What is the CA Foundation form correction process?

CA Foundation form correction window opens the next day of application form submission deadline. The form correction remains open for 2 days during which candidates can login to SSP portal and edit course group, test city and medium of exam. No other field of the CA Foundation application form is editable. If any student wishes to update their photo, they can do so at the SSP portal but before the application form submission.

Is there negative marking in CA Foundation exam?

There is no negative marking in Paper 1 and Paper 2 of the CA Foundation course as they are subjective papers. In Paper3 and Paper 4, which have objective type questions, there is negative marking of 1/4th mark for incorrect attempt. Total marks per paper is 100. Every question carries 1 mark. Thus, students must mark answers carefully in Paper 3 and 4, to avoid negative marking. They must not do guess work.

How to get photo changed on CA Foundation admit card?

If the photo printed on the CA Foundation admit card is unclear, candidates will need to reach out to the examination conducting body and get it rectified before the exam dates. It is very important to have clear photo and signature on the CA Foundation admit card as it is the main document of identification of students.

What is the criteria of shortlisting by the companies for ICAI CA placements?

The criteria for shortlisting candidates for placements is determined by participating organizations themselves. The maximum number of shortlisting by recruiting entities cannot exceed 10 times the number of vacancies they declared for Chartered Accountancy. Also, the participating organisations usually shortlist candidates depending upon overall educational qualifications, number of attempts, other attributes, Completion of Articleship training and in case a greater number of candidates qualify selection criteria companies may choose on random basis as per their choice. Organisations participating in Campus Placement Programme prefer that the candidates selected by them should be ready to join the organisations immediately and should not claim that their Articleship training is pending and require more time to join.

What is the passing mark in CA courses?

Candidates need to score 40 per cent in each paper of every group/course level and 50 per cent in aggregate in all the papers of a group/course level. This minimum mark criterion is applicable to all three courses - CA Foundation, CA Intermediate and CA Final. Candidates cannot move to the next level of the Chartered Accountancy course until they clear the previous level. A very few percentage of candidates get a high score as the scores of All India toppers are usually below 75%. Candidates can take any number of attempts to clear a course level. The process includes practical training as well.

What is the syllabus of ICAI CA Foundation course?

ICAI CA Foundation is the first level of the course. This level may be considered the easiest of all the courses. The syllabus of ICAI CA Foundation includes the following topics: Principles and Practice of Accounting Business Laws and Business Correspondence and Reporting Business Mathematics Logical Reasoning and Statistics Business Economics Business and Commercial Knowledge Candidates need to clear all the papers relate to these subjects in order to move to Intermediate level. The minimum score requirement id 40 per cent in every paper.

How many papers are there in CA Foundation course?

There are four papers in CA Foundation exam. Check below marks and timings of CA Foundation papers: CA Foundation Paper Marks Time Paper 1: Principles and Practice of Accounting 100 marks 3 hours Paper 2: Business Laws and Business Correspondence Reporting Section A: Business Laws – 60 marks Section B: Business Correspondence and Reporting – 40 marks 3 hours Paper 3: Quantitative Aptitude (+ Logical Reasoning and Statistics) Part A: Business Mathematics- 40 marks Part B: Logical Reasoning – 20 marks Part C: Statistics – 40 marks 2 hours Paper 4: Business Economics Part I: Business Economics – 60 marks Part II: Business and Commercial Knowledge – 40 marks 2 hours

How is CA exam evaluated by the ICAI?

The ICAI follows a fair method of evaluation of exam papers of candidates. Be it CA Foundation, CA Intermediate or CA Final exam papers, the ICAI checks the paper on merit of the arguments made. In theory paper, the points are given on language of the answer, clarity of the argument and presentation. In practical papers, marks are awarded if the answer is supported by working notes. If the answer is presented well, clearly in tabular format with working notes (showing calculation), it is sure to get marks. Students say that working notes help in getting grace marks.

Do I need to create fresh login for every attempt of CA Foundation exam?

No, candidates do not need to create fresh login for every attempt of CA Foundation exam. Students can register for the CA Foundation exam with the login created for the first time. The same login ID remains valid for the entire course. Students must note that to apply for the exam, they have to create a login at SSP portal of the ICAI exam and not on the home website. The SSP Portal login is valid upto 3 years for Foundation. Candidates can revalidate their login upon expiry by paying INR 300.

Can I pursue CA Foundation after Class 10?

One can register for CA Foundation after Class 10 but can pursue the course only after completing Class 12. Until then, ICAI registration will remain provisional, as the minimum eligibility criteria for CA Foundation is Class 12 pass. The advantage of registering for the course after class 10 though is that you can start preparing for it along with your studies. If you choose commerce stream in class 11 and 12, it will be even easier for you to prepare for CA Foundation.

Which are the top private companies that hire Chartered Accountants?

Ernst & Young (EY), PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler (KPMG) and Deloitte are the top private companies that hire CAs. They are known as The Big Four. CA professionals can seek employment in these companies as well as other enterprises if they don't want to practice independently. The ICAI has its own placement cell to, through which it provides placements to candidates who complete the Chartered Accountancy course. Some of the top companies that participate in the campus placements are Infosys, Pankaj Somaiya Associates LLP, Prism Johnson Limited, Tata Consultancy Services Ltd, Bandhan AMC Ltd, Mahindra Rural Housing Finance Limited, Hindalco Industries, Ford Motor Private Limited, LIC Housing Finance Ltd, Axis Bank among others.

What is question paper observation in CA exams?

Question paper observation is a process through which candidates can raise query with the ICAI examination authorities regarding the question paper for the exam they have appeared for. The process usually starts from the next day of the examination and candidates have to submit their observation via email. No fee is charged for the same. Dates of submission of question paper submission vary for CA Foundation, CA Inter and CA Final exams.

Does ICAI provide study material for CA Foundation?

Yes, ICAI provides comprehensive study material for CA Foundation preparation. The study material includes books, sample papers, practice test papers, mock tests, online classes and much more. Registered students can enroll at BoS to avail study material offered by the ICAI. Students must also refer to CA Foundation books and study material available in the market for preparation.

How many attempts are allowed in CA course?

In the CA course, candidates can make any number of attempts until they clear a particular level. They will be eligible to register for the next level only after clearing the previous level. For example, a candidate needs to clear the CA Foundation level to be able to register for CA Intermediate. For appearing in CA Final exams, a candidate needs to clear both Foundation and Intermediate levels. Since, the level of difficulty of this course is very high, a maximum percentage of students make multiple attempts. Candidates who decide to pursue CA course, need to make sure that they are well prepared to a marathon of studies, preparation and exams. Hope this helps!!!

What is the fees for CA Foundation course?

The fees for registration of CA Foundation course is INR 9,000 for single group and the exam fee is INR 1500. Candidates have to pay CA exam fee at the time of form submission. They must do so before the deadline set for the CA Foundation exam of a particular phase to avoid penalty of late fee of INR 600. The fee is non-refundable. The fee payment is to be done through credit card, debit card or net banking.

Who prescribes the CA exam pattern?

The exam pattern of every CA course is prescribed by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). The agency is responsible for designing the CA courses and conducting the examinations as well as awarding the CA certification in India for professional practice. They also decide the exam mode, duration, timing, questions, marking scheme, passing marks and test process. Once the candidate completes the CA course from ICAI, they are ready to practice Chartered Accountancy professionally. The paper-wise pattern of CA course levels is different from each other. Some papers are of 2 hours duration whereas some are of 3 hours duration.

CA Foundation January 2026: Admit Card, Exam Dates, May Registration, Mock Test & Question Papers

217 Students Q&A

Exam On - 18 Jan '26

Updated on Jan 6, 2026 16:39 IST

By Vipra Shrivastava, Senior Manager - Content

CA Foundation exam will be held between January 18 to January 24, 2026. The exam timing will be 2 pm to 5 pm. ICAI released the CA Foundation admit card on December 18, 2025. Candidates can download the CA Foundation admit card Jan 2026 from the SSP portal or eservices website until the exam day. The admit card contains test centre, exam timing and reporting time details.

ICAI has also announced the dates for CA Foundation May 2026 exam. Registration process for May exams will begin from March 3, 2026. The CA Foundation May 2026 exam dates are May 14,16, 18 and 20, 2026. Read here all about ICAI CA Foundation exam.

Download: ICAI CA Foundation admit card 2026

Table of contents

What is CA Exam (Foundation)?
ICAI Exam 2026 Dates & Schedule
CA Foundation Exam Highlights 2026
ICAI CA Foundation Eligibility Criteria 2026
ICAI CA Foundation Exam Process
ICAI CA Foundation Exam 2026 Contact Information
FAQs Related to ICAI CA Foundation Exam 2026

What is CA Exam (Foundation)?

ICAI Exam 2026 Dates & Schedule

Take a look at the table below for the complete schedule of CA Foundation 2026 exam

Dates	Upcoming Exam Dates
18 Jan ' 26	CA Foundation Jan 2026 Paper 1
20 Jan ' 26	CA Foundation Jan 2026 Paper 1
22 Jan ' 26	CA Foundation Jan 2026 Paper 3
24 Jan ' 26	CA Foundation Jan 2026 Paper 4
03 Mar ' 26 - 19 Mar ' 26	CA Foundation May 2026 registration
14 May ' 26 - 20 May ' 26	CA Foundation May 2026 exam

Dates	Past Exam Dates
20 Nov ' 25 - 22 Nov ' 25	CA Foundation registration Jan 2026 correction window
17 Nov ' 25 - 19 Nov ' 25	CA Foundation registration Jan 2026 (with late fee)
03 Nov ' 25	CA Foundation Sep 2025 Result
View More Past Events (20)

CA Foundation Exam Highlights 2026

ICAI CA Foundation Eligibility Criteria 2026

ICAI CA Foundation Exam Process

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Phone No. : 0120-3045994 (Direct)

Official Website: https://www.icai.org/

Phone Number: 0120-3045994

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CMA Dec 2025 Results (Foundation) 8 Jan '26

Dates • Results

CA Final 2026

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CSEET Exam Date 2026 Jan session 10 Jan '26

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SNUCEE 2026 Registration Phase 1 Feb '26 - Apr '26

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CA Foundation January 2026: Admit Card, Exam Dates, May Registration, Mock Test & Question Papers

What is CA Exam (Foundation)?

ICAI Exam 2026 Dates & Schedule

CA Foundation Exam Highlights 2026

ICAI CA Foundation Eligibility Criteria 2026

ICAI CA Foundation Exam Process

FAQs Related to ICAI CA Foundation Exam 2026

Explore more Accounting & Commerce exams with upcoming dates

News & Updates

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CA Foundation Exam Dates 2026 (Jan & May): Check Complete ICAI Exam Schedule Here

CA Pass Percentage (September 2025): Check Highest Marks in CA Foundation, Intermediate and Final

CA Toppers List 2025: ICAI CA Toppers September 2025 Scores & Rank of CA Final, Inter, Foundation Toppers

ICAI CA Foundation Exam Centres 2026 (Updated): Check State/City wise Exam Centres List

ICAI CA Exam 2026: Check Latest Eligibility Criteria for CA Foundation, Inter and Final

ICAI CA Foundation Registration 2026: May Dates, Form Correction, Link, Process, Fees

ICAI CA Foundation Result 2026: CA Foundation Scorecard Link & Merit List (January)

CA Foundation Syllabus 2026 (New Scheme): Download ICAI Syllabus & Subjects PDF

CA Foundation Exam Dates 2026 (Jan & May): Check Complete ICAI Exam Schedule Here

CA Foundation Admit Card 2026 (January): Download CA Hall Tickets of Foundation Exam

ICAI CA Registration Jan 2026 with Late Fees Starts; Apply at SSP Portal