About ICAI
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) is a statutory body set up by an Act of Parliament, viz. The Chartered Accountants Act, 1949.
Over a period of time, the ICAI has achieved recognition as a premier accountancy body not only in the country but also globally, for maintaining highest standards in technical, ethical areas and for sustaining stringent examination and education standards. Since 1949, the profession has grown leaps and bounds in terms of members and student base. As against a meagre membership of 1,700 in 1949, today the membership of the Institute is over 2,70,000.
Career opportunities after CA:
1) Practice CA
After taking certificate of practice, a CA can open office individually or with other CA and offer consultancy in following areas:
Taxation: Direct taxes, GST, international taxation etc.
Management consultancy services: Project Financing, Mergers acquisition, Valuation
Auditing: Statutory audit of Companies, Internal /management audit of companies, Cooperative audits, Forensic audit
Partner of big audit/consultancy firms: Global audit/tax /consultancy firms are mostly the interest of current generation
Pursue Government /civil services: CA can aim for doing Civil services course and then attain position like the president of ITAT tribunal (income tax appellate tribunal), SEBI (securities exchange board of India) chairman . This position can be achieved only by working in a government organization for a longer number of years
Step for pursuing CA course:
1. Foundation
This is an entry to the CA Course for the candidates who have appeared for class XII examinations. A student has to register in foundation after appearing in 12th examination and appear in foundation exam. After passing CA foundation exam, student can register for Intermediate examination. It has 4 papers, 2 subjective and 2 objective.
2. Intermediate
After passing foundation, student can register in intermediate program. He can appear in examination after minimum 8 months. Intermediate has 8 subjects which are divided in two groups of 4 subjects. After passing any one group of intermediate, student is eligible for articleship.
Direct Entry Route:
Graduate students can enter directly to its Intermediate Course and skip foundation course, subject to following eligibility:
A. Commerce Graduates/Post-Graduates (with minimum 55% marks) or Other Graduates/Post-Graduates (with
minimum 60% marks) and
B. Intermediate level passed candidates of Institute of Company Secretaries of India and Institute of Cost
Accountants of India
Articleship
As a part of CA course, a student has to undergo 3 years of articleship after passing any group of intermediate. The student can undergo his/her articles under a Practicing Chartered Accountant, or a Firm of Chartered Accountants. Out of these 3 years of articleship, last year of training can be done under chartered accountant in practice or enroll himself for training under a chartered accountant in employment in a company. Training under a chartered accountant in employment is called industrial training.
3. Final
A student can register for the Final Course after qualifying both the Groups of Intermediate Course. He/She can appear in Final examination during last six months of practical training or after completion of Practical Training. CA Final has 8 subjects divided in two groups of 4 subjects each. After qualifying both groups of Final Course, a student become member of ICAI.