CA Final Moves to Three Sittings a Year: January, May and September

What was decided. The 26th Council of ICAI approved holding the CA Final examination three times a year instead of twice. ICAI announced it in a Public Relations Committee press release dated 27 March 2025. Foundation and Intermediate had already moved to three sittings the previous year, so this brings the Final into line.

The new pattern. All three levels run in January, May and September.

Members are affected too. The Assessment Test for the Post Qualification Course in Information Systems Audit moves from twice a year, in June and December, to three times — February, June and October.

What it actually changes for you. The gap between attempts drops from roughly six months to roughly four. A failed paper costs you less time, and the cost of attempting a group you are not fully ready for goes down accordingly. It also means the sensible unit of planning is now a four-month block rather than a six-month one, which is a shorter runway than most Final candidates are used to.

The catch nobody mentions. Three sittings a year does not mean three comfortable sittings. Articleship, results timing and the gap between a result and the next entry window all compress. Treat the extra attempt as insurance against a near miss, not as licence to enter underprepared.

What ICAI said. President CA. Charanjot Singh Nanda described the move as aligning with global best practice and giving students greater opportunity, noting that all three levels now carry an equal number of attempts each year.

Before you plan around it. ICAI announces each examination cycle separately on its examination page, with its own entry window and deadlines. Confirm the specific session dates there before you commit to an attempt — the pattern is set, but the dates for any given cycle come from the exam notification.

Source: ICAI Public Relations Committee press release, 27 March 2025 — “ICAI announces Major Changes in Examination System — CA Final to be Held Thrice a Year” (icai.org).