🏛 Conducting Body
Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) — Foundation level under the New Scheme of Education & Training (effective 1 July 2023). ICAI
📅 Exam Schedule (next confirmed attempt)
- January 2026: 18, 20, 22 & 24 January 2026
- Papers 1–2: 2:00–5:00 PM (3 hours)
- Papers 3–4: 2:00–4:00 PM (2 hours)
- Exam cities (India & overseas) and SSP application links are notified on ICAI. ICAI
ICAI now conducts three Foundation exam cycles each year — January, May, September. Plan registration and study period accordingly. ICAI+1
📝 Registration Cut-offs (4-month study rule)
To be eligible for a given cycle you must be registered ≥ 4 months before the 1st day of that exam month (and have appeared in Class 12):
- May attempt → register on/before 1 January of that year
- September attempt → on/before 1 May of that year
- January attempt → on/before 1 September of the previous year. icai-call-sahayata.icai.org
🎓 Eligibility
- Class 12 (10+2): appeared/passed from a recognised board (course registration can be earlier; exam only after Class 12 appearance). icai-call-sahayata.icai.org
🧾 Pattern, Syllabus & Passing (New Scheme)
Papers (400 marks total):
- Accounting — Subjective (100)
- Business Laws — Subjective (100)
- Quantitative Aptitude — Objective (100): Business Mathematics, Logical Reasoning, Statistics
- Business Economics — Objective (100) ICAI
Negative marking: –0.25 per wrong answer in objective papers (3 & 4). icai-call-sahayata.icai.org
Pass rule: 40% in each paper and 50% aggregate in one sitting. icai-call-sahayata.icai.org
Full topic-wise syllabus & model papers are hosted on ICAI’s Foundation (New Scheme) page. ICAI
💳 Exam Form & Fees (via ICAI SSP)
- Apply on the Self-Service Portal (SSP) during the window announced for each cycle; see “Important Dates / Fee Chart / City Master” for January 2026 on ICAI. eservices.icai.org+1
- India exam-form fee reference and overseas slabs are published with every cycle’s Fee Chart. (Check the live chart for the active attempt.) ICAI
🗺 Centres & Timings
- Extensive Indian city list + overseas centres (e.g., Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, Muscat, Kuwait, Riyadh, Kathmandu, Thimphu). All Foundation papers begin 2:00 PM (IST); durations as above. (See City Master – Jan 2026). ICAI
📄 Application Flow (quick)
- Register in Foundation (BOS) in time for the 4-month rule. icai-call-sahayata.icai.org
- When exam forms open, log in to SSP, choose centre/medium, pay fee, submit. eservices.icai.org
- Admit card releases on SSP ahead of the exam; carry valid ID as per admit card. eservices.icai.org
🧪 After the Exam: Results & Post-result Options
- ICAI announces results on the official portals (e.g., icai.nic.in) after each cycle; May/July cycles have typically released in early July (reference 2025 cycle). https://www.careerindia.com
- Verification / Certified Copies: You can apply for verification of marks and/or certified copies; ICAI endeavours to dispatch certified copies within ~30 days of a complete application; verification can take ~6–8 weeks. icai-call-sahayata.icai.org+1
- Duplicate documents / transcripts: Procedure & timelines are published on ICAI’s site. ICAI
🎯 High-Yield Prep Outline (paper-wise)
- Paper 1 — Accounting: Journal to financial statements; special transactions; consignment/branch; partnership basics; company fundamentals; error rectification; depreciation; inventories. (Work on presentation & step-wise working.) ICAI
- Paper 2 — Business Laws: Indian Contract Act (general principles); Sale of Goods; Partnership (basics); Companies Act (intro); LLP Act (overview). (Quote sections only when sure; focus on tests & caselets.) ICAI
- Paper 3 — Quantitative Aptitude:
- Maths: ratios, proportion, equations, sequences & series, sets & functions, time–value of money, linear programming (intro).
- LR: arrangements, syllogisms, coding, blood relations, direction, data sufficiency.
- Stats: averages/dispersion, correlation/regression, probability basics, index numbers, time series. (Practice OMR/MCQ strategy; avoid −0.25 traps.) ICAI
- Paper 4 — Business Economics: demand/supply, elasticity, production & costs, market structures, national income concepts, money & banking basics, business cycles, Indian economy overview/policy. ICAI
❓ FAQs (exam-specific)
- How often is Foundation held? Thrice a year — Jan/May/Sep. icai-call-sahayata.icai.org
- Is there negative marking? Yes, only in Papers 3 & 4 (−0.25). icai-call-sahayata.icai.org
- Minimum to pass? 40% per paper & 50% aggregate in a single sitting. icai-call-sahayata.icai.org
- Where to fill forms / get admit card? ICAI SSP (watch “Important Dates” for your cycle). eservices.icai.org+1
🔗 Keep Handy (official)
- Foundation — New Scheme (syllabus & model papers): papers, topics, resources. ICAI
- Examination Announcements (Jan 2026 hub: dates, fee chart, city master, important dates, SSP links): ICAI
- ICAI SSP portal (forms/admit card/results links): eservices.icai.org
- Thrice-a-year policy note: ICAI
- Results & timelines (recent cycle reference): https://www.careerindia.com
- Post-result: certified copies / verification: