The CA Foundation 2026 exam date for May session is out. The exam is scheduled for May 14, 16, 18, & 20, 2026. The form-filling is scheduled from Mar 3 - 19, 2026. Further, the result for the January session exam is expected to be released on March 8, 2026. The result will be issued on the official website in online mode.
The CA Foundation 2026 May session exam dates are out. The exam will take place on May 14, 16, 18, & 20, 2026. The exam will be held in offline mode. The application form for May session has been released on March 3, 2026. The last date to register for the exam has been scheduled for Mar 16, 2026 (without submission of late fees). However, with late fees submission you can complete the form-filling till Mar 19, 2026.
Furthermore, the exam result for the January session is expected to be announced on March 8, 2026. The official CA Foundation exam date of release of the scorecard has not been finalized yet. It will be issued on the official website in online mode. To download your CA Foundation exam result you will have to enter your registration number and date of birth at the login portal.
What is the CA Foundation Exam?
The CA Foundation is a national-level exam conducted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). The exam is conducted multiple times a year. After qualifying for the CA Foundation exam, you can proceed to the CA Intermediate papers. After completing the CA Intermediate exam, you can then sit for the CA Final exam.
It is a very competitive exam that requires you to have a strong knowledge of Accounting, Mathematics, Law, Economics, General Knowledge, etc. The CA Foundation exam consists of 4 papers in total.
CA Foundation 2026: Check Session-Wise Events and Dates
The CA Foundation exam schedule 2026 for the January and May session has been provided here. The dates have been provided by the official conducting authority, ICAI.
CA Foundation May Session 2026 Schedule
The table provided below will help you learn the official schedule of CA Foundation exam for the May session.
| Events | Dates |
| CA Foundation 2026 Application Form Release Date | March 3, 2026 (Ongoing) |
| CA Foundation Application Form Last Date 2026 (Without Late Fees Submission) | March 16, 2026 |
| CA Foundation Application Form Last Date 2026 (With Late Fees Submission) | March 19, 2026 |
| CA Foundation Application Form Correction Window 2026 | April 2026 |
| CA Foundation Admit Card 2026 Release Date | April 2026 |
| CA Foundation 2026 Exam Date | May 14, 16, 18, 20, 2026 |
| CA Foundation Result 2026 Release Date | July 2026 |
CA Foundation January Session 2026 Schedule
Check out the table shared below showing the CA Foundation 2026 January session important dates.
| Events | Dates |
| CA Foundation 2026 Application Form Release Date | Nov 3, 2025 |
| CA Foundation Application Form Last Date 2026 (Without Late Fees Submission) | Nov 16, 2025 |
| CA Foundation Application Form Last Date 2026 (With Late Fees Submission) | Nov 19, 2025 |
| CA Foundation Application Form Correction Window 2026 | Nov 20 - 22, 2025 |
| CA Foundation Admit Card 2026 Release Date | Dec 18, 2025 (Out) |
| CA Foundation 2026 Exam Date | Jan 18, 20, 22, 24, 2026 |
| CA Foundation Result 2026 Release Date | March 6 - 7, 2026 (Expected) |
CA Foundation Exam Highlights 2026
Check out the table shared below showing the highlights related to the CA Foundation examination 2026.
| Particulars | Highlights |
| Exam Name | CA Foundation (earlier known as CA CPT) |
| Full Form | Chartered Accountancy Foundation |
| Conducting Authority | The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) |
| Exam Level | National |
| Exam Category | Undergraduate (UG) |
| Course Offered | Chartered Accountancy in India |
| Exam Mode | Offline, as a Pen and Paper-based Test |
| Language | English |
| Exam Duration | 4 Hours (2 Hours for each session) |
| Frequency | Multiple times a year |
| Official Website | icai.org |
What is the CA Foundation Eligibility Limit 2026?
Check out the details shared below showing the CA Foundation exam eligibility criteria 2026.
- You must have completed your 12th or equivalent from a recognized board.
- You must have registered for 4 months on or before the 1st day of the scheduled CA Foundation examination with the Board of Studies of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI).
CA Foundation Application Form 2026 Release Date
The CA Foundation exam application form 2026 has been issued on the official website in online mode on March 3, 2026. The form-filling is scheduled in online mode, whereas the exam willl be conducted in offline mode only. The last date of form-filling will last till Mar 16, 2026. With submission of late fees you can complete the registration by Mar 19, 2026.
Earlier, the January session exam form was released on November 3, 2025. The last date to register for the CA Foundation January session exam 2026 was scheduled for November 16, 2025, without the submission of late fees. However, with the submission of late fees, the last date of submission was scheduled for Nov 19, 2025. In addition, the form correction window for the Jan session was scheduled from Nov 20 - 22, 2025.
CA Foundation Exam Pattern 2026
Check out the table shared below showing the CA Foundation 2026 examination pattern. It will help you understand the exam structure in detail.
| Particulars | Details |
| Mode Of Exam | Offline |
| Number of Papers | 4 |
| Paper Names |
Principles and Practice of Accounting (Paper 1) Business Laws & Business Correspondence and Reporting (Paper 2) Business Mathematics, Logical Reasoning & Statistics (Paper 3) Business Economics & Business and Commercial Knowledge (Paper 4) |
| Exam Duration | Paper 1 & 2 - 3 HoursPaper 3 & 4 - 2 Hours |
| Marks for Each Paper | 100 |
| Total Exam Marks | 400 |
| Question Type |
Paper 1 and 2 - Subjective Paper 3 and 4 - Objective |
| Negative marks | -0.25 for every wrong answer (Only for Paper 3 and 4) |
What is the CA Foundation Exam Syllabus 2026?
The CA Foundation exam 2026 syllabus topics have been mentioned in the table below for your guidance. The CA Foundation exam consists of four papers, and all the papers have respective syllabus topics.
| Paper 1: Principles & Practice of Accounting | Paper 2: Business Law & Business Correspondence and Reporting |
| Paper 3: Business Mathematics, Logical Reasoning, and Statistics | Paper 4: Business Economics and Business and Commercial Knowledge |
CA Foundation 2026 Exam Reference Books
Some of the books referenced for the CA Foundation 2026 exam preparation are provided here for your convenience. The books will help you prepare more effectively for the upcoming examination.
| Books Name | Authors Name |
| Mercantile Laws for CA CPT | P C Tulsian |
| S Chand Mercantile Laws for CA CPT | P P S GOGNA |
| Mercantile Law | M.C. Kucchal and Vivek Kucchal |
| Padhuka MCQ Bank | G Sekar and B Sarvana Prasath |
| Quantitative Aptitude Mathematics With Short Tricks | CA Rajesh Jogani |
| General Economics | P.M. Salwan & Pranjal B. Deshpande by Taxmann |
| Question Bank with Model Test Papers for CA – Common Proficiency Test (CPT) – Accounting, Mercantile Laws, General Economics & Quantitative Aptitude | R C Bhatt |
| Fundamentals of Accounting for CA – CPT | P.C Tulsian and Bharat Tulsian |
Check CA Foundation Relevant Articles:
CA Foundation Contact & Helpline
Check out the contact details and official helpline number mentioned below for your guidance.
- Address: The Additional Secretary (Exams), The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India ICAI Bhawan, Indraprastha Marg, New Delhi 110 002
- Helpline Numbers: 0120-3054 851, 3054 852, 3054 853, 3054 854, 3054 835, 4953751, 4953752, 4953753, 4953754
- E-mail address: foundation_examhelpline@icai.in
Conclusion
The CA Foundation 2026 exam schedule is out. The exam for May session is scheduled for May 14, 16, 18, 20, 2026 in offline (pen and paper) mode. The application form-filling is scheduled from Mar 3 - 19, 2026. Check out the details shared here.
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Exam Mode: Offline (Pen and Paper-based Test). -
Conducted by: ICAI multiple times a year. -
Total Papers: 4 in CA Foundation exam. -
Negative Marking: Yes, -0.25 for Papers 3 & 4.
