CA Foundation Eligibility Criteria
Candidates who want to register for the Chartered Accountancy course have to clear the CA Foundation exam, a national level exam. The test is conducted twice a year by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. The purpose of the exam is to train and certify the candidates who want to become Chartered Accountants.
Before applying for the CA Foundation exam, the candidate must know the eligibility criteria, to avoid rejection of the application form. Let’s look at the eligibility criteria for CA Foundation in detail.
Eligibility Criteria for CA Foundation
Age Limit
There are no age limit restrictions for candidates who want to apply for the CA Foundation exam.
Educational Qualification
The educational qualifications guidelines set by ICAI are:
- Candidates who have passed the Class 10 examination from the state or central government board or an equivalent examination can apply for the CA Foundation exam. However, these candidates can only take provisional admission that will be regularized after clearing Class 12 exams.
- Candidates appearing in Class 12 or have already passed the exams can register for the CA Foundation exam.
- Candidates who have passed Class 12 with a minimum of 50 percent marks can register for the CA Foundation exam.
CA Foundation Exemptions
ICAI has laid certain exemptions for certain candidates and they don’t need to appear in the CA Foundation exam. Instead, they can register themselves for the second-level CA Intermediate course.
Criteria | Exemption |
UG & PG Candidates | Candidates with an aggregate of 55% marks in Graduation or PG in Commerce stream or equivalent from a recognized university |
NIOS | Undergraduate or PG candidates who have passed out from Open University |
Non-commerce | Candidates with Bachelor’s or Master’s degrees in a discipline other than commerce. They must have secured a minimum of 60% or equivalent marks from a recognized University |
Examination Treated as Equivalent to Class 12
Board of Intermediate Education, Andhra Pradesh | Assam Higher Secondary Education Council |
Bihar School Examination Board | Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) |
Chhattisgarh Board of Secondary Education | Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) |
Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education | Gujarat Secondary & Higher Secondary Education |
Board of School Education, Haryana | H. P. Board of School Education |
J & K State Board of School Education | Jharkhand Academic Council |
The government of Karnataka Department of Pre-University Education | Kerala Board of Higher Secondary Education |
Maharashtra State Board of Secondary & Higher Secondary Education | Board of Secondary Education, Madhya Pradesh |
Council of Higher Secondary Education, Manipur | Meghalaya Board of School Education |
Mizoram Board of School Education | Nagaland Board of School Education |
Council of Higher Secondary Education, Orissa | Punjab School Education Board |
Board of Secondary Education, Rajasthan | Tamil Nadu State Board of School Examinations |
Tripura Board of Secondary Education | U.P. Board of High School and Intermediate Education |
Board of School Education, Uttarakhand | West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education |