CPT vs CA Foundation: How are the two different?

The CA Foundation course and the CA CPT course are the two versions of the entry-level examination for CA certification. The CPT course is the earlier version and CA Foundation is the latest version. Candidates who register for CA course now have to clear the CA Foundation level only. Let us explore their similarities and differences here.

The Chartered Accountancy (CA) Foundation course is a revised version of the Common Proficiency Test (CPT) that has been introduced by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). The CA Foundation course is to test the proficiency of entry-level CA aspirants, the examinations are conducted twice every year in May-June and November-December.

The CPT for the CA course was the entry-level examination for CA till 2019. It was then replaced by the CA Foundation examination. The contents of the fresh curriculum of the CA foundation course are vast in comparison with the CPT, but offers brighter scope for the aspirants. The changes in the CA Foundation syllabus and the examination pattern has been dealt with keeping in mind the current economic scenario and to enable students to stay abreast of the changing trends in financial modalities.

Difference between CA Foundation and CPT courses

The Chartered Accountancy course offers exciting career opportunities for the aspirants who have completed the course certification. CAs are in constant demand in the country and abroad and there is a compulsion to change the course structure on par with the changing demands of the financial industry. The CA Foundation course and the CPT course are the two versions of the entry-level examination for CA certification. Let us explore their similarities and differences here:

CA CPT vs CA Foundation Pattern

The CA CPT exam follows an objective question paper pattern whereas the CA Foundation question paper has subjective type questions The ICAI President in his report had stated that by introducing a subjective question pattern in the CA Foundation examination, it becomes easy to filter the most eligible candidates in the first level itself. For, the examination has no scope for guesswork and such vulnerabilities are ruled out by replacing the CA Foundation course in the place of the CPT.

The CA CPT exam as an entry-level test for CA course was generally a test of four important subjects. The test was divided into two sessions of two hours’ duration. The CA CPT question paper had objective type questions and there is negative marking for wrong answers.

Also Read: CA Foundation Eam Pattern 2024

CA CPT vs CA Foundation: Eligibility Criteria

For both the examinations, the minimum eligibility criteria for registrations in Class 12th standard board examination from any recognized board. The candidate should have either appeared or passed in Class 12 examination or its equivalent. Students who are currently pursuing Class 12 can also register for CA Foundation if their board exam falls in October-November as the Foundation exam is held in June. The CA Foundation exam is conducted twice a year in May-June and November-December and students have to register four months before the date of the commencement of the examination. It is mandatory to undergo a thorough study period of four months before the exam. If a candidate wants to appear for November 2024 exams, he has to register himself on or before June 30, 2024.

Also Read: ICAI CA eligibility criteria

CA CPT vs CA Foundation Syllabus

The CA Foundation syllabus revolves around four major subjects namely, Business law and Business correspondence, Principles, and practices of accounting, Business mathematics and logical reasoning along with statistics, Business economics, and Commercial knowledge. Subjective questions will be asked from principles of accounting and Business law whereas objective questions will be asked from the other two topics.

The syllabus for the CA CPT examinations included Accounting, Mercantile Laws, Quantitative Aptitude and General Economics. It had objective type questions with the penalty for wrong answers. The CPT question paper was for 200 marks whereas the Foundation Paper is for 400 marks. The minimum pass percentage CA CPT was 50 percent and for CA Foundation it is 40 per cent marks in each paper and an aggregate of 55 per cent in all four papers.

Check the below table for detailed CA Foundation marking scheme:

CA CPT vs CA Foundation Exam Fees

The fees payable towards registration and examination fee for the CPT exam was INR 1,000 whereas for CA Foundation, it is INR 1,500. Given below are category wise fees of CA Foundation exam. 

Read more:

• CA Final exam 2024
• CA Intermediate exam 2024 
• Placement scope for Chartered Accountants