Chartered Accountancy (CA) Foundation

ICAI, which stands for ‘Institute of Chartered Accountants of India’, is the statutory body in India authorized to recognize Chartered Accountants. It also acts as a regulatory body in managing the CA profession in the country. An individual must complete the course designed by ICAI to become a member of ICAI.

The CA course has three levels:

• CA Foundation,
• CA Intermediate, and
• CA Final

In addition to these exams, a student is required to complete 3 years of practical training, also known as Articleship’.

For students opting for the Foundation Route, the minimum CA course duration is close to 4 years and 6 months. Every additional attempt at clearing an examination might cost the students at least an extra 6 months

For graduates/post-graduates taking the Direct Entry, the minimum CA course duration is 3 years and can go up to 3 and half years depending on when the student registers and is eligible to attempt the exams for the first time

The first step for a student to become a Chartered Accountant is to enroll for the Foundation Course with the Board of Studies (BoS) after clearing the Class X examination. Foundation Examination is conducted twice a year in May and November. Students can enroll till December 31st for the next year’s May exam and till June 30th for the November exam. The time gap between registration and examination is meant to complete the four-month study period.

To clear the CA Foundation, a student must get a minimum of 40 marks in each subject and an average of 50% across all papers. Also, the MCQs carry negative marks. If the student does not clear either of the marks-based criteria, the student may take the exam again 6 months later and attempt to clear the level.

After passing the Foundation examination, one must enroll in the Intermediate course, the syllabus for which is divided into two groups. It is compulsory to complete an 8-month study course to appear in the exam. This exam is also conducted twice a year, i.e., in May & November.

Once the student clears even one group of CA Intermediate, he/she is eligible to enroll for the mandatory articleship training for three years. Students are required to undergo a four-week Integrated Course on Information Technology and Soft Skills (ICITSS) before starting articleship training.

Learning Objectives:

• Negotiate effectively and fairly to make 1000s more than they would otherwise
• Be confident in starting and finishing a negotiation
• Use smart tactics to increase their bargaining power
• Develop mental and emotional strength to keep pushing until they get a great price
• Use negotiating skills in both personal and professional situations
• Bargain over everything from huge corporate deals, to flea market haggles
• Combat common techniques to ensure their profit isn't diminished without them noticing