All You Ever Need to Know About the Direct Entry CA Course!

Are you planning on pursuing CA after graduation?

Let us take you through everything you need to know on how to do CA without having to clear the CA foundation exam. What exactly is the direct entry route?

For students who have completed their graduation and are interested in pursuing the field of CA. Once you decide to pursue a direct entry alternative you can seek admission directly into the CA Intermediate course, which means you can skip the first level of CA course (CA foundation).  

It refers to direct entry in the ICAI Chartered Accountancy Course without appearing for the entrance level exam that is CA Foundation.

What is the eligibility for the Direct Entry Route?

Students who fall under the categories mentioned below are eligible to register for ICAI CA Intermediate level without clearing the CA foundation:

1. Graduate or Post Graduate from Commerce stream who has secured an aggregate minimum of 55% of the total marks or its equivalent grade or other graduates or postgraduates who have a 60% of the total marks or its equivalent grade in the examination conducted by any recognized University (Including Open University).
2. Graduate or Post Graduates other than falling under Commerce stream having secured an aggregate a minimum of 60% of the total marks or its equivalent in an examination conducted by any recognized university (including Open University)
3. Students who have cleared the Intermediate level exams which are held by the Cost Accountants of India or by the  Company Secretaries of India (ICSI)

Provisional Registration for students in the Final Year

For those students who are pursuing the final year of graduation can register for the Intermediate course on a provisional basis before 6 months of completion of the graduation with proper proof that they will commence article ship training after submitting their graduation mark sheet with the above-specified marks.

During the registration period, a student can undergo and can also complete ICITSS. If the student isn’t able to produce the proof within the said period, his provisional registration shall stand cancelled and the registration and other fees paid by him shall not be refunded/ adjusted and no credit shall be given for the theoretical education undergone.

What is the procedure for the Direct Entry Route?

 For the students who have cleared the ICSI/ICWA Intermediate level exam -

• Register with the Board of Studies for the ICAI CA Intermediate Course. 
• Complete 8 months of the study period.
• Appear and Pass in either or both Groups of CA Intermediate Course.
• Successfully complete Four Weeks ICITSS any time after registering for CA Intermediate Course but before the commencement of the Practical Training.
• Register for Three Years Practical Training on passing either or both the Groups of CA Intermediate Course. 
• Register for the ICAI CA Final Course after qualifying both the Groups of CA Intermediate Course.
• Successfully complete Four Weeks AICITSS during the last two years of Practical Training but before appearing for CA Final Examination.
• Appear in CA Final Examination during the last six months of Practical Training.
• Complete Practical Training, qualify both groups of Final Course.
• Become a Member of ICAI.

For the graduates and postgraduates-

• Register with the Board of Studies for the ICAI CA Intermediate Course. 
• Successfully complete Four Weeks ICITSS any time after registering for CA Intermediate Course but before the commencement of the Practical Training.
• Join 3 Years Practical Training and appear in Intermediate Exams after 9 months of practical training.
• Register for the ICAI CA Final Course after qualifying both the Groups of CA Intermediate Course.
• Successfully complete Four Weeks AICITSS during the last two years of Practical Training but before appearing for CA Final Examination.
• Appear in CA Final Examination during the last six months of Practical Training.
• Complete Practical Training, qualify both groups of Final Course.
• Become a Member of ICAI.

What is the CA Articleship?

Articleship is an important part of the CA course curriculum and we shall tell you everything you need to know about it. Basically, an articleship is a practical experience of a CA work where you will be working under a certified and practising CA/CA firm.  CA articleship is a 3-year practical training phase that permits students to work on actual assignments in a working environment. What this articleship aims to do is not limit the CA student with bookish knowledge but introduce them to a working environment and mould them into true professionals.

Eligibility of CA articleship:

• For the foundation students -

1. Have cleared Group I Intermediate or both groups of Intermediate.
2. Complete 35 hours orientation programme and 100 hours of Information Technology Training (ITT) at any ICAI branch before commencement of articleship.

• For direct entrants:

1. Register for both groups of Intermediate at the ICAI
2. Complete 35 hours orientation programme and 100 hours of Information Technology Training (ITT) at any ICAI branch before commencement of articleship.

CA Inter Registration Process:

Those who want to register for the Intermediate course under both routes can do so by filling up the Online Registration Form available on the ICAI website.

Candidate while filling the form should take care of the following:

• After filling the online form, pay the required fee online using the payment gateway.
• When you have made a successful payment, you get an automated form which is to be printed.

The following documents are to be submitted to the concerned regional office within 7 days of the date of online registration along with the print out of the online registration form, signed by the students.

• Foundation Route students have to submit an attested copy of the mark sheet of Class 12th or its equivalent Central Government recognized examination pass marks statement.
• Direct Entry Route students have to submit an attested copy of the Graduation/ Post Graduation mark statement/mark sheet of Intermediate level examination of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India or the Institute of Cost Accountants of India.
• One recent colour photograph (affixed on the printout of the online successful registration form)
• Attested copy of proof of Nationality, if the student is a foreigner.
• Attested copy of proof of special category certificate, i.e., SC/ST, OBC, Differently abled.

On completion of the registration process, the study material will be sent to the students through the Centralized Dispatch System (CDS).