CA Foundation Exam 2026, January Exam Dates, Application, Eligibility, Syllabus and Pattern

CA Foundation Exam is the First level of the Chartered Accountancy Course, which is conducted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). The CA Foundation exam is given by a large number of students in India and abroad every year in order to start a Career as a Chartered Accountant. It is conducted 3 times a year i.e. in January, June, and September. Candidates are going to give the CA Foundation Exam 2026, so they must know the exam timetable, application process, eligibility, syllabus, and other details related to the exam.

CA Foundation Exam 2026  

The CA Foundation Exam 2026 will be conducted Offline with Four papers. As per the official notification of the ICAI CA Exam January 2026, the Foundation examination will be conducted from January 18 to January 25, 2026. The Foundation level Exam provides students with fundamental knowledge in the areas of accounting, laws, mathematics, and economics that will be useful at higher CA levels. If you plan to prepare well in advance for the upcoming Foundation exam using the proper syllabus and exam pattern, you can pass the CA Foundation Exam.

CA Foundation January 2026 Exam Dates

The CA Foundation Exam January 2026 Dates have been announced by ICAI. The exams will be conducted on 18, 20, 22 and 24 January 2026. All papers will be of different timings and duration, and each exam will be of the afternoon session only. No exams have been scheduled for 14 January 2026, due to the national festivals of Makar Sankranti, Magha Bihu and Pongal. The dates are a part of the official ICAI Exam Dates January 2026 that students can use to make their exam timetable in advance.

CA Foundation Exam 2026 Application Process

The CA Foundation Exam 2026 application process involves the following steps:

• Registration: Candidates have to register themselves for the CA Foundation course on the official ICAI website. It requires filling up of personal and academic information, uploading scanned copies of the Class 10 and 12 certificates and other required documents, a passport-sized photograph and signature.

• Payment: The candidate is required to pay the registration fee of ₹1500 ($325 for US Candidates) online through the registration process.

• Form Filling: The candidate needs to fill the exam application form available on the ICAI Self Service Portal (SSP) before the due date (generally four months before the exam).

• Document Submission: The candidate is required to submit necessary documents like the printed application form, copies of educational certificates etc.

CA Foundation Exam 2026 Eligibility Criteria

The ICAI has laid down the eligibility criteria for the CA Foundation Exam 2026. Aspirants who have passed Class 12th from a recognized board or students who are in their 12th class can take the exam. Students can apply for provisional registration after the completion of Class 10th but the candidate is required to complete their four months of study before appearing for the CA Foundation Exam. This is to ensure that the students have the basic required education to understand the subjects of Accounting, Business Laws, Economics, and Mathematics.

CA Foundation 2026 Syllabus

CA Foundation 2026 Syllabus For Four Papers, including Objective Type consists of core subjects that aim to equip the students with the basic foundation in accounting, business laws, mathematics, economics, and commerce-related information. The outline of the CA Foundation 2026 syllabus for four papers has been curated in a way to evaluate both the theoretical and practical aspects of each subject and, in turn, help the learners to succeed in the higher levels of Chartered Accountancy. Check the overview of the CA Foundation syllabus given below.

CA Foundation Exam 2026 Exam Pattern

The CA Foundation Exam 2026 is divided into 4 papers with a total of 400 marks. It is an offline exam that is held 3 times a year. Paper 1 and Paper 2 are subjective in nature and based on Accounting, business laws, and communication. Paper 3 and Paper 4 are objective in nature and based on Mathematics, logical reasoning, statistics, economics, and general commercial knowledge. Every paper has a maximum of 100 marks. The total duration for the exam is 2 to 3 hours per paper.

CA Foundation Exam Form January 2026

CA Foundation Exam registration for January 2026 can be done online on the official website of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) through Self Service Portal (SSP) https://eservices.icai.org. The Registration for the Exam will begin in the first week of November 2025. The Last date of Registration is likely to be around 01 September 2025.

Eligibility for the CA Foundation Exam registration is – passed or appeared in class 12 from a recognized board. The process of registration on the CA Foundation Exam through ICAI online includes – creating a new user account, filling personal and academic details, uploading required supporting documents(Class 10 Mark sheet/Board certificate, Class 12 Mark sheet/Board certificate, Passport size photo & signature) and paying the registration fee of ₹9,000(Indian students).

CA Foundation Admit Card January 2026

The CA Foundation admit card for January 2026, CA Intermediate admit card for January 2026, and CA Final admit card for January 2026 will be made available by ICAI around 15 days before the exam date. So, the CA admit card for January 2026 is expected to be released in the last week of December 2025. Candidates can download their admit card online from the official website of ICAI (eservices.icai.org) by using their registration id and password. The admit card contains details such as candidate's name, photo, signature, exam center, exam date, and instructions.

CA Foundation Exam Results 2026

The CA Foundation Exam 2026 Result will be declared around 6–8 weeks after the completion of the examination. The results will be announced online on the official website of ICAI. The candidates can check the result on the official website by using their roll number and PIN or registration number. ICAI also publishes the pass percentage and toppers' list along with the result.