CA CPT or Common Proficiency Test was the entry-level examination for becoming a Chartered Accountant in India. However, in 2017, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) discontinued the CPT exam and replaced it with the CA Foundation course.
The CA Foundation course has a similar structure and syllabus as the CPT exam. The exam is conducted twice a year, in May and November, and is open to candidates who have completed their 10+2 examination or equivalent from a recognized board.
Are you also planning to take the CA entrance exam? Then, you are reading the right article. In this article, we will cover the meaning of the CA CPT exam, the syllabus, and more! Continue reading to gain more insight.
What Is CPT Exam for CA?
CPT stands for Common Proficiency Test, now known as CA Foundation which is the first level examination that a student must pass to become a Chartered Accountant (CA) in India. It is conducted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) twice a year, usually in June and December.
The CPT exam consists of four subjects:
- Principles and Practices of Accounting
- Business Laws and Business Correspondence and Reporting
- Business Mathematics, Logical Reasoning, and Statistics
- Business Economics and Business and Commercial Knowledge
The exam is an objective-type multiple-choice test, and each paper is of 100 marks. To pass the CPT exam, a candidate must obtain a minimum of 40% marks in each subject and an overall aggregate of 50% marks.
After clearing the CPT exam, a student can proceed to the next level of the CA course, which includes the Intermediate (IPC) and Final exams.
Who Is Eligible for CPT Exam?
CPT stands for Common Proficiency Test, which is an entry-level examination for becoming a chartered accountant in India. The eligibility criteria for the CPT exam are as follows:
- Educational Qualification: The candidate must have passed the 10+2 examination or an equivalent examination from a recognized board.
- Registration: The candidate should register with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) for the CPT course.
- Age Limit: There is no age limit for appearing in the CPT examination.
- Minimum Marks: A candidate should score a minimum of 50% in the 12th standard to be eligible for the CPT exam.
Entrance Exam for CA after 12th
To appear for the CA entrance exam after Class 12, you need to register for the Foundation Course. The Foundation Course exams are conducted twice a year, in May/June and November/December. Registration for the Foundation Course usually starts 5-6 months before both attempts which are in May/June and November/December.
CA CPT Exam Date 2023
The exam date for the May attempt has already been announced by the ICAI and the exam will be conducted in June. Below are the exam dates for the upcoming CA Foundation exam:
| Papers | Exam Date |
| Paper-1: Principles and Practices of Accounting | June 24, 2023 |
| Paper-2:Business Laws and Business Correspondence and Reporting | June 26, 2023 |
| Paper-3: Business Mathematics, Logical Reasoning, and Statistics | June 28, 2023 |
| Paper-4: Business Economics and Business and Commercial Knowledge | June 30, 2023 |
CPT Exam 2023 Registration Date
The registration for CA Foundation June attempt has already been closed in January. However, the registration for December is open till July 1, 2023, and you can register for the CA Foundation exam on the official website, you just need to follow these simple steps:
- Go to the official website of ICAI and then click on the Self-Service Portal (SSP) option.
- Click on First Time User (New Student)? And fill out all the personal details.
- Then click on Generate OTP and an OTP will be sent to your registered number.
- After entering the OTP, login credentials will be shared on your email or number.
- Input the OTP that was sent to your registered mobile phone.
- To continue with the process, log in to ICAI using these credentials.
- Complete the CA Foundation application with all of your information and upload the scanned documents.
- Click Enter once all of your proof has been submitted.
- You will be directed to the CA Foundation payment gateway.
- Your registration will be approved once you have paid the CA foundation’s registration fees.
- Obtain a printout of your registration fee invoice for the CA foundation.
Note: Once CA Foundation Registration is complete, study materials for the Foundation exam will be emailed to your registered address.
CA CPT Syllabus 2023
The Common Proficiency Test (CPT) has been replaced by the CA Foundation course, which is the entry-level course for becoming a Chartered Accountant in India. The syllabus for the CA Foundation course is as follows:
Paper-1: Principles and Practice of Accounting (Duration: 3 hours; 100 marks)
| S.No | Topics |
| 1 | Theoretical Framework |
| 2 | Accounting Process |
| 3 | Bank Reconciliation Statement |
| 4 | Inventories |
| 5 | Concept and Accounting of Depreciation |
| 6 | Accounting for Special Transactions |
| 7 | Final Accounts of Sole Proprietors |
| 8 | Partnership Accounts |
| 9 | Financial Statements of Not-for-Profit Organizations |
| 10 | Introduction to Company Accounts |
Paper-2: Business Laws And Business Correspondence And Reporting (Duration: 3 hours; 100 marks)
| Section-A: Business Laws (60 Marks) | |
| S.No | Topics |
| 1 | The Indian Contract Act, 1872 |
| 2 | The Sale of Good Act, 1930 |
| 3 | The Indian Partnership Act, 1932 |
| 4 | The Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008 |
| 5 | The Companies Act, 2013 |
| Section-B: Business Correspondence And Reporting (40 Marks) | |
| Part-1: | Communication |
| 1 | Communication |
| Part-2: | Sentence Types and Word Power |
| 2 | Sentence Types (Direct-Indirect, Active-Passive Speech) |
| 3 | Vocabulary Root Words, Synonyms, Antonyms, Prefixes, Suffixes, Phrasal Verbs, Collocations and Idioms. |
| Part-3: | Comprehension Passages and Note Making |
| 4 | Comprehension Passages |
| 5 | Note Making |
| `Part-4: | Developing Writing Skills |
| 6 | Introduction to Basic Writing |
| 7 | Précis Writing |
| 8 | Article Writing |
| 9 | Report Writing |
| 10 | Writing Formal Letters |
| 11 | Writing Formal Mails |
| 12 | Resume Writing |
| 13 | Meetings |
Paper-3: Business Mathematics, Logical Reasoning, and Statistics (Duration: 2 hours; 100 marks)
| Part A: Business Mathematics (40 Marks) | |
| S.no | Topics |
| 1 | Ratio and Proportion, Indices and Logarithms |
| 2 | Equations |
| 3 | Linear Inequalities with objective functions and optimization w.r.t objective function |
| 4 | Time value of Money |
| 5 | Permutations and Combinations |
| 6 | Sequence and Series |
| 7 | Number series, Coding and Decoding, and odd man out |
| 8 | Basic applications of Differential and Integral Calculus |
| Part-B: Logical Reasoning (20 Marks) | |
| 1 | Number series, Coding and Decoding and odd man out |
| 2 | Direction Tests |
| 3 | Seating Arrangements |
| 4 | Blood Relations |
| Part-C: Statistics (40 Marks) | |
| 1 | Statistical Description of Data |
| 2 | Measures of Central Tendency and Dispersion |
| 3 | Probability |
| 4 | Theoretical Distributions |
| 5 | Correlation and Regression |
| 6 | Index Numbers |
Paper-4: Business Economics And Business And Commercial Knowledge (Duration: 2 hours; 100 marks)
| Part I: Business Economics (60 Marks) | |
| S.no | Topics |
| 1 | Introduction to Business Economics |
| 2 | Theory of Demand and Supply |
| 3 | Theory of Production and Cost |
| 4 | Price Determination in Different Markets |
| 5 | Business Cycles |
| Part II: | Business And Commercial Knowledge (40 Marks) |
| 1 | Business and Commercial Knowledge – An Introduction |
| 2 | Business Environment |
| 3 | Business Organizations |
| 4 | Government Policies for Business Growth |
| 5 | Organizations Facilitating Business |
| 6 | Common Business Terminologies |
FAQs: CA CPT Exam
What is CA CPT full form?
The Full of CPT is Common Proficiency Test.
Is CA CPT difficult?
No, CA CPT exam is the easiest one out of all the three levels.
Is CPT exam necessary for CA?
Yes, it is necessary for the candidates who are starting their CA journey right after 12th standard but the candidates who are taking the direct entry route are eligible to give the CA Intermediate exam directly.
Wrapping Up
The CA CPT exam is designed to test a candidate’s basic knowledge and understanding of the four subjects. It is considered to be a relatively easy exam compared to the other levels of the Chartered Accountancy course. However, candidates are advised to prepare thoroughly and practice previous years’ question papers to ensure success in the exam.
So, get yourselves registered for the upcoming attempt and start your journey now. Also, let us know in the comment below if this article helped.
