Since its inception, the ICAI has functioned as India's primary accounting body by organising the CA Final exams two times annually. To provide students with enhanced professional opportunities, the institute added more examination periods following global practices. Many thousands of candidates stand to gain from this change because it creates additional testing windows, which shorten total examination delays, thus accelerating their professional career advancement.
Details Of The New Examination Schedule
Starting in 2025, the CA Final exams will take place in January, May, and September. The new schedule matches the existing pattern adopted for the CA Intermediate and Foundation programme, which moved to three annual test periods during the previous year. The standardised examination occurrence across all certification levels enables ICAI to simplify certification processing while making equivalent chances accessible to every applicant.
The examination dates for the CA Final during the May 2025 session begin on Group I dates from the 2nd to the 6th of May.
| Group | Exam Dates (May 2025) |
|---|
| Group I | 2nd, 4th, and 6th May 2025 |
| Group II | 8th, 10th, and 13th May 2025 |
Rationale Behind The Decision
Who holds the position of ICAI President, CA Charanjot Singh Nand, emphasised that this revolutionary decision both matches worldwide best practices and enhances student achievement opportunities. Higher examination frequency will assist students in studying strategically while minimising their stress from brief testing periods to speed up their career entry process.
Also Read: UPSC Exam 2025: A Detailed Overview
Impact On Students And The Profession
The newly proposed thrice-yearly examination protocol will bring forth various beneficial results:
-
Additional flexibility available to students allows test appearances on multiple dates so they can confidently select their best time to take the exam.
-
Candidates who need to retake examinations will experience reduced waiting time because the six-month restriction no longer applies, which creates a faster qualification process.
-
Students will achieve better career planning through additional examination dates that match their personal and professional time limitations.
-
This modification will lead to increased certification rates while decreasing the waiting time for certification, which will ultimately strengthen accounting practice in India.
Changes To Post Qualification Courses
ICAI conducted a schedule revision for its Post Qualification Course in Information Systems Audit, apart from revising the CA Final examinations. The Assessment Test for this course will be conducted three times a year starting from February until October, in addition to June. The scheduling change focuses on offering members better accessibility and convenience so they can develop their skills steadily.
Also Read: Bihar NMMS 2025: Check Eligibility, Exam Date, And More
Registration And Preparation
Candidates seeking admission to the May 2025 CA Final exams must register from March 1 to March 14 of 2025, but might also register during a late enrollment period from March 17 to March 20 with additional fees. Additional registration will be possible from March 17 to 2025 for an additional cost. The period for correcting and reviewing exam forms will be active between March 18 and 20, 2025.
According to ICAI, students need to structure their study programme based on the latest schedule while accessing the extra resources found on the official ICAI website in their preparation efforts.
Conclusion
By allowing CA Final exams three times each year, ICAI now uses a different approach to test aspiring chartered accountants. The new multiple exam format will help students and professional accountants by letting them choose examination dates and cut down on certification delays.
Get the latest updates on government schemes and policies with Jaagruk Bharat. Join India's biggest Jaagruk Bharat community. Share your thoughts, questions, and favourite topics with us.
