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CA exam dates 2026: Foundation, Inter & Final schedule.

ICAI runs the CA exams on a fixed two-attempts-a-year rhythm — but the exact 2026 dates, paper schedule and form deadlines are notified by ICAI separately for each attempt. Here's the framework so you know exactly what to check, and where.

Reviewed July 2026
6 min read
CA Anil Agarwal & the TatvaBooks team

What "CA exam date 2026" actually means

There is no single "CA exam date." The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) conducts three levels — Foundation, Intermediate and Final — and each level is held twice in a calendar year: one attempt broadly in the May/June window, and a second broadly in the November/December window. "CA exam date 2026" therefore really means two separate attempt windows, each with its own paper-wise schedule.

Important note on exact dates: ICAI notifies the precise dates for each attempt — including the exam form opening/closing dates, paper-wise exam dates, admit card release and result date — separately, usually a few months before that attempt. Because these shift attempt to attempt (and are sometimes revised), this page deliberately does not quote a specific 2026 date. Always verify the current, attempt-specific dates on the ICAI website (icai.org) or the ICAI examination portal before you plan your study schedule, travel, or leave from articleship/work.

The CA exam cycle, stage by stage

Regardless of which attempt you're targeting, every cycle follows the same sequence:

Stage	What happens
Attempt windows	ICAI conducts Foundation, Intermediate and Final examinations twice a year, in a May/June window and a November/December window. Foundation is offered in both cycles; Inter and Final are also offered in both cycles under the current scheme.
Exam form	ICAI opens the online examination form roughly 2-3 months before each attempt, with an initial deadline and a later window (with late fee) for students who miss it. Forms are filed on the ICAI self-service portal against your registration/student number.
Admit card	The admit card (containing your exam centre) is released online roughly 2-3 weeks before the first paper — always downloaded from the portal, never posted.
Papers & duration	Each level has multiple papers spread across non-consecutive days over roughly 8-10 days, with a gap day between most papers so a candidate isn't sitting two papers back to back.
Result	Results are typically declared 6-8 weeks after the last paper of that attempt, on the ICAI results portal.

All of the specific dates within this sequence — when the form opens, when it closes, when the admit card drops, when the first paper is — are what change every attempt. Treat the sequence above as the map, and the ICAI notification as the only reliable source for where you currently are on it.

Who can sit which level

Eligibility to sit a given attempt depends on your registration route, study period and (for Inter and Final) training milestones — all of which are confirmed against the specific attempt you're applying for, not against general rules of thumb:

Level	Route	Note
Foundation	After Class 12 (any stream), with a minimum study period before the exam.	Commerce, Science and other-stream students are all eligible; only the study-period requirement differs by registration route.
Intermediate	Foundation route (after clearing Foundation) or Direct Entry route (graduates/postgraduates meeting the specified percentage, or those who've cleared the Intermediate level of ICSI/ICMAI).	Both routes require a minimum period of study/registration before appearing, plus completion of the prescribed ICITSS training before starting articleship.
Final	After clearing both groups of Intermediate and completing the prescribed period of practical training (articleship), per the scheme in force.	Final has its own advanced ICITSS/AICITSS-type training requirement to be completed before the result of the Final exam, under the current scheme.

ICAI periodically revises the scheme (most recently with a shift to the current syllabus scheme) — the study-period requirements, exemption rules and training structure attached to each route can differ from what an older batch of students went through. Cross-check your own eligibility on the ICAI portal against your registration number, not against what worked for a friend a few attempts ago.

Practical notes & common pitfalls

Waiting till the last day to fill the exam form. The portal gets overloaded close to the deadline, and payment gateway failures at that time are common — ICAI generally does not condone a missed deadline citing technical issues on your end.
Confusing 'group' exemption rules with 'paper' exemption rules — these have changed across schemes; always read the exact condition stated in the relevant ICAI announcement for your applicable scheme, not what a senior tells you from their own attempt.
Assuming the study-period or training (ICITSS/articleship) cut-off for a given attempt is the same as last cycle. ICAI revises exact cut-off dates every attempt — check the specific announcement for the attempt you're targeting.
Not verifying the exam centre and paper-wise timing on the admit card itself — city/centre allotment can differ from what was requested on the form.
Relying on a coaching institute's exam calendar instead of the ICAI website for the final word — third-party calendars are convenient but are not the authoritative source.

Once you qualify

Whichever attempt you clear Final in, the transition from articleship to independent practice or industry role usually comes with a new set of books to run — your own, a client's, or a firm's. TatvaBooks is cloud accounting software built by Chartered Accountants for Indian GST, invoicing and compliance, with a free Solo plan and multi-client features for practising CAs on the Practice plan.

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Frequently asked questions

When are the CA exams held in 2026?

ICAI conducts Foundation, Intermediate and Final exams twice a year — a May/June cycle and a November/December cycle. For 2026, that means one attempt broadly in the May window and another broadly in the November window. The exact dates, paper-wise schedule and exam form deadlines for each 2026 attempt are notified separately by ICAI closer to the attempt — always verify the current dates on the ICAI website (icai.org) before making any study or travel plan.

How many times a year are CA exams conducted?

Twice a year for all three levels under the current scheme — one attempt around May/June and one around November/December. Foundation, Intermediate and Final are each held in both cycles, though a specific student's eligibility to sit a given attempt depends on their registration date, study period and (for Inter/Final) training completion as notified for that attempt.

Where do I find the official CA exam date 2026 notification?

Only on the ICAI website (icai.org) and the ICAI exam portal — that is the sole authoritative source for exam dates, the exam form window, admit card release and results. Institute study circles, coaching platforms and social media can be useful for reminders, but always cross-check the actual date against the ICAI notification before acting on it.

What is the difference between the exam form deadline and the exam date?

The exam form is the online application you submit to ICAI to register for a specific attempt — it opens and closes roughly 2-3 months before the attempt, with a later window at a late fee. The exam date is when you actually sit the paper, several weeks after the form closes. Missing the form deadline (even by a day, even for a technical reason) generally means missing that attempt entirely — there is ordinarily no late window past the last extended date.

Can I appear for CA Final without completing articleship?

No — under the current scheme, appearing for the Final exam requires completion (or being within the last few months, as per the specific condition notified by ICAI for that attempt) of the prescribed period of practical training, along with the relevant ICITSS/AICITSS-type training. The exact cut-off (e.g., how close to the end of articleship you can be) is notified per attempt, so check the current announcement rather than assuming last cycle's rule still applies.

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