CA syllabus: Foundation, Intermediate, Final and SPOM
ICAI’s New Scheme organizes Chartered Accountancy study into Foundation, Intermediate and Final, with prescribed training and Self-Paced Online Modules (SPOM). Use the official material for the scheme and examination attempt that apply to you. Similar paper names can conceal a changed syllabus, amendment cut-off or transition rule. A reliable syllabus reference always identifies its stage and the attempt for which it applies. ICAI syllabus index.
Foundation: core business and accounting knowledge
Foundation has four papers under the New Scheme: Accounting; Business Laws; Quantitative Aptitude; and Business Economics. The accounting paper develops concepts and the recording process through financial statement topics. Business Laws introduces the legal framework for commercial activity. Quantitative Aptitude includes mathematics, reasoning and statistics. Business Economics builds an understanding of economic principles and their use in business contexts. Refer to the current official pages and any linked corrigendum for the examination session you intend. ICAI Foundation syllabus, Foundation Accounting material.
Foundation is not a specialization in tax or audit. Students benefit from learning the logic behind accounting entries and rules, then practising questions under timed conditions. The course material and model papers describe the level and style of assessment. Third-party notes may supplement preparation but should not replace the official syllabus or its amendments.
Intermediate: technical work across two groups
Intermediate comprises six papers in two groups. Group I includes Advanced Accounting, Corporate and Other Laws, and Taxation, which covers income-tax law and GST. Group II includes Cost and Management Accounting, Auditing and Ethics, and Financial Management and Strategic Management. The combination develops financial accounting, law, tax compliance, costing, audit evidence, ethical judgment and business-finance analysis. ICAI Intermediate syllabus.
ICAI can publish revised model test papers or amendments for a given attempt. Its Intermediate page, for example, identifies a model test paper applicable from May 2026 onwards for a taxation paper. Candidates should record the page’s applicability note and use the material aligned to their own session. A current link does not make every prior study note or amendment list current.
Final: advanced application
The Final course contains six papers. Group I covers Financial Reporting, Advanced Financial Management, and Advanced Auditing, Assurance and Professional Ethics. Group II covers Direct Tax Laws and International Taxation, Indirect Tax Laws, and Integrated Business Solutions, a multidisciplinary case study with Strategic Management. The stage asks candidates to integrate rules, standards and facts, rather than merely recall definitions. Consult ICAI’s Final page for official material and attempt-specific guidance. ICAI Final syllabus.
SPOM and training
The New Scheme also includes SPOM. ICAI’s Digital Learning Campus notice identifies SET A (Corporate and Economic Laws) and SET B (Strategic Cost and Performance Management), with a minimum prescribed 40 learning hours in each. It states that Final registrants can access the modules at their own pace and that no separate SPOM fee is payable in that notice. Verify which modules, assessments and completion records apply to your exam eligibility. ICAI SPOM notice.
ICITSS and Advanced ICITSS add information-technology and soft-skills training. Practical training provides supervised experience. The timing is important: ICITSS is a precondition before the New Scheme practical-training start; Advanced ICITSS occurs later in the route. Check the current FAQ and training portal for the exact prerequisite and documentation. ICAI syllabus index, ICAI course FAQ.
Build an attempt-specific plan
Start with the official syllabus and material for every paper. Record the exam session, amendment cut-off, corrigendum, model paper and study resource. Split preparation into concept learning, question practice and revision. Use timed practice to identify weak areas. For law and tax papers, keep a separate update list and refresh it from ICAI’s current material close to the exam.
Candidates who registered under an older scheme should not simply adopt the new paper list. ICAI’s conversion and transition provisions can affect paper mapping, exemptions and remaining attempts. Confirm the candidate’s personal registration history in the portal and use the official transition notice before building a study calendar. A syllabus PDF without an applicability date is not enough to determine the correct material for a particular student.
How to use study material well
For each paper, maintain a short source log with the official page, applicable attempt, last amendment date and any corrigendum you have checked. Start with concepts, solve questions without looking at the answer, and then compare your reasoning to the official suggested answer or model paper. A wrong answer is most useful when you classify the cause: missing concept, misread facts, calculation error, outdated provision or poor time management. Review the cause before repeating a question set.
A candidate with a legacy registration should keep a separate transition checklist. The New Scheme announcement records when registration, conversion and first examinations began; it does not map every individual’s exemptions automatically. Use the candidate portal and the applicable conversion notice to confirm each paper. Do not combine a previous-scheme textbook with a current exam notice unless ICAI expressly confirms that the material remains applicable.