Exam guide · CA Foundation

CA Foundation: four papers, one rule, 40 in each and 200 in all

CA Foundation is the first of three levels to become a chartered accountant. It is held three times a year, in January, May and September, so you can choose your attempt instead of racing one date.

By Anuj Arora · Last verified: 10 Nov 2026

The paper at a glance

CA Foundation: four papers of 100 marksCA Foundation has four papers of 100 marks each: Accounting and Business Laws are written papers of 3 hours; Quantitative Aptitude and Business Economics are objective papers of 2 hours with negative marking. 1 2 3 4 1 Paper 1 · Accountingwritten · 3 hours 2 Paper 2 · Business Lawswritten · 3 hours 3 Paper 3 · Quantitative Aptitudeobjective · 2 hours 4 Paper 4 · Business Economicsobjective · 2 hours Pass: at least 40 in each paper and 200 of 400 overall.
Green: written papers. Amber: objective papers, a quarter mark lost for each wrong answer. Paper 3 is maths (40), logical reasoning (20) and statistics (40).
Conducted byInstitute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI)
SessionsJanuary, May and September · next: 3–9 Jan 2027. Exam calendar
RegisterAfter Class 10 (provisionally while in Class 12), at least four months before your exam month; you sit only after passing Class 12
Pass mark40% in each paper and 50% overall, in one sitting
Official syllabusicai.org · free ICAI study material at boslive.icai.org

The 12-month plan

A Class 12 Commerce student can pace CA Foundation over a year and sit the first session after boards. ICAI's own study material is the base text.

CA Foundation study plan in phasesTwelve-month plan: months 1 to 4 Accounting, months 5 to 7 Business Laws and Economics, months 8 to 9 board exams, months 10 to 12 Quantitative Aptitude, then revision and mock papers. Six-month plan: months 1 to 2 Accounting, months 3 to 4 Laws, Economics and Quantitative Aptitude, months 5 to 6 revision and mock papers. 12 months M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 M7 M8 M9 M10 M11 M12 Accounting Laws + Economics Boards Quant, then mocks 6 months M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 Accounting Laws, Eco, Quant Revise + mocks
Green: learning. Amber: exams and testing. Register with ICAI before you start the last four months.
MonthsFocusDone when
1–4Accounting from ICAI study material; every illustration solved by handYou can finish a past Paper 1 in 3 hours
5–7Business Laws (write answers, not just read) and Business EconomicsTwo law answers written every day
8–9Board exams; keep 30 minutes of Accounting practiceBoards done
10–12Quantitative Aptitude; then ICAI mock test papers and revision test papersAbove 50 in every mock paper

The six-month version

MonthsFocusDone when
1–2Accounting, ICAI material and past papersAll chapters solved once
3–4Laws and Economics in the morning, Quant in the eveningEvery chapter read once
5–6ICAI mock test papers under exam timing; written answers checked against suggested answersAbove 50 in every paper

A day that works

Accounting and Laws need writing practice; Quant and Economics need timed MCQs. Each day has both.

Daily routine for CA FoundationClass 12 student: school 7:30 am to 2 pm, Laws 6 to 7 am, Accounting 4 to 6:30 pm, Quant or Economics MCQs 7:30 to 9:30 pm. After Class 12: Accounting 7 to 10 am, Laws 10:30 am to 1 pm, mock paper 2:30 to 5:30 pm, Quant or Economics 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Self-study Tests and practice papers School, meals, rest 5:00 7:00 9:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00 Class 12 student Laws School Lunch Accounting Play Quant After Class 12 Accounting Laws Lunch Mock paper Quant Bars run from 5:00 am to 11:00 pm. Exact times are in the tables below.
Class 12 student: about 6 hours of self-study. After Class 12: about 11 hours. Both keep 7 to 8 hours of sleep.

Class 12 student

TimeWhat to do
5:30 am – 6:00 amWake up, water, quick walk
6:00 am – 7:00 amBusiness Laws: read one section, write one answer
7:30 am – 2:00 pmSchool
2:00 pm – 4:00 pmLunch and rest
4:00 pm – 6:30 pmAccounting: illustrations, then exercises
6:30 pm – 7:30 pmExercise or outdoor play
7:30 pm – 9:30 pmQuant or Economics: 40 timed MCQs
9:30 pm – 10:00 pmError notebook and tomorrow's plan
10:00 pm – 11:00 pmSleep by 10:30 pm

After Class 12

TimeWhat to do
6:30 am – 7:00 amWake up, water, short walk
7:00 am – 10:00 amAccounting
10:00 am – 10:30 amBreakfast
10:30 am – 1:00 pmBusiness Laws: write answers
1:00 pm – 2:30 pmLunch and rest
2:30 pm – 5:30 pmOne ICAI mock or past paper, timed
5:30 pm – 6:30 pmExercise outdoors
6:30 pm – 8:30 pmQuantitative Aptitude or Economics
8:30 pm – 9:30 pmDinner with family
9:30 pm – 10:00 pmCheck today's paper against ICAI's suggested answers
10:00 pm – 11:00 pmSleep by 10:30 pm

Sundays: one full mock test in the exam's time slot, then the rest of the day off. Log the week on the free Self Tracker.

Three habits that move marks the most

  • Write law answers in the ICAI style: rule, facts, conclusion.
  • Use ICAI's free mock and revision test papers; they set the standard.
  • Protect the 40 in Quant and Economics: skip, don't guess, a wrong answer costs a quarter mark.

Graduates can skip Foundation

Commerce graduates with 55% (60% for others) can enter CA at the Intermediate level directly. Compare CA with CS, CMA and CFA on this page.

Is CA right for you?

CA, CS, CMA and CFA compared on time, cost and the work each leads to.

CA vs CS vs CMA vs CFAAfter 12th Commerce

Sources

  1. CA Foundation pattern, pass rule and January, May, September sessions (Careers360)
  2. CA Foundation registration after Class 10, four months before the exam (CA Test Series)
  3. ICAI provisional registration after Class 10 (Careers360)
  4. Official: icai.org, boslive.icai.org