CA Final Exams to be Held Twice a Year from May 2026: ICAI Ends Thrice-Yearly Cycle
The Council reached the decision to consolidate these attempts after evaluating extensive feedback from various stakeholders, including students and seasoned professionals.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India ( ICAI ) has notified the shift in the frequency of its CharteredAccountants (CA) Final Examinations. The institute decided to move from a thrice-yearly cycle to a biannual schedule.
According to the official notification released on 6 April 2026, the CA Final exams will henceforth be conducted only in May and November. This revised timeline is set to take effect immediately, beginning with the May 2026 examination window.
ICAI, in its official notification said that “in view of the feedback from the stakeholders, the Council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India has decided that CA Final Examinations shall be conducted twice a year in the months of May and November with effect from May 2026 Chartered Accountants Examination and onwards.”
Prior to this, the CA Final examinations were held three times a year, specifically in January, May, and September. This 3 yearly decision was taken last year which gained both appreciation and criticism.
The ICAI Council reached the decision to consolidate these attempts after evaluating extensive feedback from various stakeholders, including students and seasoned professionals.
By discontinuing the January and September cycles, the Institute is returning to the traditional biannual system that characterized the profession for decades before the recent experiment with multiple annual attempts.
The exam will be conducted in the month of may and november, said ICAI.
From an administrative standpoint, a twice-a-year cycle allows the ICAI to focus on improving the quality of evaluation and ensuring more consistent examination standards.
Support our journalism by subscribing to Taxscan premium. Follow us on Telegram for quick updates
