CA FoundationConducted by Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI)

CA Foundation Examination

Official website ↗
Purpose
Entry-level examination of the Chartered Accountancy course, taken after Class 12 (or after registering through the CA Foundation route).
Eligibility
Class 12 pass and registration with ICAI through the Board of Studies, subject to ICAI's current regulations.
Age limits
No age limit.(may change — verify at the official source)
Attempt limits
Not applicable at Foundation; registration validity rules apply — verify ICAI's current regulations.(may change — verify at the official source)
Stages
Registration with ICAI + study period → CA Foundation papers (four) → Proceed to CA Intermediate
Pattern
Objective and descriptive papers; negative marking on objective sections.
Subjects
Accounting, Business laws, Quantitative aptitude (maths, logical reasoning, statistics), Business economics
Total marks
400 marks (four papers of 100)
Duration
3 hours per paper (as per ICAI scheme)
Interview / personality test
Not applicable
Physical test
Not applicable
Medical test
Not applicable
Held
Typically three sessions a year in recent cycles(may change — verify at the official source)
Notes
CA involves Foundation → Intermediate → Articleship → Final. Direct-entry graduates skip Foundation. ICAI regulations define every step — read the current ones.