A Chartered Accountant’s viral post strongly criticising the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) went viral among the CA fraternity, which warned that the profession's future is being jeopardized by recent policy directions and exam reforms.

In his sharply worded statement, the CA alleged that “the people sitting at the helm of affairs of the ICAI (in the so-called Councils) are simply destroying the future of the CA profession and the professionals.”

He alleged that the governing body made poorly thought-out choices to increase the number of chartered accountants in the whole country at the expense of credibility and professional quality.

Taking a direct swipe at ICAI’s leadership, the post likened their functioning to a “Tughluq’s regime”, saying, “These heads are behaving like Muhammad bin Tughluq, the Mad Sultan of Delhi.”

The CA warned that such frequent exam cycles would “flood the market” with new entrants, undermining the hard-earned value and integrity of the profession. He wrote, “They may even introduce ‘Monthly CA Exams’ in the near future, stating the stale fact that the demand for CAs in India is bright and ever-growing.”

Calling for immediate corrective steps, he urged the ICAI to “revert to two exams per year and four subjects per group”, insisting that the institute’s “prime objective should never be just increasing the number of CAs in India.”

The post ended with a grim note on the profession’s outlook: “Bad days are ahead for the CA profession in India!”

The institute has not officially responded to the remarks. To the posts, many had raised their concerns, which showed both sides of the coin. Some agreed with the post and some said that do good and you’ll retain your work.

“Keep how many every exams per year. Make the course analytical and knowledgeable. We are jack of all, master of none. We pass out without knowing the basics of IFRS. Maximum jobs are in GCC in accounting and financial reporting. If we have good USGAAP/ IFRS knowledge, it's good”, wrote one commentator.

Other wrote that “Starting 'May 2024, the ICAI has geared up a "new way of easing" the examination, which will prove suicidal in the days to come.”

The CA Final September 2025 exam results were announced recently, with 11,466 candidates successfully qualifying to become Chartered Accountants.

Like every issue, this too has two sides. When the demand for professionals is rising, the institute needs to take steps to support students, which may include increasing exam frequency to three times a year.

Such measures are meant to make the process more flexible and responsive to changing needs. However, if the number of qualified CAs reaches saturation, it is expected that the ICAI will review and adjust its approach accordingly.

As the world’s largest accounting body with a proud 76-year legacy, the ICAI has always upheld the integrity of the profession and is unlikely to take any decision that harms the credibility or future of Chartered Accountants.

Support our journalism by subscribing to Taxscan premium. Follow us on Telegram for quick updates