CA vs CS: Which Course is Better

CA vs CS: Most students get caught in a dilemma while choosing between a CA (Chartered Accountant) or CS(Company Secretary). Both are popular choices among students and promise a successful career, but there is a significant difference between the two, which we will discuss in this article.

What is CA?

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What is CS?

ICSI (The Institute of Company Secretaries of India) is the authority that offers the CS course in India. It is for aspirants who wish to practice as a company secretary in India and abroad. A company secretary is an expert in corporate laws, security laws, capital market, and corporate governance.

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CA Vs CS Overview

Comparing CA vs CS

CA and CS are the two most popular courses in the commerce stream. Both courses give students a wealth of prospects and promise a bright future, but each also has its own complexities. To help you choose the right course we will look at their main focus, opportunities, expertise, difficulty, and salary.

Main Focus

• The CA course focuses on auditing, accounting, financial evaluation, and taxation. It teaches about the concepts and application of accounting, understanding of mathematical and statistical tools, and their application in business and finance.

• The CS course emphasizes company law, corporate governance, and communication. It teaches critical aspects of business communication, legal aptitude, and knowledge about the management and administration of companies.

• To put it simply, the CA course is accounting and the CS course is law-oriented.

Opportunities

• Students pursuing a career in CA enjoy opportunities both in the public and private sectors, as every organization needs a CA who can manage accounts and taxes. Some of these are statutory or internal auditors, tax or finance managers, certified public accountants, etc.

• Those pursuing a career in CS find opportunities in corporate planning and strategic management. They might also work as secretarial auditors or compliance officers.

• Both chartered accountants and company secretaries have the option of working independently for firms starting their own firms/being self-employed.

Expertise

• CA requires a quantitative approach. Hence one must have strong analytical skills and be good with numbers.

• CS requires more of a qualitative approach, i.e., one must have strong communication skills, multi-tasking skills, and attention to detail.

• Some hard skills one must have to pursue a CA are IT proficiency, general business interest, and awareness. On the other hand, the hard skills required for CS are expertise in company law and management.

Difficulty

• Both CA and CS are professional courses and require hard work. The difference in the difficulty of the two courses lies in their curriculum and passing marks

• CA deals with numerical and case studies chapters on the other hand CS has more theoretical subjects. Most students tend to find CA subjects more challenging because they have a practical approach while CS has a theoretical approach.

• Many students consider the CA exam difficult owing to its vast syllabus and complex pattern. If you aim to score above the CA pass percentage have to make proper use of your time and devote at least 2 hours sincerely to studying daily.

Salary

• A fresher CA is offered anywhere between 6-7 lakhs per annum which can increase up to 40-70 lakhs based on experience, work profile, skills, firms, and international postings. The pay also increases for those who pass the exam in the first attempt and rank holders.

• A fresher CS usually earns 3-5 lakhs. With the increase in experience, they can earn up to 17 lakhs. If he or she is a rank holder, the salary might increase.

• The average income earned by chartered accountants is more than that of company secretaries. The average salary of a CS in India is 6 lakhs per annum whereas the average income of a CA in India is 8 lakhs per annum.

Benefits of CA

• The profession of chartered accountant has a lot of versatility and career flexibility.
• Demand for chartered accountants is significant both in India and abroad.
• A chartered accountant can be a lawyer in favour of the client.
• A chartered accountant has an impressive six-figure salary.
• As every organization requires a chartered accountant they have a high demand.
• The field of chartered accountant is secure, and stable with steady growth.

Benefits of CS

• The CS course is cost-effective.
• This course offers good remuneration and growth opportunities.
• A company secretary has no stress about meeting deadlines.
• The CS profession has flexible working hours.
• The CS profession comes with a lot of travel opportunities.
• One gets to learn a lot about the industry by interacting with higher authorities and intelligent people.