 10. Your marks decide which colleges and subject combinations are open to you next.
  2. 2Stream Selection · 2 Years📊 — any streamTwo years of pre-university study in any stream — Science, Commerce or Arts all qualify. This guide lists the course under Commerce. This is where you prepare for the entrance exam.
  3. 3Entrance Exam · Exam year📝 Entry to CA is through . is run by Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) and leads to CA Intermediate, the first formal step toward becoming a Chartered Accountant. Dates change every year — always confirm on the conducting authority's official portal.
  4. 4Qualification · 3–5 Years📘 CAChartered Accountancy: 3–5 Years. You can specialise in Taxation, Audit, Financial Reporting, Corporate Finance and more.
  5. 5First Job · After graduating💼 Chartered AccountantCommon starting roles include Chartered Accountant, Auditor, CFO.
  6. 6Higher Studies · Optional🎯 CPA (USA)You can continue with CPA (USA), ACCA (UK), MBA Finance.
  7. 7Research · 3–5 Years for a PhD🔬 Post-qualification diplomas (ICAI)Post-qualification diplomas (ICAI) · Forensic accounting research · PhD in commerce / finance · Forensic accounting specialisation
  8. 8Government Route · Exam-based🏛️ Indian Audit & Accounts ServiceIndian Audit & Accounts Service via · Grade B officer · Public-sector bank finance roles · CAG / income-tax department
  9. 9Entrepreneurship · Any time🚀 Own CA practiceOwn CA practice · Audit and tax consultancy · Virtual CFO services · Insolvency and restructuring practice
  10. 10Leadership · Long term⭐ Finance ControllerFinance Controller · Partner in a CA firm · CFO

Entrance exams & admission

Register with ICAI at icai.org and clear Foundation, then Intermediate, then Final. Under the New Scheme notified in the Gazette on 22 June 2023 and in force from 1 July 2023, articleship was reduced from 3 years to 2, and Intermediate and Final now carry 6 papers each.

Check exam details and official portals →

What it costs to get there

Indicative total tuition for the whole course in Karnataka

Government seat

₹70,000–1L

about ₹17,000 a year

Private / management seat

₹1.5–3L

about ₹45,000 a year

ICAI registration and exam fees across all three levels come to roughly ₹70,000 if you study on your own. Coaching is optional and is what pushes the total to ₹1.5–3L. There is no government-versus-private seat here.

Fees change every year and differ by college — confirm with the college before paying. Scholarships can cover much of this.

Job roles and salary ranges

Salary figures are indicative annual ranges, not guarantees.

Chartered AccountantEntry₹7–22L
AuditorMid₹6–18L
CFOMid₹20–80L
Tax ConsultantMid₹6–20L
Forensic AuditorSenior₹8–20L
GST PractitionerSenior₹6–15L
Transfer Pricing SpecialistSenior₹8–20L
Insolvency ProfessionalSenior₹10–25L

What you can do next

  • CPA (USA)
  • ACCA (UK)
  • MBA Finance

Research routes

  • ›Post-qualification diplomas (ICAI)
  • ›Forensic accounting research
  • ›PhD in commerce / finance
  • ›Forensic accounting specialisation

Government jobs

  • ›Indian Audit & Accounts Service via
  • › Grade B officer
  • ›Public-sector bank finance roles
  • ›CAG / income-tax department

Start your own

  • ›Own CA practice
  • ›Audit and tax consultancy
  • ›Virtual CFO services
  • ›Insolvency and restructuring practice

Senior roles later

  • ›Finance Controller
  • ›Partner in a CA firm
  • ›CFO

Specialisations

  • ›Taxation
  • ›Audit
  • ›Financial Reporting
  • ›Corporate Finance

Where it is taught

  • ›ICAI Institutes
  • ›ICAI regional offices

Where these facts come from

Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) — Foundation → Intermediate → Final with articleship

Confused by a word? Read the guideCompare this with another pathway

Find a college for this course

Explore the directory, then confirm eligibility, fees and available seats with the college.

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