Determining Your CA Final Exam Date Based on Articleship Start Date

For candidates who have embarked on their CA (Chartered Accountant) Articleship journey, a key milestone is the eligibility to appear for the CA Final examination. This article outlines the eligibility criteria and the process to determine when you can sit for the CA Final exam based on your Articleship start date.

Eligibility Criteria for CA Final Exam

Candidates who have joined the CA Articleship program between 1st November 2021 to 30th April 2022 will be eligible to appear for the CA Final examination scheduled in November 2024, provided that they have cleared both groups of CA Intermediate examination by then. This information is provided directly by the ICAI (Institute of Chartered Accountants of India) prospectus.

Understanding the CA Final Exam Eligibility Period

It is important to note that your eligibility to appear for the CA Final exam is determined based on the commencement date of your Articleship rather than the date you become eligible to take the final examination. For instance, if you commenced your Articleship on 25th September 2019, you would be eligible to appear for the CA Final examination in November 2022, provided you have cleared both groups of CA Intermediate examination beforehand.

Calculating the Interval Between Articleship and CA Final Exam

The interval between starting Articleship and appearing for the CA Final exam varies depending on the specific joining dates. However, a general rule of thumb is that you need to complete 2.5 to 3 years of training before you can sit for the CA Final examination. It is crucial to confirm this from the ICAI prospectus and your teachers as the exact dates can vary.

Conditions for Eligibility

No Break in Service: There must be no break in service during the training period. Even if you take excess leaves within the same firm, there should be no break if you change firms. Termination and Rejoining: If you terminate your Articleship and rejoin another firm, this may affect your eligibility for the CA Final examination. Consult the ICAI prospectus for detailed guidelines on termination and rejoining.

Example Scenario

For instance, if you joined your Articleship training on 25th October 2019, you would need to complete 9 months of training before you can become eligible for the CA Final examination. This would place your first eligibility to appear for the CA Final examination in November 2022, provided you have cleared both groups of CA Intermediate examination by then.

It is also worth noting that candidates who joined Articleship between 1st November 2019 and 31st July 2020 would be eligible for the CA Final examination in November 2022 if they have cleared both the groups of Intermediate examination before their May 2022 attempt.

Lastly, candidates seeking Articleship can send their resume to the email ID indicated in the article's profile. Ensure that you adhere to all the guidelines stipulated by the ICAI to maintain your eligibility for the CA Final examination.