Also, as you are taking transfer after 2.5 years of articleship, you would be governed by the restrictive new rules. However marriage is a permitted reason for allowing transfer. So, please see that in the covering letter, your Principal clearly mentions the reason of your transfer. You can even attach copy of your marriage card / certificate with the covering letter as proof.

…it has been decided that all students would now be permitted to submit proof of their successful completion of ITT to the Examination Section before the commencement of the article training, instead of earlier requirement of submitting the said proof before appearing in the examination. However, this would not be applicable to the PCC students….In our opinion, all such students are advised to undergo ITT and Orientation Programme as early as possible, because this wouldn’t only help them in solving the questions posed in examinations in the IT paper but also release the pressure on the training centres

However as a good practice a covering letter preferably signed by the Principal is usually sent, This letter states that the article was in the firm from …date to …date, and s/he is terminating articles from …date. [If needed, then reason of termination can be given]. And that the records at the ICAI end be updated, and confirmed.

This covering letter also mentions the attachments being sent viz. Form 109.

http://indiapoint.net/ca/2006/02/27/articleship/comment-page-9/#comment-621

http://indiapoint.net/ca/2006/02/27/articleship/comment-page-10/#comment-733

As for MBA with CA, ICAI have arrangement with Bharthiar Univ (BU), whereby students can enroll with BU along with CA course. And in that papers passed in CA exams are counted towards exemption of BU courses. So, the PE2/PCC/IPCC level pass would count toward exemption in UG courses BCom / BBA, and the pass in Final level courses would count towards exemption in MCom / MBA course of BU.

http://www.icai.org/post.html?post_id=3863

http://220.227.161.86/19936advertisement_for_BU-ICAI.pdf

ICAI has similar arrangement with IGNOU (though not for MBA, but for BCom & MCom)

http://220.227.161.86/7535announ1482.pdf

and also with Netaji Subhash Open Univ, Kolkata

http://220.227.161.86/7606icai_bdp.pdf

However while ICAI has kept itself updated for BU, the latter ones IGNOU and NSOU, their latest status regarding their arrangement with ICAI is not known.

As to time between college end and start of office one hour gap should be there, else ICAI does not accept the form – that again from what I have seen. (Unless I guess, you can provide documentary evidence that your college and office are in the same building !)

Also Sir Can a principal of the college allow n sign form no. 112 even if the timings of the college are beyond 11AM using his discretionary powers?

Means Is it ok if I manage to get into any college where the principal is ready to sign the form showing less time than the actual college hours?

i cleared both groups of ipcc in may 2010. i am 2nd year bcom course.
i want to pursue cs with ca. i havn’t yet registered with icsi. i am planning to give cs foundation in june 2011.

is it that after tycom i can skip foundation and go for the executive level?
how about if want to pursue ca cs and later to mba finance part time.?
then which institutions give part time mba finance courses?

Also the timing of college should have a difference of at least an hour with that of the office timing. You cannot say that your college ends at 11 and you go to office at 11.

What I have seen in some cases, is that, as the Principals of colleges have discretionary powers to allow students for other activities – in case of articlesihp, they give relaxation in timing with riders that the student would have to attend extra classes for equal number of hours on holidays and leave period.

It does not matter whether you actually attend college or not – for ICAI its the paper that matters ! If you want relaxation – its only your college that can give you the relaxation as ICAI does not give any relaxation.

There is a way that is possible that if your city has any ‘regular’ morning or evening college. Then in such case your scholarship would also be retained and also the ICAI rule would also get fulfilled. Read point 10 of http://indiapoint.net/ca/2010/06/15/ca-articleship-latest-changes/

Do remember, that core of CA is about Accountancy and Audit. Whereas core of MBA (Finance) is about Finance – primarily dealing with Financial Markets. The difference is not just apparent but real.

Consequently you would find that financial firms who recruit from IIM would prefer candidates with Engg background with specialisation in Finance. The reason simply is that it is the training in logic and analytical abilities that engineering students get ingrained by their training. Most of the MBA Finance candidates would be taken up by the Financial companies – the good ones for trading and modelling, the others for marketing of financial products. You would not find MBA Finance in Accounting roles (its very rare) or in audit or taxation.

In contrast CA is about accounting and control function, and audit and tax functions. The problem with CA historically has been that it has been considered a closed statutory function – so functional areas like Financial Market, consultancy services like M&A etc were ignored and advertising was a big no no. However, ICAI is catching up in this direction. Now a days, CAs are also being taken up by financial companies. Even in Banks, now a days one can find CAs taking up executive positions (which were traditionally occupied by MBAs) as CAs are better equipped in audit, compliance, law and due diligence.

If you look at the organisation of a consultancy firm – there are different divisions – the MCS (mngt consultancy services), direct & indirect taxation, internal audit & fraud detection, etc, the MBAs gets hired for the MCS – whereas for the CA the variety of choices is larger.

While MBA is a general degree, CA is a specialised degree. In the multivariate field of Finance, at present CA as a course provides the widest exposure. The area it is lacking is proper classroom teaching. Moreover articles are exposed to differeing experiences – which lead to a differentials even among them, compared to MBA which is structured with classroom and two months of practical exposure.

There cannot be a clear answer to which is better – a ranker CA or an IIM grad. However, I can say, that a ranker CA has a wider choice of career (tax, audit, accountancy, finance, etc), whereas, IIM Fin grad do not enjoy such choice.

As for trends of remuneration, if you leave the extremes like a handful of candidates who get tons of lakhs or crores, the average entry level salaries (still) for CAs is less than IIM grad. This is primarily because of brand, and you can always be sure that when it comes to marketing MBAs are far ahead than a CA would ever be!

I have given IPCC may 2010 n cleared both groups. Now my articleship is starting. Now is it compulsory to fill form 112 now?

Actually the problem is I am getting CBSE scholarship of Rs. 70,000/- in insatllments like 10,000 each yr for 3 years of Bachelor degree and after that Rs. 20,000 each year for 2 yrs of post graduation degree with a stipulation that I must join the course as a regular student. I am now in Bcom 2nd year as a regular student. Still we dont need to attend any class even a single day. But now in articleship form no 112 has to be signed by the principal of our college who refused to sign the form for college timings before 11 AM in the morning. Now if I go for private then I would loose Rs. 60,000 scholarship. Now what to do? Is there any way out? Anyhow if I manage to do 2nd year regular then from 3rd year I’ll join a college where the timings are according to ICAI rules.

Please suggest what to do?

(Go through previous comments – some of the students who are joining Big4 as articled trainees have also posted their questions)

I recently cleared my CPT and will appear for ipcc in may 2011. I want to know whether i should give both the groups or only 1st group.

Another thing i want to ask is that do these big 4 take only those students for articleship who have given both the groups or they take those also who have given only 1st group

I’ll be really grateful to you if you can guide me on this.

Thanx

You are the best. Excellent information you have given here. Thanks a lot for sharing such wonderful information.

Details relating to industrial training:

http://indiapoint.net/ca/2006/02/27/articleship/#toc-11-industrial-training

I have even seen cases like where a student had posted her exam form and had retained the postal proof. But ICAI had not received the letter. And when such matter was brought to notice of ICAI just two-three days before the exams were to start – ICAI allowed the student to appear in exam with provisional roll no. !

Hopefully, since ICAI has all the details, I think, that previous appearance details in exam form are only of historical value – and not for record purposes. And therefore you should not have any problem in receiving admit card.

You can also contact exam helpline in this matter. http://indiapoint.net/ca/2009/08/20/icai-exams-online-application/comment-page-2/#comment-758

else, if you have another bank a/c. try registering with Paypal with another email id and another bank a/c. Dont try “again and again”.

http://icai.org/post.html?post_id=6278&c_id=219

(It is unfortunate that ICAI does such kinds of things to students – and not make their online payment systems fool-proof prior to inviting applications for exams through online mode)

Usually those who have fancy for corporate lifestyle prefer employment. But basically CA course is meant for producing a Practitioner rather than an employee. To be an employee – even in the accounts / finance dept. one does not need to be a CA. http://indiapoint.net/ca/2009/04/21/cwa-a-better-career-option/

Thank you Sir for your guidance.

One more thing I want to ask. Which is better as per your opinion Practice or Employment?

Tel No: (0120) 3054823, 3054825, 3054838

http://www.icai.org/post.html?post_id=2225

You will have to talk out your problem.

Apart from above, you can also send email with complete details to ashu@icai.in and pratikshit@icai.in

I had online filed my examination form for IPCC Exams November 2010. My form was successfully saved but when I made payment of Rs. 1,600/- the same was debited to my account and the same is not refelected to my Registraton No. and the pdf form not opened. Kindly guide me.

Sir, I am hopeful that from your precious time you will kindly spare some time to look into the matter and will guide me.

Vasu

Thanking You Sir,

If I want to go for practice in a comparatively small city (my hometown) then is it right to do articleship in tax department in any of the Big4 or should I go for a middle size firm?

Of-course when one is a CA and doing audit, finalising balance sheets and audit reports – it becomes exciting.

At a personal level, I have always found tax work more intellectually stimulating than audit.

The termination process in India would be the same, and I understand the process of re-registration would also be the same (same procedures same forms etc.) Only how it would be processed from Nepal, I am not aware. For that I would advise you to write an email to bosnoida@icai.org and also post a query at http://www.icai.org/help/

what is your opinion ?

As for the issue of training under relative – the only negative is that usually it hampers development of professionalism. So if you are joining a relative CA, then be on your guard that your training does not become ‘ghar ki baat’

As for passing exams and work – there is no direct linkage as such because there has been toppers from such firms – students who were undergoing articleship.

Whether it be big or small firm, or big or small city, if you are doing your articleship properly – then you would always be hardpressed for time.

Your ‘strategy’ is good except that you would be eligible to appear in finals in last six months. So assuming you pass in first attempt, no firm would take you in last four months of articleship. So in such case you would be directly entering the job market.

plz help me out.

As for your second thought press the delete button.

Good Luck.

1- sir i have applied in KPMG too and today i got recruited in KPMG too with tax department now tell me is your above ANS would remain same?

2- sir what i was thinking is that see i have no hurry to become a chartered accountant so i was thinking that for the first two years i join a mid-size firm and after getting exposures in different different fields by hard work, and than i join KPMG or delloits in a field which i liked the most and in which i have interest and suppose at that time if KPMG or delloits would not offer me that departement which i want than i will continue with my mid-size firm and after i passing CA final i will join them as a paid employee or else do things accordingly.

what do u suggest me sir in both the above cases

2) You cannot learn everything. Any CA including those who have done 30 years of practice would confess that they know barely 30 % of things – the rest they are still learning at age of 50 or 60 even though they are in active practice for so many years!

So, if you want to learn everything – then you are for big disappointment !

3) If you did training from Delloit with exposure only in audit – the worst that can happen is that you would get employment offers only in audit ! But then life is not about thinking about worst – its hope that keeps one alive.

4) I would go for a mid-size firm where one can get exposure to different fields (viz. audit – statutory, internal, with different sectors; taxation – income tax, central excise, service tax, efiling, drafting of cases; company matters relating to ROC – efiling, company formation, return filing etc; management consultancy – projects for bank loans, restructuring exercise etc; information tech – like setting up accounting systems, salary systems etc.)

(For example, it was really a matter of great satisfaction to know that for one of the organisation, the salary payment system that I created as an article – that same system was still being used even after four years!. That organisation happened to have nearly 200 employees!)

5) It really depends on what kind of work you are assigned. There have been cases where students kept on doing only vouching well into their second year of training in big firms! But if you get a good principal, may be they can introduce you to the real audit techniques which the partners employ!

However, audit is not just techniqes, but primarily a mental attitude of looking at things. For example, even though my main exposure to various different fields happened in a mid-size firm (including best exposure in Income Tax & Systems, including attending different seminars of Income Tax!) – the way audit is actually done – I learnt under my third Principal who happened to have a Proprietorship firm! Unless you have ‘that’ attitude of looking at things – all audit techniques would fail. And examples are not far off – take Satyam – their internal auditors won the best auditors award from the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) of USA – as they were using the techniques developed by IIA. But then its everyones guess as to what they were auditing! And Satyam had all the things like Audit Committes, Independent Directors, and other different compliances in place!

I would suggest since ICAI has given first year relaxation in transfer without restriction, join Delloit for audit – see it for at least six months – and if things work in your favour stick to it, but if you find that things are not moving as per your likings then take transfer to mid-size firm.

Good Luck

Thank You

But why have you posted it here? Do you want to know the last date of registration for ca final exams for Nov 2010? Then its 03-Sept-2010

1- i want the best exposures
2- i want to learn everything
3- what are the possibilities of getting job and a good package in case i did articleship from a mid-size firm with a very good exposure in all the fields and in case i did it from delloits with a good exposure in statutory audit…?
4- from the view of growth in job in both d cases?
5- getting exposure in statutory audit from mid-size firm is as same as getting it from delloits?

The thing simply is that someone who has seen the work procedures – they take lesser time to get trained and get assimilated in the work procedures of the company. That is the only reason.

Having family that has little knowledge of this field is definitely a minus – they would always say – “accounting mein kya rakha hain? yeh to koi bhi kar lega!”

As far as professionalism is concerned – its a personal attribute – even the dabbawalas of Mumbai are considered so professional that they have been given six sigma certification in quality. And these dabbawalas are not even matriculates. So, professionalism is a personal attitude towards work – so that basically depends on you as to what is your outlook to work.

The rules of termination and re-registration is the same for all candidates – whether they take transfer within India or take transfer abroad.

Kathmandu is also one of the center of exam of ICAI – so I guess you wont have any problems.

(read previous comments for details of forms and transfer)

Thank you…

I want to do articleship from jammu only (my hometown) but there are only few CA firms…more of sole proprietor…my father is interested in getting me enrolled wih his CA only (a sole prop.)…..i m really confused whether to join a CA firm or sole prop.

i m willing to do hard work and want to gain practical knowledge……..also suggest me that doing articleship from jammu (a small town) thus a little exposure than other students of India …..will it help me in passing CA Final Exam which are said to be more practical than inter exams?

Also doing from jammu- my hometown….will help me in getting the professional attitude, practical knowledge, so called exposure to pass my CA final exams later on and be a rank holder in the exams ….help & suggest me….i want join a company as an auditor rather than opening a office!

plz help me out me & my family has very little knowledge about this?

thanking u in adv.

So, considering that your 8 months include actual appearance in CA exams of say 10 days, then your leave is 7 months & 20 days. That makes your excess leave period to be 1 month and 20 days. This is the period you will have to work more.

Do your exact calculations taking the actual figures of days as applicable to you and read this: http://indiapoint.net/ca/2008/10/31/articleship-certain-rules/#toc-2-leave

Despite that you are studying in best commerce college of the country, the best course in field of commerce is still considered to be CA run by ICAI. The thing is which one you want B.Com / MCom or a professional qualification like CA ?

Also, the field of TP is among the best that one can get in articleship. You would be dealing with MNCs and huge manufacturing concerns from day one.

Articleship in TP at PWC is anyday more preferable than any college in India.

I would also add, that dont think that middle firm would give you any concession – and also – outstation audits form a good part of work of middle firms. So, in articleship you have no respite! So grab the best offer you have.

Good Luck.

I’m confused whether to go for articleship at PWC where I am given the department of “Transfer Pricing” or go for medium size firms. My college demands alot of attendance and if I choose Big Four firm (PWC), then I may be sent to neighbouring cities and may have to be absent at college.

What should I do ? On one hand hand I have PWC, on the other hand my college and all other comforts ?

Reply by Anup: Plz read previous comments.

and ICAI organised Campus Placements not only for fresh CA’s but also for experienced CA’s as well which gives a huge boost to the profession as a whole.

I wish the Indian Rupee becomes the most prestigious currency in this world as well

1) Eventhough you have cleared IPCC in first attempt, your marks are not good enough. So your saying “…assuming studying is not a big issue…” seems to show that you are bit overconfident. The CA Final is a completely different game. So dont think that its easy. In CA course entry is easy, exit is difficult.

2) There is mismatch in your aspirations viz. “…I am more interested to be in my hometown with my family…” and “…I am interested to prepare for CAT 2011…” So would that mean that IIM would come to your hometown to enroll you as candidate? And suppose even if you join IIM, is there any job scope for IIM graduate at your home town?

3) As a CA in Practice, you can definitely Practice at your hometown.

4) Perhaps you should really ask – why you are so attached with your family? Would it help your family if you stay at home town. Or you can go out earn better, and achieve better position in life – if doing that would help your family.

5) In terms of earning – it is definitely the employment where one earns more and earns early. Most CAs in practice have a long gestation period (unless they happen to belong to CA Practice families where the firm was set up by their grandfather!). The first generation CAs usually take upto 6 to 10 years to be really properly settled if they are in practice. And many of the CAs in Practice have some sort of side business in name of family members!

Perhaps instead of Mumbai – which is fairly far from your hometown – why dont you explore places like Jaipur and Udaipur? These are pretty good places for taking articleship training – and are good industrial / commercial hubs – so even if you want to go for employment later on – you can make good contacts in such places. And I guess Jaipur also has good coaching facilities for CA and other competitive exams.

Good Luck

I want to take an advice. I have given CBSE 12th commerce with 94.2% in 2009. After that I gave CPT in june 2009 & cleared it with 163 marks. Finally I gave IPCC both groups this May 2010 & cleared both the groups with 210/400 marks in 1st group & 150/300 marks in 2nd group.

Sir the confusion is whether I should go Mumbai for Articleship in big firms or Should I join in a small firm in my hometown Ajmer(Rajasthan)?

I know the answer to this question somehow depends on our own choice to go for practice or service after CA. There is no scope for service in Ajmer. But I dont know what to go for. Is there more scope in practice (in terms of earning)?

As I am more interested to be in my hometown with my family? (That is the main problem due to which I am confused a lot)

Also I am interested to prepare for CAT 2011 for IIM.

Assuming that studying is not a big issue. I can handle it. But for future what to do? what to go for practice or service? and where to take articleship from?

Thank You

could you please suggest me a few middle firms of pune for articleship so that i can get knowledge about all the fields and also tell me what is the last date for registration for final.

also what is the permitted leave during three years of practical training.

2) I guess whenever you register for finals, it would be due in the last 6 months / 1 year of articleship, depending on which stream of training you belong

3) Since ICAI has relaxed the rules of transfer in first year to ‘without restriction’, you need not wait for the termination letter from RO – that would happen automatically. Just send form 109, and then join the other firm and send all the forms ie. 103 & 112 along with photocopy of form 109 that is with you to RO (Regional Office)

4) Form 120 is not application in your case. Form 120 is used in cases, where the Principal would refuse to sign Form 109 even when there are genuine reasons. In that case, the article may terminate the articleship by himself. (And usually such cases are extreme cases – mostly for theoretical / legal purposes, and I guess if ever if anyone has used Form 120). In the case of Form 120, the article fills the form and sends it to ICAI along with copy of request of termination that he had submitted to his Principal. ICAI would thereafter refer the same to the Principal to issue for 109. And even if thereafter, the Principal does not issue Form 109 within the time stipulated by ICAI, then the date mentioned in Form 120 by the student is taken as date of termination.

Dear Sir, as regard point no. 2 ,
I have to ask in What time FORM 102, 103 & 112 duly filled in by my New Principal will have to be sent to the Institute?

And Sir if i get registered for Finals after i get re-registered as an article under another CA, Will there be any problem ? Like my Finals will get postponed ?

Sir please clarify.. firstly will I have to sent FORM 109 and then after getting reply from the institute as regard termination of articleship, i have to do the further proceedings of re-registration of articleship under my new Principal?

one more query is that what is FORM 120 and for what pupose it is used ? In that form it has been written that one can not take transfer during First Six months of articleship..

Regards Sunaina

1) You do not need to inform the institute. See point (12) of http://indiapoint.net/ca/2010/06/15/ca-articleship-latest-changes/

Directly send the Form 109 to ICAI, and enroll with another Principal with whom you wish to continue without waiting for the termination letter – as that would arrive in due course

2) You will have to follow the same procedure as you did while enrolling as article with your first Principal – except that no fees would be payable in this re-registration

3) Have you not registered for finals? Do it at the earliest – there is no timing or date restrictions.

Q.1 Will I have to inform the Institute as regard transfer of articleship before getting FORM 109 signed by my principal?

Q.2 What other FORMS are to be filled in to have my articleship registered under another CA ?

Q.3 When should i get registered for CA Final year as i have cleared my second group of IPCC in may,10 ?

Pls do reply.

Dear sir, i want to join industrial trainee and i have given 3 months notice in my office as well, and the notice period is ending on 31st august 2010. But since my CA final results were negative, now the problem is i cant go on industrial training till 22nd november 2010. So is it possible that i take termination from my principal on 31st august 2010 and than join industrial trainee after 22nd november 2010.

Doubt is actully i have heard that once you take termination than you have to reregister yourself within 30 days with someone else.

I have tried asking in the institute but there was no clear reply.

To sum up my query is that will it be necessary for me to register for industrail training with some company within 30 days from the date of termination of articles.

Regards,
Anurag Rai

These are in various circulars and student manual. Go through previous comments (they have links to appropriate files) or explore the ICAI website.

But these are the rules in theory – no Principal adheres to these rules in words or substance.

http://icai.org/post.html?post_id=2225

i would just like to know that whether we can take transfer within 1 year?
and
i would like to refer through the rules set by ICAI for ca articleship trainees bout timings and leave for tybcom and ca final?
please let me know the link or information about this.

again if we do that i don’t think computer will able to scan the same.

please help me out with same..thanks

Transfer during articleship period is through Form 109 that has to be filled in triplicate (one each with candidate / principal / sent to RO). The RO sends a termination letter. However you dont have to wait for it, and meanwhile take re-registration with another Principal.

The procedure of re-registraiton is exactly the same as articleship in first instance (Form 103 and Form 102), except that there is no fees to be sent to institute. The period in re-registration is the balance period.

http://220.227.161.86/20131announ060810b.pdf

2) Since you are still undergoing articleship, you need to be ‘in service’ of articleship when you are filling the exam form

3) If you want to do the balance period (excess leave period) with another CA, you can do it – but you will have to go through the formalities of Form 109. That means ICAI will have to approve – and that it is certainly not going to allow – as only last two months are left.

ie. your first attempt would be due during last six months of your articleship training.

http://220.227.168.109/20131announ060810b.pdf

So why waste time in training when you can join work / employment directly?

http://www.icsi.edu/Member/CSRegulations/tabid/1590/Default.aspx

http://www.icsi.edu/WebModules/Member/CS%20Regulation%201982.zip

Check Regulations 48, 50, 51, 52 for exemption details for exemption from CS Practical Training.

It includes criteria like: (among others)

1) one year experience as Asstt Secy / Dep Secy or three years experience as Secretarial Officer / Executive in Secretarial Dept in Organisation with Paid Up Capital of 25 lakhs or Gross Fixed Assets of Rs. 50 lakhs or in any PSU / Bank / Autonomous / Statutory body.

2) Three years practice as CA / CWA having carried out Audits or management consultancy service

3) Advocate with three years practice at High Court or adviser to company with Paid Up Capital of 25 lakhs or Gross Fixed Assets of Rs. 50 lakhs or in any PSU / Bank / Autonomous / Statutory body.

4) Three years experience as executive or four years experience as assistant in secretarial / administration / accounts / finance / legal department of company with Paid Up Capital of 25 lakhs or Gross Fixed Assets of Rs. 50 lakhs or in any PSU / Bank / Autonomous / Statutory body.

But cant say on the issue as the rules may have undergone change.

You can do the 15 months training in the companies of your choice like: Pepsi, KPMG, ONGC, Nestle, DLF etc etc. All these are empaneled with ICSI to impart the 15 months training.

Checkout the ICSI link:
http://www.icsi.edu/WebModules/icsiweb/works/training/listcompanies.asp

In the box type the name of the company and the drop down box for MT or PT – and hit search – all contact details etc are provided there.

Any company like these is good enough – the point is you should be able to get entry in any of these. Often its not the student’s choice – but the choice of availability. Its like there can be a best singer of ones choice – but then whether it be Michael Jackson, Madonna, Lata Mageshkar, Kishor Kumar / etc all are best. So is the case with companies.

I enquired with the CS Chapter and they say that i will have to complete 15 months of articleship in order to get the degree.

Moreover, i did refer to the link you had given to see which all companies i can do my articleship with. But i have still not been able to zero down the firms which are the best for CS Articleship. Even online a lot of information is available for CA Articleship but hardly any for CS Articleship.

i would want to work in a big company like KPMG OR PEPSI. please guide me as to which firms i should apply to.

thnks once again..
pallavi

See point (10) of http://indiapoint.net/ca/2010/06/15/ca-articleship-latest-changes/

Decide as per your situation as to what is best – but do articleship happily and with sincerity, and also do not neglect studies during the three year period.

http://indiapoint.net/ca/2006/02/27/articleship/comment-page-3/#comment-251

My genuine fear is of leaving family, facing hardships, getting less time for self studies and ultimately end up realising that I have got nothing worthy. I cannot go to mumbai because of family reasons. In Udaipur, I will have much more time for studies but i doubt if i will get corporate exposure here.

If yes then How and If no the what can be remedy? Please Help

Though there are different kinds of audit – statutory / internal / tax audit / VAT audit / etc. The techniques applied are same. However one kind of audit should not really be any problem – because it does not matter.

What matters is the variety of enterprises belonging to different sectors that you audit. So audit of an NGO / Provident Fund / manufacturing company / finance company would be an altogether different experience. It is this experience that matters.

As such Big4 is still the place where you learn the best auditing practices. This is also useful as Big4 have inhouse training facilities through periodic lectures etc.

i have giving my interviews in midsize firms and big firms. i have been even called for interview in one of the big4. i wish to go in audit field and mostly go in employment after being a ca. but then i just dont want to stick doing just one kind of audit in 3 yrs of articleship. if i pass out in my interview with big4, would it be beneficial if i join big4 according to my requirements?

If your aim is to be a legal advisor – dont waste your time in MBA. A qualification of LLB + CS is extremely good. An MBA to that would only be an unnecessary diversion.

I would suggest join a legal consultancy firm that deals with economic laws. In fact such firms deal with things like M&A, Valuation, Patents etc. The best place to get a list of such firms would be placement brochures from institutions like National Law School Bangalore etc. Such brochures are usually available online.

Infact you can start with salary like 7 to 8 lakh +. So don’t waste time on MBA. Adding divergent qualifications is not Professionally good.

Good Luck !

http://icai.org/post.html?post_id=6218&c_id=219

you have actually helped me clear all my doubts. Sir, I am actually a law student, final year law (5 years-BSL LLB) from Pune University. I am pursuing CS along with law. My actual aim is to get through CAT and pursue MBA from the first cluster b-school. Therefore, i wish to take work experience before pursuing MBA, as lately a lot of importance is being given to work ex.

so what you are suggesting is that i should take up employment rather than articleship in a corporate house? In that case would my CS degree be complete? And anyways i dont intend to practice as a CS. Eventually, after finishing with MBA, I want to be a legal advisor in a big corporation house.

please suggest me what to do. And which all companies i should apply to for CS employment. My profile till now is BSL LLB (5 YEARS), major in corporate law, CS and diploma in mergers and acquisition. I would want to pursue MBA in Finance.

please suggest me what to do and which all corporations i should apply to. I have zeroed on a few which are PEPSI co, KPMG, ONGC, BHEL, NESTLE, PVR, GE MONEY, DLF. please let me know which one of these do you think will be the best for me.

thanks a lot
pallavi

The supplementary deed in duplicate along with Form No. 108 for the period already served, should be sent so as to reach the office of institute within 60 days of expiry of the normal terms of articles.

This procedure is valid only if there is no break ie. you are continuing articleship with the same Principal.

Since you have not sent these forms within 60 days, you would be required to send:
1) Application for condonation of delay (get it forwarded by your Principal)
2) Condonation fees of Rs 300

To your specific question as to when you would be eligible for the exams or forms to be filled, I suggest you go through the relevant rules on the ICWAI website: http://www.icwai.org/

These form filling may look confusing at first, but are simple – so don’t worry.

To your other questions:

1) There is no ‘pact’ between ICAI and ICWAI – infact the two institutes are usually at loggerheads with each other. The reason being at one time, ICAI proposed to ‘absorb’ ICWAI with itself! And also because, while ICWAI wants to change its name to ICMAI (ie. instead of ‘works’, it wants ‘management’) – ICAI is putting up objections to that. Consequently, the sufferers are students.

So, ICWAI does not recognise the CA articleship training for its CWA course.

2) However, the good thing is, that in case of training the CWA candidates are at an advantageous position than the CA students:

a) CA articleship is not recognised as work experience. And the CA three years articleship is compulsory. And one cannot be employed elsewhere during the articleship period.

b) However the ICWAI three years training is not compulsory – in the sense that it recognises work experience / actual employment for set of with its compulsory training.

(See Point 8 and 9 of http://indiapoint.net/ca/2010/07/25/before-chartered-accountancy-ca-think-again/)

So, instead of enrolling for three years training for CWA, you can enrol for the CWA course, and simultaneously join any ‘recognised’ organisation in ‘recognised’ function.

http://www.icwai.org/icwai/students-faq-trg.asp

6. When can I be exempted from undergoing practical training of 3 years?

You will get exemption from undergoing practical training equivalent to your working experience in the Organizations listed below provided you are working/worked in the recognized areas listed below:

Organizations recognized for Training: (i) Central/State Government / Semi-Government / Public Utilities (ii) Banks and other Financial Institutions (iii) Insurance Company (iv) Public Sector Unit (v) Public Limited Company (vi) Private Limited Company (vii) Information Technology Sector (viii) KPO / BPO (ix) Stock Exchange (x) Universities, Management Institutes and any other educational institute (xi) Limited Liability Partnership Firm (xii) Management Consultancy Firms (xiii) NGO (xiv)Co-operative societies engaged in Banking or Manufacturing and (xiii) Any other institution as approved by the Council from time to time

Recognized areas for Training: (i) Cost Accounting (ii) Financial Accounting (iii) Financial Management (iv) Auditing (v) Regulatory compliances (vi) Direct Taxation (vii) Indirect Taxation (viii) Corporate Laws, Industrial Laws and Commercial Laws (ix) Systems Analysis and Information Technology (including ERP system) (x) Project Management (xi) Banking Operations (xii) Insurance (xiii) Valuation (xiv) Financial Services (xv) Teaching in Finance, Accounts, Costing, Taxation, Management and subjects covered in ICWAI Syllabus (other than visiting faculty) (xvi) Management Consultancy Services (xvii) Any other areas approved by the Council from time to time.

So that means, you dont need to ‘postpone’ your CWA training, but can simultaneously do job, and thereafter claim exemption from practical training.

3) If you are with CWA, dont waste time on CA. A career is like a horse. Its always good to ride only one horse at a time! The point is why should you be desirous of CA? If you want to be a ‘CA in practice’ only then join CA and dont join any other course. If your aim is not to be a ‘CA in practice’, then CWA is much better compared to CA! Infact in the Draft Companies Bill (the new one that is to replace the current Act), there is a provision that every company needs to keep a Chief Accounts Officer – and the qualification prescribed is CWA ‘or’ CA. Infact, companies in general treat the CA / CWA as equivalent qualification. Its only the consultancy organisations where there is lots of internal audit or taxation that prefer CAs – but others – and a whole bunch of them including banking / finance / telecom / manufacturing / auto / pharma / etc would prefer a CWA. The MD of ICICI Ms. Chanda Kochar is a CWA and not a CA. And also there is a good lobby of CWA in the industry. So remove any apprehension regarding CWA. Its a good course and I would say the way the course is structured, its a better course than CA for those who want to go for employment in industry.

The only problem is that students are not aware, and that somehow the ICAI has created a brand for itself! And this creates various apprehensions in mind of students. I would also add one more thing. The study material of ICWAI is much better compared to ICAI study material.

Good Luck.

Meet the CA under whom you want to enrol as articled assistant. Decide on a joining date.

The rest your CA (Principal) will guide you regarding the forms to be filled.

I had few queries that I would like to share with you and hopefully you’ll be able to help me out with this. I am a 3rd Year (TY) B.Com student in Mumbai who has appeared (June 2010) and cleared (August 2010) the Foundation exam for ICWAI. When can I be eligible to appear for the Intermediate exam if i decide to:
a. write Group I
b. write Group II
c. write both the groups simultaneously,

and what all formalities do I have to fulfill before appearing for the said exam? What do we mean by “Registering as a student-Form 1″ and “Enrolling” and when are we suppose to do the above?

Now since ICWAI has made practical training compulsory, can we seek exemption if we decide to do a job/article ship at a later stage, lets say after completing Inter of during/after Final?

Thirdly, I am also desirous of pursing CA course. Will I be eligible to appear for the online CPT in 2010 alongside doing Bcom/ICWAI or paper-pencil CPT in June 2011 alongside ICWAI? If yes, how will I go about the compulsory article ship under ICAI?

I know I’ve bombarded you with all the questions but I would really appreciate it if you could help me out with my doubts sir. Hoping for your quick reply.

Join a firm which has work, and where you feel comfortable. Visit a few firms and talk to CAs. Even though there is a big hype about Big4, the biggest frauds also happen in cases of Big4 !

Big 4 also has vacancies for taxation – it really depends on firms. http://indiapoint.net/ca/2006/02/27/articleship/comment-page-9/#comment-621

As for firm locations in Mumbai, I really have no idea. The best way is to start from the noticeboard at the ICAI Regional Office.

As for change, it depends on the firms policy from time to time and also on vacancies arising. Its not that audit and tax is completely divorced – because there is good amount of coordination that is required between the two areas.

Usually vacancies in tax is limited and considered more prestigious. As for audit, any firm would be very happy if anyone wants to take training in audit. This is because audit often means on-site audit involving long duration tours outside – and also odd hours of work depending on client stipulations.

As for interview, usually basic questions of subject is asked. If you show interest in certain field, you may even be asked current developments in that. Usually you should be able to reply at least two-three meaningful points to a question. If you have accounting standards, then that is also important area.

Those taking interview know that you are beginning a training – you are not really supposed to know ‘tough’ questions.

I have cleared my 1st group of IPCC in may 2010. I want to start my articleship but my friends are saying that i should wait till november for my grop2 exams because i will need leave for atleast 1 month for studying for 2nd group so what are your suggestions to join articleship now or later..

and i have one more query to ask you that is it that big4 companies do not give scope for taxation and other aspects for practice except for statutory audit and if i want to go for mid sized firms between borivali to andheri which firms do you suggest to work with.
i will wait for your reply,
thank you.

also regarding the interview,what questions do they ask,are they tough or basic questions only.

As for IFRS – the thing is that it is mandatory for all listed companies from Apr 2011. So, something that is compulsory for all – is that any advantage? Moreover being an article in Big4 – you would not be finalising balance sheets – you would only be vouching and collecting data.

We live by perspectives. In the end, its your choice of how you see the thing suitable for yourself. Good Luck.

However if given a choice in taxation which division should i preferably opt for among corporate taxation, indirect tax, international tax etc in the Big 4.

I intend to work abroad also so would having had worked in tax be a limiting factor as wouldn’t I primarily be dealing in Indian Taxation Laws only?

In audit the division being offered to me is IFRS, so keeping the present trends in mind would choosing tax over it still be a favourable decision?

In audit, you would be doing audit of clients – offsite or onsite. There may be lot of travel involved. And depending on the hierarchy, and the way the Firm works, you may or may not learn much! http://indiapoint.net/ca/2006/02/27/articleship/comment-page-7/#comment-453

Without doubt, if its the offer of taxation, grab it. Those who know taxation well, can also do audit in a better way – but its not true the other way round!

I have an offer in taxation deptt of one of the big 4′s and Audit in another for my articleship. Can you plz tell me the nature of the jobs involved and the work profile in each of the 2 divisions.

I have just cleared my IPCC.

7 (a) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
i) you must have passed the Intermediate or PE-II or PCE or IPCE examination; and
ii) you must have obtained the Final Registration Number from Board of Studies; and
iii) you must have completed prescribed period of 3 years or 3 1/2 years of article training as on the date of filling the form

or

you must be due to complete the prescribed period of 3 year or 3 1/2 years article training including excess leave, if any, on or before 31st October, 2010

or

you must be in service as on 1st November, 2010 and serving the last twelve months of article training including excess leave, if any, and due to complete 3 years on or before 31st October, 2011.(for PEII students and PEII students converted to IPCC)

or

you must be in service as on 1st November, 2010 and serving the last six months of article training including excess leave, if any and due to complete 3 1/2 years on or before 30th April, 2011(for PCC students)

or

you must be in service as on 1st November, 2010 and serving the last six months of article training including excess leave, if any and due to complete 3 years on or before 30th April, 2011(for intermediate students)

or

you must be in service as on 1st November 2010 and serving the last 12 months of article training including excess leave, if any, and due to complete 3 1/2 years article ship on or before 31st October, 2010 (for students converted from PEII to PCC as well as students converted from PR II to PCC and then to IPCC)

If you have taken termination of training due to any reason, kindly ensure you re-register for training immediately in order to be in service as on 1stMay 2010 else your eligibility to appear in May 2010 Final Examination shall be doubtful.

The Council has resolved that a student who is otherwise eligible to appear in Final Examination shall not be required to be in service of articles/audit training on the first day of the month in which the Final Examination is held, but such relaxation shall be confined only to the first of such permissible examination (for PEII students) (i.e. the final examination in which a student shall become eligible to appear in the final examination for the first time only but not thereafter).

In other words, it is clarified that a candidate who is otherwise eligible (i.e. passed PE-II examination, registered for Final course, completed 2 years of articles training without any excess leave as on 31-10-2010 and to appear in Final Examination may not be insisted upon to be in service of articles/audit training as on 1stNovember 2010 provided his permissible appearance for the first time in the Final Examination is for November 2010 (and not thereafter in subsequent appearances) .

7 (b) As per Regulation 29A. (b) (ii), the candidates of Final examination can appear in the last 12 months of their training period. Hence, the candidates eligible to appear in the Final Examination to be held in November 2010, subject to other requirements, need to have completed 2 years of training without any excess leave as on 31st October 2010 and be in service as on 1stNovember 2010

7 ( c) As per Regulation 29 B(i) ,and in accordance with the resolution of the Council under Regulation No. 205 the candidates of Final Examination can appear in the last 6 months of their article training period of 3 1/2 years. Hence such candidates eligible to appear in the final examination to be held in November 2010, subject to other requirements, need to have 3 years of article training without excess leave as on 31.10.2010 and in service as on 1.11.2010.

I joined my articleship on Dec 19, 2006 and as per the period of 3.5 years it will be completed on June 19, 2010. But i have excess leaves of 397 days. I want to appear in November 2010 final exams. Am i eligible for the attempt. Please sir reply as soon as possible. Thank you

From what you have written, I can understand:

1) You have NOT completed articleship from Govt Company – as you were not doing any industrial training.

2) You have completed your articleship from CA Firm – and your Principal had assigned you to a work, where the client happened to be a Govt Company.

Now the point is you were bound by the rules of your CA Firm. And it seems to me, that since the Govt Company was having Saturday off, you also went off on Saturday and did not go to the office of your Principal. This has led to your having excess leave.

However, the thing to consider is – whether your work at the client location was 35 hours or more per week? Did you spend on an average more than 7 hours a day on the accounting work (excluding lunch hours) at the client location?

If your answer is affirmative, then there is no excess leave. There is ICAI circular on such issues: http://www.icai.org/post.html?post_id=3220&c_id=240

So, basically its not the number of days you attend office – but number of hours you work in a week. Talk to your Principal to resolve the issue amicably. It would even be good, if you have any evidence relating to number of hours you attended the client office for the accounting work.

As such to your queries: Since you have passed PE-2, the articleship period would be 3 years. Secondment is min for 4 months and max for one year. So, in a way you can do secondment under max 2 other CAs. Matters relating to current fees you will have to check from the institute.

I cleared my PE-II in Nov. 2007 and CS Final in Dec 2007. I enrolled for CS Management Training as it was for 15 months as compared to CA which was for 3 1/2 years. I am now a member of ICSI and meanwhile have completed 2 yrs of LL.B.

My queries are:

1. What is the present duration of CA Articleship applicable to me?
2. What is the current fees for CA Final course?
3. Can a secondment be taken more than once during the period of Articleship?
4. Is there any fees entailed towards enrollment as an Articled Clerk

I am based in Bombay. I do not wish to go for dummy articleship.

Your help, if it comes my way, is highly appreciated.

http://www.icsi.edu:8888/Pcsareg/list15.aspx

http://www.icsi.edu/WebModules/icsiweb/works/training/listcompanies.asp

I am not too conversant with CS, but as far as I know, one can be an LCS after passing CS Final exams, and join employment directly in that line. And later on, one can get exemption from the training to get the ACS qualification. When one can earn in employment, why waste time in training? … unless you wish to do CS practice – where training is compulsory as only ACS can do Practice.

Thanks a lot
Pallavi

I applied for a charity account with Pay pal because its free and supported by vbulletin software for payment subscription, I have all the documents like NGO Registration certificate, Memorandum of Society, Society PAN card, and the Bank details , bank details were verified by the Pay Pal by depositing amount of Rs. 2 and 40 paisa, after submitting all the document as per said in their website and in their emails, they denied me for the account, just because they have no tie-up with India regarding charity account, what the hell is this, why the pay pal people should not mention at the time sign up process. I have wasted around 1000/- rs in doing fax to pay pal and after 4-5 days they denied.

Don’t apply for a charity account with pay pal if you are living in India. Just wastage of time and money.

http://www.icai.org/resource_file/201announ1125a.pdf

great article on articleship.

However, just check up abt the number of articles allowed table.

Just add the balance period to the date – and you will get your articleship completion date. Thereafter send your Form 108.

This would be the case if you have not taken ‘excess leave’ However, if you have also taken excess leave – then add that excess leave to the date you calculated in the previous para.

My extended articleship period is on account of gap in rejoining my articleship from 1sr principal to another.

someone have told me that we have to submit fresh 103 form for this extended period.

Yes, good communication skills and extra-curricular activities are definitely a plus. Infact, even ICAI holds such activities for its students at various levels – branch/region/national every year.

So what you think should i join this institute they also guarantee for placements after completion of course.

i have 90%+ academic record
air 16 in cpt
i can communicate with people easily ( winner of debate competitions at district level)
do the above things would be considered?

http://www.icai.org/post.html?post_id=6107&c_id=219

I am also trying to find out an answer for doing articleship in Singapore for my wife. Did you manage to get any more info ?

http://www.icai.org/post.html?post_id=653

I cleared My inter Two years back but i didnt get 1st group marksheet. Now for applying CPA i need Marksheet. Is it possible to get it now.

Usually the problems occur, if suppose you send your Form 108 after say 6 months of completion of articleship – in such cases one would have to send all details. If you send it in time (ie. within one month), then there is no problem.

As for attempt, for Final there is no limit for appearing in the exam. From recruiters point of view, its difficult to say. Generally the attempt is taken as the first eligible attempt.

I guess, your focus should be on passing the exam – not on ‘first’ attempt. Many times student gets disoriented and focus on these things that they end up with bad preparation. So, if you are confident, make preparation – even if that means for one group. Your focus should be on passing exams, not on ‘attempt’.

1) http://www.icai.org/help/ and/or email to bosnoida@icai.org

2) send email to chairman of the regional council to which you belong.

3) write separate emails to members of central council of your region (only elected members, not the nominated ones):

http://www.icai.org/post.html?post_id=1525&c_id=237

Put your case properly with full details, your grievance would surely get redressed.

Thereafter, you join inter, which is now called IPCE. In that you have to:

1) Clear Group 1 (4 papers)
2) Do 100 hours computer training (ITT)
3) Take orientation course of ICAI 35 hours (one week)

On finishing the above, you can join articleship. You can do articleship along with your graduation (there are certain conditions attached)

As for other latest changes, you can read: http://indiapoint.net/ca/2010/06/15/ca-articleship-latest-changes/

Reply by Anup: Plz read the article.

However, the best thing, is often to talk to your Principal’s CA friends who have the kind of audit that you would like to do. So, if someone has internal audit of bank, or someone goes for statutary audit of bank, or stock audit of a company or bank or any such assignment – then request your Principal to talk to such CAs – and work with these CAs on such assignments for an agreed upon duration.

Such kind of practice is fairly common – where CAs often share manpower available! In doing this, you would get the variety of experience – as well as it would not require unnecessary procedural compliance of ICAI.

http://indiapoint.net/ca/2006/02/27/articleship/ and http://indiapoint.net/ca/2008/10/31/articleship-certain-rules/

The training of CA and CS are different. There is no arrangement between ICAI and ICSI for exemption in any field of study or training.

As an aside, I am still not able to understand as to why students go for multiple qualification – or what advantage they derive. Because, if one wants to practice one can do practice in only one field – even if one holds multiple qualifications. Even in employment, the ‘older’ days are now gone where one could hold multiple roles. Now a days the roles of a CS and the CFO have become more specialised. Maybe a few small companies try to take advantage – but from student and professional perspective, holding multiple qualifications is pretty meaningless.

Earlier also, when there was no such restrictions, one could take termination based on mutual consent. There was no need to justify as to the reasons for the mutual consent.

For first year of articleship by removing the restrictions, that clause of mutual consent has again become operable. (As per the July 2010 notification, restrictions on transfer / termination in first year of articleship has been removed).

However, you can try the online grievance mechanism to know the EPF balance, if you have not got the statement. http://epfigms.gov.in/

However, if you have not passed your inter, then you can try for Secondment. Secondment can be taken for minimum 4 months and max one year. The institute has only to be sent a specified form – and no questions are asked.

But regarding termination, the problem in your case is, that even if your Principal gives you termination and signs Form 109, ICAI will not accept it!

As per news reports (July 2010), ICAI is being lenient for giving transfer in first year of articleship, but not in 2nd and 3rd year of articleship. It has specified certain conditions – only under which it would approve transfer. Also, before sending Form 109, approval has to be taken from the institute. You can check details in Point 12 of http://indiapoint.net/ca/2010/06/15/ca-articleship-latest-changes/

And as such, you will have to take articleship training for the period by which you are on excess leave. So that means, if you join back on 1-8-2010. Then your date of termination would be 14-10-2011.

However you can adjust the balance entitled leave for the intervening period. So, for example if you are doing three year articleship, and till 1-8-2009 you have taken no leave. Then you can adjust your entitled leave – that comes to 155 days. So, if suppose you join back on 1-8-2010, and you take no leave till completion of your training, then your articleship date would end on 10-05-2011.

I have good news to share with you especially with the students aspiring to do their articles abroad. The Council in its recent meeting had decided that our members holding Certificate of Practice with their principal place of practice abroad would henceforth be eligible to train articled assistants abroad in terms of Regulation 43, in the same manner as in India, provided he has also intimated an address in India.

For articled assistants, similar provisions for Secondment and Industrial Training would be available. Paid Assistants would also be eligible to train one articled assistant

I remember having read somewhere that this is applicable in all places where ICAI has a chapter. I would suggest that in this matter contact bosnoida@icai.org

Also, ICAI has opened chapter at Singapore, so one can do regular articleship at Singapore also. Contact details of the Singapore chapter can be found at: http://www.icai.org/post.html?post_id=1373

regards
akansha

Stipend by A/c payee cheque on time is an evidence that one is doing regular articleship. Stipend in cash or payment of stipend in bulk etc. are more indicative of dummy articleship.

Ask your principal to pay you by A/c Payee Cheque. If he refuses (some CAs try to save 2 or 3 rupees on Cheque relating to current account!), then write an email to bosnoida@icai.org with details of SRN and your Principal including his email & telephone number. Most likely your case would get solved.

Without doubt – you should go for a career in CS. And take, my advice if you focus on one thing, then your chances of success is much greater. Also, the demand for CS in industry is much greater now a days.

If you really want to add the CA qualification, just finish off the articleship, then there is no time limit for appearing in the exams. You can always appear in the exams later on. You can appear in the exams while in job.

Alternately, if you have commerce background – open your own tutorial for 11th, 12th and CPT! Thats what many CAs are doing now a days after passing the exams.

sir i want guidence from you. i have cleared cpt in june 2007, and my 3 years tranning is completed, my pcc is not yet cleared, i have given exams in may 10, result awaited. i have completed my b.com in 2007, also completed cs course. sir where should i go? my tranning would be over in dec.10, and if i got cleared in this pcc attempt, my final exams would be held in may 10.(not sure,it would be nov 10), sir i have done tranning in the field of hospitality and banking sector only,, still i have 6 month left, i want to do tranning in other areas,for which my ca had granted permission for secondment.
sir after 6 month my ca tranning will be over, shall i start cs tranning after it.
and the point of delimma is if my pcc result is not favourable, then my next attempt would be in nov.10, and so as my final attempt would be shifted. what sould i do, continue with ca or, opt for cs, ?
also i have completed my llb. 2nd year., i am really in a confusion state, whether i should continue with ca, or not.

To join as article, you should have pass in 1st group IPCC + 100 Hrs ITT (Computer training) + Orientation Programme conducted by ICAI.

As for finals – dont worry about it now.

1) Medical grounds should be such that warrant termination of Articleship (ie. ICAI should be satisfied about the seriousness of illness)
2) Medical grounds should be such that it requires discontinuance of articles for a minimum period of three months
3) Medical certificate has to be issued from Government Hospital
4) Re-registration of articles cannot be done for at least three months from date of termination.

I would say, you should not misuse this clause – unless its a serious illness. ‘Some problem’ can always be overcome.

My friend is facing some problem so I want to know the procedure of taking transfer on the medical ground.

I would still suggest that try to convince your current Principal to give you Secondment to Gandhinagar. The secondment can be done for a period upto one year (minimum 4 months). Now a days, even the stipend is paid by the CA under whom secondment is done (Previously, it was the Principal who had to pay!). I guess one year is good enough period – thereafter you can always come up with certain reasons to get a transfer.

For secondment only a simple form of intimation is to be sent to ICAI – and no questions is asked!

http://www.icai.org/resource_file/7526form_secondment_articles.pdf

Thanks for replying and guiding me.
I think this should not be done but anyways i have to manage or have to leave further studies.As this my final stage of C.A i feel really bad if my problem will not get solved. Now lets see what happen.

Is there any option if my current principal terminate me by giving some reason and then i can start my articleship at gandhinager by following any procedure?

Regards,
Devangi

However, if they are saying that they have executed the transfer, then there is no option but to take their word for it. Moreover, since the transfer / re-registration has taken place in May – it is impossible under present rules to get another transfer.

First thing is, get your re-registration papers and regularise your articleship.

Your options gets restricted to: 1) Secondment and, 2) if you are in finals, then in third year of training you can shift to industrial training.

Try to see if you can adjust with your current principal (because rarely if anyone is happy during articleship). A ‘bad’ or ‘rude’ principal is really a matter of perception – and cannot form any basis of transfer. Else you will have to find some loophole in the transfer rules like medical reason etc. but then such a course of action is not recommended by me unless its genuine.

Today i went to the vadodara institute and first the assistant secratory reply me very rudly but then after knowing my a little of my case he called to Ms.Geeta who give me direct confirmation that my re registration has been done and letter has been dispatched for the samemay be April ending or May ending then i ask her that if the latter has been dispatched lets take on May ending then also it should be reached to me then as ASSi. Secratory called she replied me that ok we will submit it again to you.

Now the Assi. Secratory told me to writte on the spot latter about requesting my confirmation letter and after reading my letter he come to know that actually i dont want any transfer now then he told me like i have to wait for the confirmation and then i have apply for the next transfer with vaild reasons and again i have to wait for that confirmation.

So at the end of the day i came to know that my problem will not gonaa leave me.

So now whether i should go to the Mumbai institue directly and immediately to requesting them about not to proceed further and cancelled my transfer? whether they will give this favour or i have to wait only or do you have any other option?

Sir please guide me properly and thanks for giving me your precious time.

Regards,
Devangi

Regards
Vivek Harisokandas

So, I guess the next logical step should be to get a letter from the institute that your transfer request has been cancelled or something like that. I guess you come under the Ahmedabad jurisdiction for your Gandhinagar articleship. Go there and meet the Dy Secy or Asstt Secy who is in-charge (dont talk to clerks). Talk to the responsible person, if he can issue a letter – something like more documents required to do the transfer. That would be clear indication that you are still at Gandhinagar. And since you wont be giving any documents – there would be no case of transfer!

Then you have to adjust this intervening period of training.

The best would be to adjust it against your entitled leave – no body gets harmed by that.

But you can also try to get your work adjusted as secondment. However, the intimation for secondment has to be sent to institute within 30 days of comencement of secondment – and minimum secondment period is 4 months. So talk to the institute, if they can condone the delay in submission of secondment intimation (for this you will have to manage the institute official as well as both the CA bosses!)

http://www.icai.org/resource_file/7526form_secondment_articles.pdf

Regarding your other question, only a responsible person (Dy Secy / Asstt Secy) can be sympathetic to your problems and solve the thing. You can talk with them on phone (if you can get a reference from an ‘active CA’ / council member, and a direct mobile number – that is the best) /or/ meet them directly (because your case is not usual). If it were usual, you could have got your work done even by email to Central Council members!

Thanks a lot for providing me this link. I am so happy that i am still register under the firm of my previous principal and now i think my all problem get solved.

THANKS A LOT SIR, I AM GONAA REMEMBER YOU FOR MY WHOLE LIFE SIR.

Can you tell up to what level institute can help i mean whether they can answer me about the status of my request latter for transfer and all that?

Waiting for your precious reply.

Regards,
Devangi

You can also check at the online database and infer whether your transfer has really been processed. Try the following link to check the data for both your Principals (it also contains details of articles undergoing training):

http://220.227.161.82/mem_card.asp

Thanks for replying and guiding me.

Sir i am aware of the announcement of 01-07-2009 and i have forwareded the latter with marriage certificate asking for permission of my transfer but i dont get the reply for the same from last 4 months and i have forwared form 109 without receiving the approval from the institute because as per my knowledge institute take 1 or 1.5 month for replying and my case was very clear about taking transfer on marriage basis so there is no matter for rejecting my request and as per this guidance of Samir sir who is sitting at the ahmedabad institute i have submited my requesting transfer letter and form 109 on the same day and haven’t got the reply till now for that.

Now as you said that it is not required to wait for the latter and can start articleship. i have done the same and started my articleship at vadodara. now as you know that i want transfer from vadodara as well, i dont know what to do in this situation.

waiting for your precious reply.

Regards,
Devangi

Regards
Rakesh Pillai

As far as I know, now a days transfers need to be approved by the institute prior to filling of form 109. The announcment of 01-07-2009 clearly says- “The articled assistants are required, in the first instance, to get the consent of the Institute before getting Form 109 signed by the Principal, in their own interest.”

So, my advice would be that you first check out with the institute, whether your transfer has really been approved.

You have written “i have already applied for transfer… and havn’t got the answer” It may so happen that if your transfer has not been approved, then your current articleship would be void!

Have you received the articleship re-registration letter from ICAI for your current articleshp at Vadodara?

Thanks a lot for giving me your really precious time. I think there is little misunderstanding about the basis on which i can take transfer, as i said above that i have allready applied for transfer (from gandhinager to vadodara) on the basis of marriage and haven’t got the answer for the same from the institute and now i want transfer from my recent principal(vadodara) because my principal and me both are facing problem with each other so now i dont have marriage base to take transfer form this C.A and i am stuck overhere. i had talk with my previous principal about this and he is ready to give me training but now i can not take transfer from vadodara.so i have decided to take termination from this C.A and restart my articleship some where else or with my previous principle.

so now please guide me for the same.
Waiting for your precious reply.

Regards,
Devangi

http://www.icai.org/post.html?post_id=4457&c_id=219
http://www.icai.org/post.html?post_id=4639&c_id=219
(read the above two announcements carefully)

As per your details, your case is eminently eligible for transfer under the clause:

“Marriage basis (only if there is relocation to another city involving distance of 50 kms).”

50 kms, simply means a new city. Earlier there was no such restriction – however under new rules, this new restriction has been put so that students dont terminate from one CA and join another in the same city.

Normally, you would have to fill form 109, get it forwarded by your current Principal and send it to the ICAI regional office. Form 109 will be filled in triplicate – one retained in your principal’s office, one with you, and one sent to the ICAI regional office.

The regional office will then – usually within two / three weeks send confirmation letter of termination – the letter would be sent to your current principal, and its copy to you. However, you do not need to wait for this letter, and can join with any CA in the other city – and fill the Form 102 & 103. The paperwork procedure with the new principal would be same as when you had joined articleship in the first instance, except that in this case, you will not have to give any fees to ICAI.

(In one of my inter-regional transfer, the file was transferred from EIRC to CIRC after much pursuing after three months! – and in the meanwhile I had already completed more than two months of articleship in the new place!)

The plain fact is that bureaucracy of ICAI is at times worse than that of Govt. So, to get your work done, you have to talk to it, push it, and pursue it till the work gets done.

Depending on the region under which your jurisdiction comes, directly contact on phone and talk to the people concerned –

First talk to the ICAI officials regarding the procedure to be adopted in your case.:

1) Regional Dy. Secy,
2) Asstt Secy concerned with articleship,

and if after that the thing does not work, then talk with

1) Chairman of the Region
2) Central Council member of your region.

Every regional council of ICAI has its own website, just google for the websites of regional offices of ICAI, and they should have all the contact details regarding the office bearers and the officials.

Please help me in my case cause i am really confuse and not able to find proper answers from the site.

1.What should be the proper reason for the termination to restart my articleship elsewhere?

2.Will i be able to restart the articleship in the same city? if not than what should be the least distance?

3.Within what period i have to restart the articleship from the date of termination?

4.What is the proccedure for the same?

For your information

Once I have already applied for transfer on the basis of marriage and its been 4 months, but still haven’t got any reply from the institute for the same and now i want to take termination and start at some other place.

please sir waiting for the reply.

Regards

Devangi

ITS LIKE ONE WAY ROAD I HAD ENTERED. But one thing i can say it really becoming hard day by day to continue articleship. i M NT SATISFIED .if i compare myself with the others then i stand no where and office of 10am to 7.30 (outstation) and 10.00 am to 11 pm (out station) no energy remained for self study. moreover i have become fustrated . its hampering my studies. im nt getting time. At present articles are very less in comparison to work load.

thanking you

As per ICAI – “The registration shall not lapse if such student has appeared in at least one of the last two examinations conducted just before the end of three years. The registration of such student shall however lapse in case he subsequently does not appear in two consecutive examinations.”

But “lapse” does not mean “de-registration”. It only means “de-activation”. So, if three years have already passed (or you have not appeared in CPT in the last two attempts prior to ending of three years), then you don’t need to “re-register” – but you have to “re-activate” your SRN (Student Registration Number) by paying Rs. 500 to ICAI. Also, there is no time limit for re-activation (re-validation in ICAI terminology) of the SRN.

ICAI circular on this issue:
http://www.icai.org/post.html?post_id=666&c_id=121

I would say, write letter to bosnoida@icai.org and also put in a query at helpdesk http://icai.org/help/ as to where you need to pay this amount of Rs. 500 – to WIRC or to EIRC to reactivate/revalidate your SRN.

You dont need any ‘transfer’ regarding this matter, because the SRN once alloted is for life. The SRN would remain the same wherever you reside, wherever you appear in exam or wherever you do your articleship training. The issue of transfer comes only when one has joined articleship – not before that.

Your principal should consider the excess work over 35 hours per week done by you. The ICAI circular is:

http://www.icai.org/post.html?post_id=3220&c_id=240

Regarding stipend, yes its compulsory for your Principal to give minimum monthly stipend (stipulated by ICAI) during the period of eligible leave.

So, if your CA is paying you a stipend of say Rs. 3000 per month, then during the period of eligible leave (if you are in third year articleship in a metro city), then you should get at least Rs. 1500 per month during the period of eligible leave.

This had been clarified to me by BOS in an email, where they said

As regards payment of stipend to the articled assistants for the period of entitled leave, the principal should pay the stipend at the minimum prescribed rate. However, the Institute does not have any objection in case articled assistants are paid more stipend.

Apart from that, for example Regulation 48 clearly states “no stipend shall be payable for any excess leave taken.”
http://www.icai.org/resource_file/14494student_manual_27.pdf This is clear implication that minimum stipend is payable during the period of eligible leave.

(I am forwarding that clarification to your email address)

Sir, my CA has given me extension of approx. 8 months for leave taken by me for SY and TY B.Com, PCC and other occasional leaves.

He is not considering my request for set-off against overtime worked. My A’ship was supposed to get over on 14.09.2010, but due to extension it will end somewhere in April.

I have read that it is compulsory for CA to give minimum monthly stipend. But my CA has deducted leaves and gave stipend. Which means, I have not received stipend for eligible leave taken by me and also no stipend for attending ITT and PCC exams.

Is there any Regulation which makes it mandatory for CAs to give those stipend? I have read that Articles are not eligible for stipend for excess leave, but again it is also not clear as to they mut get stipend for eligible leave.

Please Help.
Thanks.

http://indiapoint.net/ca/2006/02/27/articleship/comment-page-1/#comment-97

From what you have written, its pretty clear that you are not learning much. I would say, if you can, then (1) talk to your Principal / Training-in-charge, and if that does not work, then if possible (2) take transfer.

The reason is that the Brand is only useful for introduction. The moment you are asked what you have done – and the various details of audit procedures you would be blank. Moreover, it seems you have not got any exposure to taxation, management consultancy, company law, like formation of companies, efiling of returns etc etc.

Given this situation, you are not getting proper training – particularly when you are a PE-2 passed student. Don’t worry about your three shots in PE-2 – those attempts dont count for much, if you get good marks in final and have good knowledge of the subjects.

I am doing articleship from lodha & co . out of 3 years training, i have completed my 1 years 2 months training. i have to go outstation for audit purposes on frequent basis. i m missing all my tutions and i m net getting time for self study. right now we had less number of listed companies. i m also not learning much here. in this period of articlesip i have done only cash, bank, expenses. our seniors have the policy to retain things. only vouching part is allotted to me and system part is given to others.

even third year article is not learning. i m not satisfied here becoz i think i m not learning here. but i also need a tag of good firm as i have completed my pe-11 exam (inter) in 3 shots. i have my final due in may2011.i m puzzled. i dont know waht should i do. please reply sir .

thanking you

I believe that one who has good knowledge should also be able to get good results.

From ICAI website:

http://www.icai.org/post.html?post_id=4232&c_id=219

…articled assistants are permitted to pursue only one course alongwith articleship even that be a Graduation course for which they need to seek prior permission of the Council by way of filing Form 112 to the Institute…

“The form 112 is to be filled when the student joins the course while in Articleship, or else, if s/he has already enrolled prior to joining articleship, even in such case, the form is to be filled at the commencement of articleship”

sir but if i do graduation from correspondence then also do i have to fill the prescribed form 112? Also sir in the link you posted it states that the last date of filling the form 112 is 31st march 2010. So, what should i do now as the date has passed away?

1) Clear IPCC Gr 1 (ie. 4 papers)
2) Complete the Computer Course
3) Complete the Orientation Program (35 Hours)

As for doing graduation, one cannot attend any class during prescribed hours – its something like 10 AM to 6 PM (plz check the exact timing with the Institute circular / Prospectus).

The point is – regular college can also be a morning college or an evening college – but it cannot be college during normal working hours of the office.

Also, alongwith articleship, you can do only ONE additional course – and for that ‘permission’ has to be taken in prescribed form 112.

The problem with all such arrangement that has been made by ICAI is, that when you clear your CA Finals, and apply for membership – you will have to submit all details of your qualification – and that time all the scrutiny will be done. So, if they find that you have done degree from a college with regular hours, and misdeclared in permission form 112 – the institute will not give you the CA degree. (without graduation degree, they will anyway not give the CA charter)

There are many variations to such breaches – like students doing courses not prescribed, or doing courses without taking permission. Previously, such breaches were condoned, however, ICAI has become more strict in this matter.

http://www.icai.org/post.html?post_id=4998&c_id=219

Reply by Anup: Plz read the article and previous comments.

Reply by Anup: Yes. And as a suggestion, please improve your english.

As for GMCS, it is compulsory to attend this 15 days course. This is conducted at branch level. It seeks to give inputs of management, organisation, personality development and interview skills to the CA candidate. It does not have any test. Under the PE-2 scheme, one can do it in the final year of articleship. If one does it in the final year of articleship, then its attendance is counted as attendance for purpose of articleship. Alternately, one can do 3 months residential course conducted by ICAI, and it incorporates GMCS.

Under the new IPCC, GMCS has been substituted by an Orientation Programme of 35 hours that has to be attended prior to IPCC exam.

Dummy articleship training is illegal and morally wrong. The CA who has allowed such dummy – for whatever reasons – is morally corrupt, and the student who has been allowed such dummy is equally at fault and has been initiated into a corrupt practice early in life, which is reprehensible.

This website is against Dummy articleship in any way. If you are aware of such case, please report the issue to ICAI immediately at bosnoida@icai.org

Reply by Anup: If you want indepth exposure, then bigger firms are preferable.

I would advise that you start searching for articleship in right earnest. Infact, you can even request the CA to keep you as trainee for a month. Many CAs (not Big 4) would be willing to take you as trainee prior to articleship. That would help you to acclimatise, as well as check the CA your suitability to the firm.

And anyway, you would understand what goes on in a CA firm. It would also help you to check whether you are suited to work in that firm for three years as article trainee. So if you think that it would be preferable to join another firm for articleship, you can do it without regretting later.

Articleship you can do only after declaration of IPCC (ie. Gr.1) results.

Reply by Anup: Read the article above. As a thumb rule, if you want to go for employment, Big 4 is preferred, else middle firm.

Reply by Anup: I would suggest that join some CA firm, you would get to know how that functions. It would also help in deciding as to with what kind of firm you would like to do articleship.

http://220.227.161.82/student_details.asp?SRN=WRO0239058

You can see that in ICAI records, your due date of completion is pretty clearly mentioned. So no need for tension.

1) Your Principal has agreed that your due date of termination 22-07-2010 would remain as it is
2) Previously he had in the Exam form written that your date of termination is in Nov 2010 by adding 133 days to your due date

In that case, there is nothing to worry about. The Certificate of Service (CoS) in Exam Form is an obsolete system being followed by the institute.

What matters is data filled in Form 108. If at all there is a query from Institute after submission of Form 108, the issue can always be replied that previously there had been an error as evident from records.

Reply by Anup: Couldn’t get what you want to ask.

what if principal has 1st declare date ??(what date? where?, to whom?, why?)

now he wants to & apply to institute for the same i.e.22/07/2010?? (what?, why?)

whats procedure bcoz i had submitted certificate of services?? (is this the one with exam application form? – so?)

bcoz till now they were degree with this?? (where? what degree?, how is it related?)

1) check that your application was filled properly in the prescribed Form 13 (Revised). (I hope you have retained a photocopy)
2) That the office of your previous employer has forwarded your application to the relevant EPFO office. (you can take the date / proof of registry etc from office of your previous employer)

If the above two is in proper order, then contact, the EPFO office from where transfer is to be effected. If you get some satisfactory reply, you can wait a month.

If the reply is not satisfactory then put your complaint in writing to the two addresses mentioned in the article.

Reply by Anup: Plz go through Point 9 (Does one get stuck) of http://indiapoint.net/ca/2006/02/27/articleship/ and other previous comments to assess your situation.

Reply by Anup: Nearly all CA firms deal in project finance as part of management consultancy. Do you have any specific question in mind?

When you have signed the deed of articleship, you and your Principal is governed by terms of the deed of articleship and rules framed by ICAI.

The Article or the Principal cannot infer any additional obligations or impose any additional terms or restrictions other than the rules framed by ICAI. Also, the Article and Principal cannot enter into any additional or subsidiary contract! Any such additional contract – whether actual or implied or oral or written would be illegal.

w.r.t Stipend, ICAI only mentions that the 1000 / 1500 etc, are stipend that has to be paid, irrespective, whether the Article is attending office or taking leave (within permissible limits). ICAI does not put any upper limit to stipend.

So, if your Principal has paid you 4000, that does not mean that he can put any additional restriction on you. You would still be governed by the rules of ICAI – not by any rule framed by your Principal.

Just because your Principal has paid you more, it does not mean that he can infer any additional obligation from you.

Show him the ICAI circular:
http://www.icai.org/post.html?post_id=3220&c_id=240

And try to persuade him. If that does not happen, then, complain to the BOS / Central Council.

# The working hours for the articled assistants should not exceed 35 hours in a week excluding the lunch break and normally an articled assistant be required to work during the normal working hours fixed for articled assistants.

# In case of the exigencies of work with the Principal, an articled assistant may be required to work beyond his/her normal working hours. However, under such circumstances, the aggregate number of working hours shall not exceed 45 hours per week. The requirement to work beyond 35 hours in a week should not be a practice but only in exceptional circumstances. Further, where the articled assistant is required to work beyond normal working hours, and aggregate of such hours exceed 35 hours per week, he/she shall be entitled to compensatory leave calculated with reference to number of completed working hours, over and above, 35 hours per week.

Edit: So, where I said previously that 40 hours per week would not entitle for set off, I was wrong. Infact, any number of hours above 35 hours per week would be eligible for set-off

Since in a three years articleship the max leave allowed is 155 days, you have overshot the leave entitlement by 290-155=135 days. So technically you will have to serve additional 135 days after 22nd july 2010 (provided you dont take any more leave. Any additional leave if you take would extend your articleship by that many days)

As you have written that your working hours is 10.30 to 7.30p.m.This makes it 9 hours. Deduct 1 hour for lunch – so that makes it 8 hours a day.

If it were 5 days a week – then your total week would consist of 5x8hours=40 hours. That does not entitle you for any set-off. (reason- as per ICAI the Principal does not need to setoff if its 40 hours!)

But if its a 6 day week (ie. you attend office even on Saturdays), then your working week consists of 6x8hours=48 hours. In such case the Principal *may* set off 48-35=13 hours. This is equivalent to around 2 days of work per week.

Now consider that in 3 years articlesihp period, there are 365×3=1095 days. That makes it around 156 weeks.

Now you have taken total leave of 290 days. This is around 42 weeks. So number of weeks you have actually worked (provided you dont take any additional leave) is 156-42= 114 weeks.

Considering that if your Principal is kind enough, he may set off 2 days per week. That amounts to 114×2=228 days.

Now, that means, if your Principal is benevolent to give set-off, then he can set off 228 days from your leave of 290 days. In that case, the actual period of leave taken would be 290-228=62 days.

If this is the case, then there is no excess leave, and your articleship would end on the due date of 22nd july 2010.

Goodluck!

However I do not understand, what you mean by “i had taken 120days leave & 185 days for study leave”, Because leave is leave – there is no differentiation whatsoever or for whatever purpose leave is taken. Even if its Study / Exam leave, it is leave.

So, does your total leave amount to 120 + 185 = 305 days?

My brief answer is as follows:

1) ICAI stipulates 35 hours a week. However for excess hours of work, the discretion to set off is entirely at the hands of your principal. You cannot apply the discretion at your own.

2) While ICAI counts work in terms of hours per week, it counts leave in terms of days!

3) So if your total leave is 305 days, and your Principal does not set off the excess hour worked per week, then you have exceeded your leave entitlement by 305-155 = 150 days.

(Set off means suppose you have worked 42 hours in a week – so the Principal would mark you present for a day, even if you are absent! – that means on record, you would be present – and therefore that one day wont add to your leave)

Since the details given by you is ‘sketchy’, I would say, get back with clear details:

1) number of usual working days in the week of your office (some offices follow 5 day week, others follow 6 day week),

2) what is the actual period of ‘total’ leave excluding the days of attendance at any event of ICAI (eg. 16 days of exam if you have appeared in all the eight papers would be counted as attendance. Similarly 15 days of GMCS would be counted as attendance; also attendance at ICAI seminar for n days would be attendance for n days)

1) Take a topic and revise it four / five times. For practical question, clear the basic concepts by practicing and thinking.

2) Try to solve the practical question fully within a given time, with proper presentation and schedules.

3) Make notes – at least a short summary of one page for a topic.

4) Relate where required. For example if you study accounting standard and company law well, then a substantial part of your audit paper is done.

5) Plan for the exam early. For example, the provisions of Budget 2010 would form the basis of changes and amendments for May 2011 and Nov 2011 exam. So there is good enough time to prepare for the amendments – rather than waiting for the books to come out in Jan 2011 !

6) Many times ICAI uploads very useful files on its site – the actual physical publication may or may not come to the branch. So be on the look out of the relevant material

7) Last but not the least, do not fall prey to scanner kind of thing. Go through the whole study material – for each subject refer to an additional ‘good quality’ textbook. In some cases, you need to study only from the good quality text book eg. studying AS text may be highly boring – so in such cases, take up AS book of CA final of Taxmann etc. – they would contain application as well – that would help you understand with a better perspective.

8 ) And lastly some topics require mugging like the infotech papers – so no escape from it.

CA exams are not that difficult. It is the volume of study and the variety of subjects that makes it difficult. One of my principals used to say that these subjects should run through your veins and blood!

Keep a time-frame. Six to eight months of consistent study would be good enough to clear the exam with good marks. (dont believe those who say two months are sufficient – two months would be sufficient only for revision)

Any additional thing you want to do, I would suggest that if you can, then attend seminars on IFRS. Dont waste your time or burden yourself by enrolling for additional courses.

To your other question, you should consider whether you want to return to India to work, or you want to remain abroad for long term. If you have already cleared inter, and want to return to India and work here long term, then go for CA.

Else, if you want to remain abroad (USA) for long duration better go for CPA (which is the American CA and also popular in many countries, and I guess easier to clear compared to CA and also of short duration). You can also do CISA additionally, for which you are eligible.

For other details of finance courses you can consult: http://indiapoint.net/ca/2004/05/07/finance-and-accounts-courses/

Good Luck !

Pls. sent me a format of cash flow as shown in the Final Accounts.

Best Regards
Rajib Dutta

Technically, its possible to get transfer. I would suggest write a good representation and get it forwarded from your current principal.

However, my advice would be, that if you find your current city and current principal to be good enough, then better persuade your parents to let you continue with your current CA. I guess that if you remain by yourself in a city that would give you confidence in life to deal with any challenges. Also, you never know what your new principal would be like – afterall, each principal can bring with themselves new problems !

Secondly, if you wish to finish the remaining part of articleship with your existing principal, then perhaps you should inform him on your situation. Else if you wish to do the remaining part with another CA, you can take termination from your current Principal.

Thirdly, ATC is given only when one has cleared Inter / PE-2 + full period of articlehsip. So, currently you are not eligible for ATC.

I would add that ICAI has now permitted students to do articleship abroad. And many of the previous rules have been relaxed to the extent that now one can do full period of articleship abroad. Go through point 12 of http://indiapoint.net/ca/2006/02/27/articleship/.

If you are in a country where there is overseas ICAI chapter then you can do the remaining period of articleship there – either as a secondment or a regular articleship with transfer – depending whichever option you find easier.

i would like to know that should i start my articleship right after clearing my CPT or should i complete my inters(IPCC) first

Often by worrying about leave students tend to neglect their training – which is bad for training / exams / career. Better preparation for CA exams take place bit by bit – rather than in the two months leave.

Since your training would be over one month before your exams – dont worry about leave from now on. Even if you get one month leave in your last month of training that should be sufficient.

As per rules, your company cannot deny you the 3 month leave http://www.icai.org/resource_file/201announ1125a.pdf issued by ICAI No.1-CA(7)/102/2007(E) dated 17-08-2007: the amended Regulation 59 (4) says (on page 7):

For the purpose of preparing for an examination of the Institute, the articled assistant shall be granted by the principal leave for three months or to the extent due, whichever is less, provided an application for leave has been made at least fifteen days in advance.

However, my advice would be that your focus should be training & exams – not the leave. If you study everyday two / three hours – that would see you through the finals.

So, to be on safer side, after your exams end in Nov, you can take termination for undergoing industrial training.

Also, your Principal cannot refuse you termination for undergoing industrial training. However, at least give him an advance notice in writing, that you intend to go on industrial training – as such written notice is required as per rules of ICAI.

Regarding your dilemma – if you want to go for service, then Organisations prefer candidates who have undergone industrial training in brand / listed companies. If you aim to open your own firm, then industrial training would hardly be useful.

In most cases, you can talk to the PRO (even on telephone) of the particular RPFC, and they would tell you your balance. You can get details from : http://epfindia.nic.in/epfo_directory.htm

Some EPFO Offices / SROs / RPFCs’ have online balance query available: eg:
Pune: http://www.epfopune.gov.in/balance.aspx

Kerala: http://www.epfkerala.in/balance.php

(There may be other EPFO offices also for which online balance enquiry is possible – you would have to do google search for it)

And in case of problems – you can always write to the two addresses mentioned in the article.

Try to get good marks and develop those habits, and you wont need any crutches.

Your source for searching industrial training opportunities can be:
1) Online job portals,
2) Companies that recruit CAs through campus placement
eg. http://placements-icai.org/imgs/Brief_Statistics-Campus-%20AS-09_Webportal.pdf
3) ICAI notice board and your own contacts

You asked for industrial training abroad – basically whether in India or abroad – there has to be a CA in that company who should be willing to take you for training. So, you have to find such CA first !

Also, as for Singapore – such CA has to be posted at Singapore! Find MNCs in India that have office at Singapore – and a CA who is working there willing to take you for training. I find that there is a linked in page for ICAI chapter at Singapore. http://www.linkedin.com/groups?home=&gid=2126208

Good Luck.

I found this blog to be really comprehensive. I’d like to commend you for doing such a great job.

I wanted to know if there’s any way I can check for vacancies for Industrial Training at companies. Also, how can I apply for Industrial Training abroad? I’m looking at Singapore, but I see no list of eligible firms.

As for your other query regarding guidance, please go through the previous comments – much has been written in the previous comments.

Reply by Anup: Please keep checking the website: http://www.icai.org Whenever notification would come – it would first appear there.

http://icai.org/resource_file/7526form_secondment_articles.pdf
(However there is no form – to my knowledge – for intimation of completion of secondment.)

The point is – did you underwent secondment – as in the older times – when it was just the understanding between the two CAs’ ? or you sent this form to ICAI?

If it was just as in the ‘older’ times – you need not intimate anything to the institute. But you have to keep the training records.

But if you have sent the above mentioned form, then I would say that:
since you have completed more than 4 months of secondment:

1) Take a “secondment completion certificate” regarding end of secondment from the current CA under whom you are doing secondment – with complete training records (109 format) and also the fact that you have been paid stipend during the secondment period in compliance of ICAI rules.
2) Thereafter, send a letter of intimation to ICAI regarding the completion of secondment duly forwarded by your Principal (for ref: you can attach copy of form sent to ICAI and also the “secondment completion certificate” for reference).

If you are maintaining any Diary relating to daily works, then get that signed also.

Update: I find that the ICAI website now says that the Exam forms would now be available from 8th Feb onwards (earlier it was 5th).

Website open, Registration form is also accessible. But first input is about exam and they not giving option in list box. And without selecting it, form cannot be completed. Whats d problem ? I have tried in all browsers.

Reply by Anup: For list of firms, contact your local ICAI branch

Plz go through the previous comments / replies – most probably your queries should get resolved.

1) So you want to do Articleship
2) Articleship: Certain Rules

thanks and regards
Rinki

For example signature of Director in Company Documents required for filing with ROC. Since these are e-documents, the signature has to be ‘digital’. When one appends the Digital Signature to the documents – the document “freezes” ie. no change can be done to the document. If changes are done, then the e-document either gives error or the digital signature gets removed automatically – therefore signifying that the document is not authentic.

Similarly, now a days Digital Signatures are also used in filing with Income Tax Returns, and also other places as specified by Govt of India.

So if the minimum stipend (specified by ICAI) for the Student is Rs. 1500 per month in Final year – and the student is actually getting Rs. 6000 per month as stipend – then in case of leave, it would be sufficient compliance of rules if he is given Rs. 1500 per month during the period of exam leave.

The only exception perhaps can be a situation where the Articled Student has taken excess leave (excess over prescribed period of leave for the whole duration of articleship ie. 3 yrs). In such case, the position of ICAI regarding payment of Stipend is not clear.

For example for a three period articleship, the total leave is around 155 days. So, if the articled student has taken 155 days leave by 30th month of his training, and thereafter asks for a further period of 1 month leave, then I guess, he can be put under no work no pay rule – because technically, excess leave taken = excess period of actual service that the articled student would have to work for completion of his articled service period.

Pl clarify..

Reply by Anup: Check the ICAI site link: http://www.icai.org/post.html?post_id=3920&c_id=275

Reply by Anup: Contact ICAI branch or visit http://www.icai.org for getting full details about ATC

http://www.icai.org/post.html?post_id=3920&c_id=275

http://www.ey.com/IN/EN/ourlocations

Good Luck

Im staying in Bangalore and I have written the IPCC exam last Nov 2009 and awaiting results. Im quite interested in getting into EnY but not sure how. I assume I can start my artilceship only once i pass group 1. However, due to financial problems, I would like to get into a job that would give me the same exposure as an article student, preferably in the Big4. Im not sure how to go about this. Im would be grateful to have your advice on how to proceed. Thank you.

Reply by Anup: I dont know what is the date you have filled in the form as date of commencement of articleship. On the date which you are filling as your articleship commencement date you should not be in any other occupation.

This can be accessed from: http://www.icai.org/help/

One would have to see how long it lasts and whether it is able to deliver results.

(I remember in the past, ICAI had launched with much fanfare toll-free number for students – which after some time was not functioning).

You can check details about your Principal and Firm from these links:
Member Directory: http://icai.org/post.html?post_id=1812&c_id=92
Firm Directory: http://icai.org/post.html?post_id=1813&c_id=93

As I understand – either you are doing articleship far from your hometown – or you have been assigned to a place that is far from your hometown. If its the latter, then I guess you dont have options open.

However if you joined articleship in a firm that is more than 75 kms from your hometown – and later on the new rules of transfer came into being – then you do have a chance. If this is the case – then talk to your Principal (the one whose name is in the articleship letter from ICAI) and discuss with him the kind of problems you are facing. I would understand that a frank discussion would lead to some positive solution for you.

But keep one thing in mind that you have to keep your Principal in good books. As an article you dont have much options on your own. Its only when your Principal recommends – that your case gets looked at favourably by the Institute.

(For example – outside office hours – during articleship many students start to file IT returns of their neighbours and family friends – but they dont advertise themselves as Tax Consultant by printing visiting cards! Similarly their are articles who help their parents in family business – but they dont become proprietor or partner in the business by signing or registering deeds!)

The position of ICAI is very clear – during articleship you should not be engaged in any occupation.

Prior to articleship and after afticleship – you can engage yourself in anything you wish to do. All restrictions put by ICAI is for the period of articleship.

ICAI gives relaxation only for ‘permitted engagements’ – as I have described in previous reply, and for those who want to pursue some additional course, ICAI gives approval only for ‘specified courses’. The rules of ICAI are getting stricter day by day – so during articleship period – dont take risks.

Regulation 65 : Articled assistant not to engage in any other occupation
“Without the previous permission of the council, obtained on application made in the approved form, no articled assistant shall, during the period of his service as an articled assistant, take any other course of study or training whether academic, professional, or engage in any business or occupation.”

Moreover, the permitted other engagements (subject to conditions) – ie. engagements for which ICAI can give permission are:
1) Teaching for specified hours per week
2) (Non Executive) Director in family business
3) Sleeping partner in family business

Details in the link: http://icai.org/resource_file/14481student_manual_10.pdf

Given this – either dont engage in articleship training or convert your proprietorship firm into partnership by engaging other family members and yourself become a sleeping partner.

Also, do talk about this issue with concerned Asstt Secy / Deputy Secy of your regional council. If you are in place like Mumbai where there is Regional Council – directly meet with the Deputy Secy.

The problem if you hide this matter – then even if you become CA – then anytime in your career – if this issue comes in front of ICAI (your adversaries / competitors / disgruntled articles! can put this up) – you risk cancellation of your CA degree – because there is the evidence of registration of your firm and also your registration with Commercial Tax authorities as a proprietor!

http://www.financialexpress.com/news/ICAI-to-relax-qualifying-period-for-audit-service-officers/561112/

The report quotes ICAI President as saying – “In this case, one year work experience of the IA&AS officers would be recognised as equivalent to one year of practical training and the balance period of practical training has to be undergone by the officers under a practising chartered accountant”

Would there be any takers? Perhaps officers due for retirement who would want two years ‘study leave’ at govt. expense and independent employment thereafter! I thought that IAAS officers would take study leave to study at Harward / Yale and not training under practising chartered accountant!

Strangely, the report does not speak of intention of ICAI for providing CA qualification to Gr. B officers of CAG – who are the real executives doing audit!

In the end, if after CA exams you want to go for service – its your marks that would count the most – articleship experience after that. If you go for practice – marks does not really matter.

However in your current offer take into account:

1) Transport cost (less significant)
2) Transport time (more significant)
3) Office time – you may have to work late on certain occasions due to work pressure
4) What is the saving potential of your stipend?
5) Would you get time to study? Would you get leave as per rules of ICAI?
6) Do check the nature of ‘financial sector’ work that he is doing – whether this is his side business and he is engaging articles in it in contravention to ICAI rules (many CAs indulge in such malpractice by making articles work in their side business like PAN centers, Stock Market franchisees, Loan agencies, Mutual Fund Processing etc)! If he is doing outsourced work in Professional capacity – then there is nothing to worry.

(b.t.w finance sector is part of service sector!)
Good Luck!

I would suggest that you check with ICAI office at Hyderabad, and Go and meet a few CAs – and ask them about the work profile of articles that is on offer under them. Your criteria should be:

1) Focus of training: Audit or Taxation / etc or a rotation of work
2) Kind of boss – everyone differs in temperament – and CAs can exist in all shades. Very few students in their articleship are happy – so search for a ‘good’ boss. Articleship is typically about mentoring – and the nature and knowledge of boss can make articleship an enjoyable or a horrible experience!
3) Whether you would get leave as per rules of ICAI
4) How many articles are already working in the firm – you may even wish to talk with them
5) Kind of stipend
6) Whether it would involve going outstation or not
7) Whether the firm uses latest technologies like latest computers / laptops etc – whether you would be provided one for the work
8 ) Distance of office from your home.

Based on these criteria choose the one which is best fit.

I could not imagine a situation when an army commander/General (IA&AS officers) having equipped himself with armory and technical skill for fight and his soldiers are equipped with just sticks. There is no logical support for the decision for allowing exemption from articleship as well as Intermediate examination to Group-A officers alone.

If CAG think that the Indian Audit and Accounts Department should be equipped with professionally qualified personnel, then the Group-B officers like Senior Audit Officers and Assistant Audit Officers, who are backbone of the department (IA&AD), should be exempted from articleship training requirement of ICAI.

Moreover, there should be careful thought about which wing of IA&AD should be giving this exemption. Naturally, the Commercial Audit Wing personnel who are doing performance audit and supplementary audit as per the Companies Act, 1956 should be granted with this concession.

I could not imagine a situation wherein a person who put his entire service life in Civil Audit where cash basis system is followed and having no application of Corporate Law, Taxation, and Accounting Standards is granted exemption from articleship training and intermediate examination of ICAI just he/she is IA&AS.

The educational standards and training requirements of ICAI should be upheld. As written by Mr.Kumar in the earlier comment, Education/Examination(UPSC) should not be equated with Experience. No one should be exempted from examination (intermediate) just based on experience. No educational bodies in the world do it just like this.

In principle, I accept the decision of ICAI to grant articleship exemption. But there should be broad focus by granting exemption from Articleship requirement of ICAI for equipping all the Government Auditors who have put certain years of service and having enough exposure to Corporate Law, Taxation, and Accounting Standards, Auditing Standards. The examination (CPT/INTER/FINAL) of ICAI should not be exempted for anyone based on non-documented experience.

The most rational decision would be to grant articleship training exemption to Group-B officers especially those who are working the Commercial Audit wing of IA&AD and doing all sort audit including supplementary audit as per Companies Act, 1956.

Interestingly, the decision to grant articleship training exemption only to IA&AS officers recruited through UPSC negate the very logic of equating experience against experience.

Another interesting thing is about excluding IA&AS officers those promoted departmentally but not by UPSC exam. This also speak of one sided allowance with narrow focus. The logic is not at all applied here.

If the CAG is interested in equipping the Indian Audit & Accounts Department with professionally equipped personnel, the right decision would be grant articleship training exemption to all personnel working in Commercial Audit Wing and put certain year of service not just restricting to Group-A officers recruited through UPSC.
To safeguard the public exchequer it is better to equip the government auditors (not just Group-A recruited by UPSC) with CA qualification by granting articleship training exemption.

But in India, only powerful people get only what they want not just interest of the society/common.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/govt-auditors-can-now-take-final-ca-exams-directly/00/42/380237/

But anyway, to your question – If the Principal wants s/he can give leave to the article without any limitation of reasons. The only limitation is the maximum period of leave permissible by ICAI ie. 1/6th of period actually served. He can give such leave at one go. He can give it in small measures.

ICAI has only provided that in certain situations – if the article wants leave – then the principal cannot deny it. For example for preparing for ICAI exams.

So, leave in your case depends on your principal. You dont need to fill any form – but do need to give leave letter in writing to your Principal. Also, in your leave period – the Principal is duty bound to give you your stipend.

Maximum number of total leave permissible in a three year articleship is 155 days. And for a three and half year articleship it is around 180 days. If you take more leave than this – then you will have to serve that much days extra.

“Reserve and Surplus” can be of various kind. Usually, it is the retained earning after payment of taxes, that is credited to this head. But it is not just limited to that. It can also contain, items of non-cash and non-distributable nature like “Capital Reserve” or “Revaluation Reserve”.

For entities other than companies like Proprietorship or Partnership – accounting can be more flexible by crediting the surplus to the Capital A/c directly without going through the route of making separate Reserve and Surplus accounts.

There is one more thing – that in case of companies – earlier the companies had to follow the Companies Act in case of Foreign Exchange Assets – where the fluctuation could have been adjusted with items of B/S or even a Forex Fluctuation Reserve could have been created. However as per Companies (Accounting Standards) Rules and AS 11, it is no more possible to adjust the forex fluctuations with B/S items or with such reserve in B/S. Now such fluctuations have to be adjusted through a Dr or Cr in P/L account.

Secondly, if that company is not in the empanelled list of ICAI, then you have to check whether it qualifies as per the criteria of ICAI, then apply for the empanelment of the company alongwith your industrial training application

Thirdly, to do industrial training, you will have to take termination from your present principal

More details in a previous comment: http://indiapoint.net/ca/2008/10/31/articleship-certain-rules/comment-page-1/#comment-109

The other thing is – one does not have to wait for termination letter (issued by ICAI office) for joining articleship at other place. The new principal should take you as article based on papers signed by previous Principal.

During my training I worked under three Principals. The first one gave me transfer at 2nd month of my articleship (CIRC to EIRC), and the second transfer was on 17th month (EIRC to CIRC). The third one even asked me why I was not going for industrial training! And all this despite the fact that I was usually given critical assignments – that required coordination with auditee company officials and firm staff / other articles.

ICAI has framed all these new rules – and, I am totally at loss to answer your this question. Its best that you go to ICAI regional office, and talk to concerned Officials there. They would best know about such things.

The only thing I can say is verbal confirmations are of no use – because it can always be denied – and you would only be putting yourself in a difficult situation.

Also, the verbal confirmation from the institute authorities can suffice the purpose?

So, in a way, you issue your own certificate – but in my view this is an extreme measure. Things should not come to such a pass. These things can be sorted through talks.

Reply by Anup: Have you read the article and previous comments? All is there in it. Plz go through it first – and then ask questions on issues that have not been dealt with in the article or previous comments. Thnx for understanding.

For industrial training go through Point 9 of this very article.

Also, my reply to a similar query on industrial training: http://indiapoint.net/ca/2008/10/31/articleship-certain-rules/comment-page-1/#comment-110

The amended Regulation 56(1) reads: “Every articled assistant executing the deed of articles for the full period of articled training prescribed under these regulations, shall be required to complete such articles only with the member, who has engaged him:

Provided that the articles so engaged may, by agreement between the articled assistant and his principal, be terminated under such exceptional circumstances or conditions, as may be decided by the Council…”

Now, the highlighted part was not there previously – it was added by the amendment. So previously there was no restriction as to transfer. (During my articleship, I myself took inter-regional transfer twice)

While these amendments were done in 2007, it was only in March 2009 that the Council came out with its own interpretation as to what constituted “exceptional circumstance”.

So the decision of the Council regarding restrictions has to be considered while putting into effect the regulation 56(1) relating to termination.

Regarding last year of articleship – there is no restriction regarding termination for industrial training and certain other conditions as put by Council in its announcements of 19-05-09 and 01-07-09. However, as I wrote in your other reply, the Institute has kept with itself full discretion to decide whether the trainee can be allowed termination / transfer or not (the Institutes discretion would override that of the Principal -ie. if Institute says yes, Principal would not say no. And in contrary case, if Principal says yes, and Institute says no – then there is no remedy!).

In some ways, therefore, the Institute has taken away the discretion available to the Article and Principal who are the two parties to the Articleship agreement on matter relating to termination, by exercising its overriding powers vested to it by virtue of the amended regulation.

Thanks for the guidance. Also I needed to know if there are any restritions on transfer in the last one year of articleship, and if Regulations 56(1) is an exception to the given restriction?

plz reply

Thanks

The duration of exam ‘including’ breaks in between would be counted as actually served – just as if you are going to regular office.

The institute has kept with itself all the discretion – and in deserving cases is bound to allow transfer.

The rules say The articled assistants are required, in the first instance, to get the consent of the Institute before getting Form 109 signed by the Principal, in their own interest..

So make a proper written representation and take that with you when you go to the institute.

The other important points to remember that may be pertinent in your case as spelt by the institute:

Termination of articles be permitted on such other justified circumstances as may be deemed genuine by the Council.

No request for termination of articles is entertained from any articled assistant in general and more particularly during the first six months and also during the last twelve months of articles except as provided in the Regulations. In the event of termination, his articles shall not be registered in the same city.

The links to the amended transfer rules are:
Announcement 19-05-2009
Announcement 01-07-2009

I seek some help in my case…I want a transfer from my present firm (a mid size in metro) to a small firm at my native (city c)..Can i get a transfer as per regulation 56 (1) on the grounds specified on transfer of a working parent to another city?
However in my case, I am pursuing my articleship in city A and my dad works in city B (where his job involved travelling places to different cities and hence i registered myself in city A). Although my dad has now been transferred to city c permanently, where my permanent house is situated and now he wants me to relocate to my permanent place of city C..can this be a valid ground of transfer. Please help

And that the CA is also partner of the firm is only incidental. Simply meaning, that if the particular Principal leaves the firm and opens his proprietorship or joins another CA Firm, his articles go with him.

It is only those CA Students who are undergoing articleship in your firm – they would be governed by the rules of ICAI in all the matters. ie. Rules of ICAI would take precedence over your Firm rules when it comes to Articled Trainee.

Also, the Articled Trainee for purposes of training – may be working in/with your firm – but he is considered not ‘under’ the firm – because he is directly attached to the CA who is his Principal. (That basically translates – that he takes orders only from / directly from his Principal or the CA in charge of training)

The rules for the CA Articled Trainee has been exhaustively documented in the Training Guide brought out by ICAI. It can be downloaded from this link:

http://www.icai.org/resource_file/15238trai_guide.pdf

I come from a non CA background and i am working as an HR for audit firm, i am working on leave policy for the firm and i wanted to know if CA firms have anything like policies and procedure for students who are pursuing articleship. policy and procedure for articleship is very important from the HR view point. i would want to know if anyone can actually help me in sharing any such policies so that i can use that as base and draft a fair policy for CA students in our firm.

For the purpose of preparing for an examination of the Institute, the articled assistant shall be granted by the principal leave for three months or to the extent due, whichever is less, provided an application for leave has been made at least fifteen days in advance.

Therefore your Principal cannot deny you leave of three months. If he does not give this leave you can complain to BOS Noida and to the Deputy Secretary of your region. Granting leave over and above this period is his discretion.

I would suggest finish the articleship quietly. Get whatever leave you can manage at the end of your training duration.

Keep reminding him of your plight – and – praise him for anything professional expertise that he might be having. But keep your efficiency in your work – quality of work at your end should not be a matter of question. (Sign with date the working papers on audit etc work that your might be assigned – if he is not maintaining any record – maintain your own record).

In many cases, unfortunately, due to their ignorance, the Articles tend to be exploited by their Principals by not following the training rules of the institute.

However, the institute works for the members – not the students.

(As per rules you need to intimate in writing to the Principal one month in advance of your intention of going for Industrial Training – however, since the time frame has passed – the discretion is now in Principals hand – otherwise – no one can deny request for termination for going on industrial training)

I understand, that the termination letter has to reach within one month of issue of the letter. So you can still ‘manage’! (However do check out this if the institute has updated / reduced the time frame)

If you are on leave for say 40 days continuous and in between there are 6 Sundays, and 3 Gazetted Holidays – can you say that you took leave for 31 days and were on work on those 9 days of holidays?

If you still have confusion – I would suggest write an email to Deputy Secy of your Regional Council.

Now I need your advise .Plz help me……
Thanking You.

i would like to quote an example from tha training guide of ICAI:

Case I Days
A. Total number of days served (365×3) 1095
B. Less: Total leave taken (other than weekly holidays) 188
C. Actual Period served 907
D. Entitlement of leave (1/6th of the actual period served) (907/6) 151
EXCESS LEAVE: (B – D) 37

In this example here part B. which is 188 days doesnt include weekly holidays. So technically speaking, what we earlier said is incorrect as we included weekly holidays in those leaves taken.

What is your say on this!!

A detailed clarification would really help me in this case.

Thanks again

AK

Simply stated, where the word used is “Holiday” / “Weekly Off” (the latter term is not used by ICAI) – it is deemed that the article has worked on those day. The word “actually served” therefore includes holidays. For that matter, if in a week, there are three holidays – it is deemed that the trainee has worked on those days – and they would be counted as part of “period actually served”.

However with the same logic, if the article takes a continuous leave of 40 days – then all Sundays and other holidays falling during those 40 days of leave would be considered part of “leave”. So the period one is on leave he does not earn any leave.

Thanks
Anindita Kharoo

In reply to your queries:

1) Taking dummy articleship is illegal – dont think of dummy.

2) You can do CA of ICAI by taking articleship in USA itself where there are chapters of ICAI eg. New York. This NewYork chapter has centers at Chicago, and is proposed to open more centers at Los Angeles, Houston, Washington DC and Miami. So, I guess even at these places there are Indian CAs under whom you can take up articleship.

So, you dont need to be in India to do training. However examinations are currently conducted in India / Dubai / Nepal

3) Currently as far as I know there is no mutual recognition agreement (MRA) between ICAI and AICPA – though such thing may happen in future.

If such MRA takes place, that would mean passing a few papers to get the CA qualification, without the requirement of any articleship.

For further readings:

1) ICAI NewYork

2) ICAI link stating cooperation with AICPA

I live and work in USA. I did CPA and CIA(Certified Internal Auditor) from USA but always wanted to Indian CA. Can somebody let me know how can I “Dummy” articleship in India?

Please help me.

Mohan Kumar

Secondly, since your present qualification has not led you anywhere – its definitely time to re-skill. If you are interested in doing CA, you are quite young!

I understand you are already familiar with corporate laws through your existing degrees. However, you must remember that these professional courses CA/CWA/CS are not easy – and many do not finish it. But these are also not difficult for those who want to put in hard work.

Both CA & CWA today require articleship of three years (CWA can do industrial training from day one, and their prescribed stipend is also much more than CA trainee). For CWA read here

The CA articleship is pretty tough. I can well say – that none of the articles undergoing training are ever happy! However its this hard work that prepares them for the career ahead. (CA Articleship Rules and Articleship details)

The good thing with CA is that none of the CA is ever unemployed! The reason is that they can set their own Practice. The practice may take a few years to set up – but then nearly all do well – some better than others.

If you are after employment – many times it has been seen that if some article has really done well during his training, then his principal makes him a partner in his firm! If its very big firm, one can get employed in such firm.

However, if you want employment in some ‘brand’ Corporate – then perhaps your age would be a hindrance. These corporates invariably would seek trainees who are below 25! Just because someone is CA, it does not mean they would make you the boss – you have to join any organisation as a trainee. And the companies may not prefer someone who is 35 to join as trainee. (May be some private limited company, whose owner you know may employ you at that age – but hardly would any ‘brand corporate’)

So think about your options carefully. Only if you are ready to put up hard work – and think yourself suitable for such career, that you join the relevant course.

In alternate try to analyse your weakness / limitation, consult some placement agencies of what kind of career is on offer with your current profile. Good Luck.

It is just that some of the ‘black sheeps’ of the profession have brought in the dummy aspect to a very fine training system propounded by the institute.

Infact, the values that such ‘black sheep’ CAs are putting into the students from the very beginning is that the system is corrupt and can be compromised. This is also morally and ethically injurious to the mental attitude of the student.

As per the rules, one cannot be in any other employment when one is doing articleship – because the deed of articles considers articleship as full time employment.

Since the issue of dummy has been raised – I would like to tell, what I have seen (and heard) regarding the dummy thing.

I would say there are two categories of dummy. One is the category, who are not working anywhere – and maybe they have their family business and are full time busy with it. So they do their dummy with some known CA (who might be managing their account/audit or is a relative).

The other category would be people who take up dummy with some CA in remote area / moffusil town and themselves go for service in some metro – and do their employment in pseudoname / alias. Such CAs who grant dummy may be charging from their ‘dummy’ articleship ‘clients’ something like two to three thousand per month.

Obviously – taking dummy is dangerous. For such student if he becomes CA and later some complaint is done with ICAI, then on investigation and result of such investigation the CA qualification would get annulled. In reality (and whatever I have read about/on/by ICAI), I have never come across any such case. Also I have never heard/seen any CA being pulled up or disqualified for giving dummy.

(Infact in a case of major violations of rules of articleship where the principal would not pay his articles and would not give leave etc.- and the case going upto high court and final decision holding the principal being guilty after ten/fifteen years of litigation – the only punishment given by ICAI was a ‘reprimand’!)

There are many rules and regulations set by institute to keep ‘control’ over training – but in this regard – the rules of ICAI is at best only in name. It keeps bringing out advisories from time to time – but I have never seen action being taken – or if any action has been taken by ICAI it has not been publicized.

Also, dummy articleship is equally frustrating for the genuine students who undergo the rigour – because the dummies get fairly good time to undertake coaching and come out fairly well in exam – whereas the genuine students barely get a few weeks leave after much ‘haggling’ with their principal (for most of the CA firms it is the rule of the proprietor / partner when it comes to leave!) .

Since you are doing ‘soul searching’ – and since you are with EY KPO – I would say try to check for articleship in its audit arm (Batliboi) as the Big4 pays the highest stipend. If that is not financially suitable to you – my other advice would be that you check out CWA of ICWAI which is equally good. Now a days they also have a system of three years training – but it exempts all students from the three year training who are already working in such related sectors like finance / accounts etc. Except for the audit thing (only ‘practicing’ CAs can do the specified audit) for all other purposes and for employment the CWAs holds itself equally with CAs. Infact many CEOs / Finance Directors of Companies are CWAs. For example Chanda Kochhar the CEO of ICICI is a CWA and not CA! In many companies its the CWAs who call the shot. Other than this there is the option of doing part time MBA / Executive MBA – which I would not suggest. In India – the Corporate Finance is still a CA/CWA thing.

So take a good decision – dont try to circumvent the system – as that is not good for morals and for career. Take a decision where you can be proud of your education and hard work.

Good Luck.

I am new to your blog and feel it worthy of mentioning that you have maintained the quality of this site in a highly efficient manner. I have a query (its more of a soul searching one!). I have cleared pe 1 in may 04 when i was in bcom part1. after this exam i could not give a fully prepared shot at pe2 or any of its variants as i started to work full time at EY KPO after graduation as a financial analyst. I would like to pick up from where i left by enrolling for IPCC. My question is this – if i get a dummy articleship and go to ca’s office for work after my day job for 2-3 hours, will it be a safer alternative than a pure dummy? and how does the institute track down dummy articleship? I am forced to continue with my day job due to financial obligation, yet would want to know if there is a solution that is safe and ethical. Kindly advise. Thanks.

Also experience in Audit of PSU would be useful if that included sector specific ‘brand’ names. Usually what counts with experience is sector specific expertise and also knowledge of accounting standards / IFRS, and in audit of MNCs matters like knowledge of SOX is definitely useful – and all these apart from certain taxation matters like Transfer Pricing etc.

I would add that in matters of audit in private sector in India – it is the CAs who are the bosses – as they are statutorily given the powers to sign various kinds of audit reports. (you can compare a CA who is partner of audit firm as your IAAS officer! – the private sector is even more hierarchical – but they do have fancy designations!) Without the CA qualification in private sector your career progression would (in the audit sphere) most likely fit in the internal audit work.

Bigger Audit firms have much work in the area of internal audit. Also, more than in India (which is a heavily administered nation) such internal audit work is also very much in demand in Gulf countries and elsewhere.

Also its not just the Big4 / Consultancy / Audit firms, but also Big Private companies who have their own internal audit departments (like Reliance etc) – you can also keep such options open.

I would definitely say that you should give it a try. Get some good placement consultant to advice you on this matter. And if you are ready to take risk and willing to fit in the private sector corporate culture – then you set your own limits of success.

At present, there is stagnation in my department and there is very little possibility to go up….

With these qualifications and experience in various types of audit in PSUs and of course my age (39 years), can I get opening in Private Sectors especially in Big Fours?

In this there is fifteen months practical training – but exemptions are available. Exemptions are also available for exam papers.

More details can be seen at the ICSI website

It gives exemption to candidates holding similar qualification from foreign sister bodies with which it has MoU eg. CA from UK / Australia etc would get exemption from practical training and certain paper if s/he fulfills certain conditions.

Other than this it gives no exemption ! Also for doing Articleship you cannot be a full time employee anywhere else! This rule basically translates that if you want to do articleship you will have to resign from service!

In your case I would suggest go for CWA (Cost and Works Accountant) administered by ICWAI. Under its new scheme – it also requires three years practical training – but those working in specified organisations are exempt from practical training – this includes central govt. organisations. For this you can check out ICWAI link.

The CWAs are also authorised under certain Acts to do Audit – like the Central Excise Act, VAT Act of certain States etc. However they cannot do Tax audit or Statutory Audit.

Apart from that you can do AICPA (CA of USA), Certified Internal Auditor and CISA. All these courses are administered from US. You can also check out finance accounts related courses. I guess that for doing CPA no training is required – however it does not have recognition in India – though it is much valued in foreign countries like in Middle East, SE Asia etc.

My suggestion would be that go for CWA. It is equally valuable in India – and would also count as a professional qualification in your service career. Apart from this, I guess that you must also be having Departmental Promotion schemes that is useful for accelerated promotions. Good Luck!

Other details regarding articleship transfer you can find in my comment in this link

The stipend for Articled Assistants currently is governed by ICAI notification: Articleship Stipend Notification. The other details relating to stipend you will get in the article written above.

i want to change my articleship training from my present principal to some other principal. i am unable to find the current rules for changing my articleship.I stay in Chennai and i want to continue my articleship training in chennai only. Can i do it?

and i want to know about the stipent eligible for a student who has completed 2 years of training and has also cleared PCE Exams.

You seem to be confused. What do you mean by “where should I go?”

If you are interested in doing CA then obviously you should focus on completing your articleship training – and you have not even completed your graduation! So you will have to concentrate on your graduation exams as well.

There have been cases earlier that students have passed CA finals but had not cleared graduation. Plz remember that for one to become a CA – ie admittance as member of ICAI – is possible only if one is also a graduate! So your graduation studies does matter.

Mohit Bansal

I guess you are under the new scheme IPCC. Since you are already in SRCC – which is perhaps the best in Commerce in India – I would suggest you continue there – and make your foundation strong. And while you are doing BCom – finish your Inter Gr 1 & 2 and other requirements like Computer training etc.

At best you would be set back by one and half year. But in articleship you would be able to get better assignments and also the articleship training would be more meaningful.

I have seen that -generally- students who are pursuing BCom and doing articleship – are not given responsible assignments – simple reason – they do not know either the laws nor have understanding to apply them – and moreover they are dividing their time with BCom and its coaching!

They are mostly engaged in -as some would suggest- ‘peon type’ works or just vouching kind of works! These make the whole concept of articleship futile.

Also being in SRCC – I would suggest you engage yourself in “summer training” kind of thing in some organisation – that would give you a better perspective of how organisations work – and also help you integrate fast with the firm where you do articleship.

Good Luck

but i m in a bigger fix. i have just passed my class 12th exams in 2009 with 96%.therefore i got thru SRCC(delhi univ). now i also managed to clear cpt in june 2009. now shud i leave college (dat to sri ram college of commerce) or shud i leave ca?? it wasnt difficult to decide (i opted SRCC becoz of d brand name) until my parents showed interest in CA.

then even i feel that a professional degree is always better than a graduate’s degree. now i’d be really grateful if you’ll express your valuable opinion on this. eagerly waiting for your reply…

Yours is really a problem that puts Articles in dilemma. On facing problems – usually transfer is the first option that one thinks of.

Previously the transfer of articles was quite easy. However recently ICAI has upturned that policy making transfers very difficult – to the extent that now Articled Assistants are searching for ‘ideas’ on how to beat the ICAI’s new rules of transfer!

Moreover it has made Principals more powerful to the extent that complain from a principal regarding neglect of work by Articles can even lead to setting aside of the period of articleship that the Article has actually worked!

However, I would suggest that transfer is really an extreme step – and unless its really beyond circumstances – one should not contemplate it.

One should learn how to fight and move ahead within the system – its hardly useful running away from it. Perhaps during articleship that is the biggest learning. Just think when you go for practice – and have to argue your client’s case in front of hardnosed AO – or you have to make a proper audit report dispite compromising demands from your client – there is no running away. You have to be patient and fight within the system – in articleship that is the biggest learning.

I would understand that eventhough you have been assigned sundry jobs – your Principal definitely is having better assignments. I would suggest you talk to your principal – tell him about your qualifications – and tell him that you want more responsible work – HR policies not withstanding – perhaps he would know how to browbeat his HR – he may engage you in more challenging assignments – without you needing transfer to other dept – ask him to send you on outstation audit – you will get to know people and variety of accounting methods used in different organisations.

Its always better to talk straight – and that is always appreciated. Would anyone be angry with his / her Trainee who wants more responsible assignments or more work to do?

Also generally the more confidence you gain of your Principal, then you are assigned better works – and always keep your communication channel open with your Principal.

S. kumar

Congrats on your clearing CA Finals. Marks are not really that important – your command over the subject is more important. Based on what you have written, I would suggest:

1) If you have not done GMCS – then enroll for the 3 months training imparted by ICAI. This includes GMCS as well – and the three months period is not counted as leave – its part of your training. (Its a fantastic course designed by ICAI)

2) Paper work is part of the life of CA – whether it be audit or filing returns or consultancy. In bigger firms you would find even more documentation!

3) Since you have last six months of articleship left – I cant say if your Principal would like to leave you for secondment. Moreover though the rule of secondment is quite fine on paper – in actual practice it happens only if there is some alliance between the work of CAs. Or if the partners / firms are situated in different cities and have works in common.

4) Six months are also not sufficient for industrial training!

5) Decide on what you want to do – practice or employment? If employment then consultancy or particular sector – the choice of sector is very important – natural choices are banking / Stock Market / AMC / Insurance.

6) In the remaining period of articleship I would suggest you hone up your skills relating to Accounting Standards and Taxation. And since you are in Kolkata – contact HR managers of management consultancies (including Big 4). These are located in and around Camac Street and also in Salt Lake. Also check if you are interested in any foreign language – that would increase your employment opportunity tremendously.

7) Keep a look out on the notice board at EIRC Russel Street! Many CA firms / consultancies / MNCs / Consultants of MNCs keep putting up interesting job opportunities.

8 ) Always remember – its not the marks or the attempt – but the knowledge and the confidence / energy / enthusiasm in your chosen field that counts. If you say in interview that you don’t like repetitive paper work then you are gone. You have to love paper-work, calculations, commercial law etc. to be successful in this field – it doesn’t matter whether you are in practice or employment. This profession is about repetitive paper work (its only the clients / assignments that keep changing – the nature of work remains the same)!

9) If you don’t like repetitive paper-work or tax work – perhaps you can check out things like SAP consultancy – in FICO module CAs are in great demand – but then that would be like branching out of the core field.

I still have more than 6 mths of articleship left. I am looking for SECONDMENT but I dont know where and how to get it.

I would love to work in a good company/firm( Big Four most likly) and get used to things on the larger platform.

Pls help. I dont just want to file returns anymore.

P.S. I live in kolkata.

Usually, the big audit firms of India – whether it be related to Big4 or outside it – are those firms who audit big companies and multinationals and consequently they have to be registered with the PCAOB of USA.

You can find the list of the firms in list of PCAOB registered firms. This list contains the worldwide list.

Try to search it with India/Mumbai/Delhi/Chennai etc. There are many Indian CA firms in the list – and all these firms are Big firms – some of them are also multi-locational situated in different cities of India -and only their head-office is given in the list.

i have completed my articleship and final exams and now i want to join a ca firm. can u please suggest me some audit firms apart from the big 4

Now coming to your question – In a three year articleship period – industrial training can be done in the final year of training. Also, only a student of CA Final can undertake industrial training.

I had once sent query to ICAI whether one could take transfer during industrial training from one company to another -the query was never replied – perhaps ICAI has no rule in this regard – or such transfer cannot be taken. In recent times – the transfer regime is anyway really tough!

Other questions quoted from ICAI FAQ:

23. What is the maximum and minimum period of industrial training?

A student of Final Course can undergo industrial training for a maximum period of one year and minimum period of 9 months, i.e. the period may range between 9 months and 1 year.

24. Who is eligible to provide industrial training to an articled assistant and which are the required forms to be filled up?

An articled assistant can take industrial training under a member of the Institute. An associate who has been a member for a continuous period of at least 3 years shall be entitled to train one industrial trainee at a time and a Fellow member shall be entitled to train two industrial trainees at a time. There should be an agreement of industrial training in Form No.104 which will be submitted to the concerned decentralised office within 30 days of the commencement of training. On satisfactory completion of industrial training by an articled / audit assistant, the Associate / Fellow member under whom the industrial training is received shall issue a certificate in Form No.105 in respect of the training undergone and to be submitted to the concerned decentralised office within 30 days of the completion of training. It is required to maintain details of work undertaken and training received in the prescribed format.

25. Whether a student can join any financial, commercial, industrial undertakings of his choice?

Yes, but such an organization must be duly approved by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.

26. Which industrial undertaking is eligible for providing industrial training and where such an organization can apply?

Any financial, commercial, industrial undertakings with minimum fixed assets of Rs.1 crore; or minimum total turnover or minimum paid–up share capital or such other institutions or organization as may be approved by the Council. Such organizations may apply alongwith copies of Annual Report, balance sheets etc. to the decentralized Regional Office depending upon the jurisdiction of the Office. After scrutiny of relevant documents, the regional head may approve the name of such an organization to be included in the list of industries being maintained by the decentralized regional offices.

——————————————-
Also you may refer to list of companies already registered / approved for industrial training with ICAI from this link

Another piece of advice – always be on lookout for the latest rules that ICAI may frame in this regards – as ICAI keeps on changing rules of training quite frequently.

Too many ifs and buts – and in my opinion unnecessary!

My view is – “focus on one”. If you want to do CA – better forget MBA. If you want to do MBA don’t unnecessarily involve yourself in CA !

Gathering degrees are of no use – whether in professional world or in employment (and I tell that from my experience).

I would suggest you read Doing One Thing Only

Regarding Correspondence vs. Regular BCom and CA – Policies of ICAI suggests that it wants its students to do Correspondence BCom while doing CA course. However one must bear in mind that ICAI policies keep on changing.

I understand that in Delhi there are also Evening colleges – whose degree are regular and not correspondence.

Regular/Correspondence should not matter if you want to open your own practice / business. Also, for Govt employment regular / correspondence does not matter.

However if you want to go for Private Corporate sector employment or further studies – some companies / institutes might stipulate that you should have done regular course!

I wish you Good Luck

sir the thing which i want to know is that would this shift cost me a lot (i.e the correspondence degree) if i want to move into big c.a firms for my articleship

furthur i am aspiring to do mba from a reputed institute overseas, would it be a hindrance for me there also

or i can do my regular degree and later on move with c.a

or is it ok to move with this plan from now only without costing my career much …

My advice would be since you are at Coimbatore – visit Chennai or Bangalore. All these firms have offices in these cities – also visit the ICAI offices. You can gather such information from there directly.

Just the Big4 in India employs around 8000 CAs! The Big firms – whether the big4 or others have both their advantages and disadvantages. In the end what matters is how much you know. Even the Big4 recruits CAs who have not done articleship with them!

Also for articleship all these follow different practices for recruitment. It would be most appropriate that you shortlist some firms in your place and meet the partner/HR manager there.

What is most important from articleship point of view is ‘mentoring’ and ‘exposure to variety’. Keep both Medium firms and Big firms in your shortlist – lets say shortlist 6 to 8 firms.

Then go to your shortlisted firms – see their offices and infrastructure – if you can meet the Partner or HR Manager talk to them (Big4 might not even let you enter their office!). If you are hell bent – take telephone numbers talk on telephone. Keep tab on the notice board of the ICAI regional offices – thats the only place where big4 might advertise articleship vacancies.

In the end it really depends – an article in Big4 might be slogging out in audit work in some remote factory of their big client!

Another one in medium size firm might be meeting and discussing mergers and acquisition with clients in big metro – and that’s apart from frequently attending ICAI seminars – if his Principal permits it!

Usually the website would not be accessible if that is under maintenance. However the particular site is accessible.

I would suggest:

1) Check your browser. Use a newer version of the browser like Internet Explorer 8 or Firefox 3.5. Older browsers are not able to display the newer technologies being used in websites.

2) Check whether your browser is javascript enabled. This can be checked from the “Tools –> Options” of your browser. All e-transaction websites use javascript

There is only one rule as given in the article point 3) Timing of Work http://indiapoint.net/ca/2008/10/31/articleship-certain-rules/#toc-3-timing-of-work.

(For sometime in 2007-08 ICAI had increased hours of articleship training per week, but now Articleship duration per week is restricted as before to 35 hours. )

Also, in my experience having worked under three principals – compensatory leave is really a matter of discretion left on to the Principals – particularly when it relates to compensating the Articled Assistant for outstation audits.

After-all, even if its outstation audit, you are supposed to work only during the office hours of the clients (around 6 hours per day for 6 day week).

Over and above that its really between you and your principal – if your Principal accepts 35/45 rule – good for you else there is not much that you can do!

Reply by Anup: Variety of work exposure is very important in CA training. I would suggest you go and discuss the issue with few other CA’s in practice in your place.

However, please remember that ICAI has made rules of transfer really difficult – though not impossible.

You can also do some research on CAs and CA Firms – this information is available publicly from ICAI website:

1) Member’s Directory

2) Firm Directory

Reply by Anup: The rules of the ICAI are constantly in flux! At one time, these firms would say PE2 both groups at one attempt – and some would even insist on graduation. However, as ICAI has now brought the IPCC framework – I would suggest you to contact any office of such firm where you want to do articleship. This is because the firms might have different policies of recruiting for articleship training. If you get good marks in IPCC – then it should not matter (for example would anyone say no to merit holder?).

However, you should consider all the issues before joining any firm. eg. usually in big firms it becomes quite problematic for leaves etc.

Reply by Anup: It depends what you want to do. Its really your choice.

At Ahmedabad / Surat / Baroda, there are lots of good firms. Infact any big business center is a very good training place of articleship – as there is lots of work for CAs in such places.

If you want to go for employment – and that you also have MBA, you can easily get entry in any big firm (there are other big reputed firms also other than Big 4). Later on while searching for employment, the ‘brand’ is a big plus. (In such case, it is just like MBA – if you do it from IIM you have good opportunities , but if you study the same course and same subject for MBA but from some other college, you dont have much opportunities)

If you want to go for practice (or even want to open your own business), then join some middle level firm where you would get wide range of experience.

Usually if one gets into big firm, then the range of experience is very limited. One learns too much of only one or two things.

But if one joins middle level firm (two-three partner firm which is 10 to 15 years old) then one gets lot of exposure with variety of work. And this is very useful in actual practice and also in practical world of business.

1) You have to pass CPT (Objective Type)
2) then after six months appear for IPCC (4 papers).
3) In between you have to undergo a 100 hours Computer training.
4) Then enroll as Articled Assistant for three years with any CA in Practice. The last year of training can be done as Industrial Training under a CA – there are rules even in that of what kind of company can one take such industrial training based on Turnover and Assets
5) Then while doing Articleship pass the Group 2 of the IPCC consisting of three papers.
6) Then if you have ‘survived’ all these, then you become eligible to appear in CA Final exam!

Also, if one has signed on for Articleship, one cannot be in any full time or part time job. There are even regulations, that while doing articleship, one cannot be an active partner of any firm or even become partner in any new venture. An Articled Assistant cannot also become Director of any Company!

Infact even in sister disciplines like CWA (Cost Works Accountant) one has to do three years of articleship training in a prescribed industry / company. But in CWA you can get exemption / set-off for practical training, if you are employed in similar function in some organisation. CS also provides for such set off for its 15 months management training.

However in CA there is no set off available for Articleship and articleship is compulsory even if you have spent your life in accounting or finance or tax field!

If you are software engineer working in industry and having some experience in finance domain, I would suggest you do CISA / Computer System Security or even SAP FICO which are quite in demand.

You can also consult the link for finance related courses.

Reply by Anup: Get good marks in exams and meet their HR manager or Partner who looks after Articles recruitment!

Reply by Anup: Under the rules as on date, ICAI has indeed made transfer of articles difficult. However, ICAI permits transfer of articles under following circumstances:
1) Transfer of Parent / Spouse
2) Transfer of articles on change to Industrial Training
3) Also it provides for termination of articles with break for three months if the trainee is ill – however it is not clear whether re-registration can be done with another principal

Apart from above, ICAI has a system of ‘secondment of articles’ whereby you can officially take training under another principal for a max period of one year. Under this no communication has to be made to institute. It is an ‘arrangement’ between your current principal and the other CA. It can be resorted to if your current principal does not have ‘variety’ of training – and that other kind of training can be obtained from the other CA.

Apart from above, the institute can also permit transfer on a case by case basis if there is compelling reasons for it. However, you will have to forward your case to the regional office through your current principal.

Instead of just thinking for transfer – give it more thought. Take your principal into confidence – talk to your principal about any difficulty that you might be having. And only then explore other options. In most cases a reasoned conversation with your principal usually solves the problems.

The links to the amended transfer rules and Clarification issued by ICAI on this issue can be found in the follwoing links:

Announcement 19-05-2009
Announcement 01-07-2009

Reply by Anup: Hi Niket! There are no “good” or “bad” firms! A firm can only be good or bad for the individual – its like how you fit in. Instead I would suggest that you try to find a CA who is also a good person! (CA’s differ in personality) and who prefers to follow the rules of ICAI. Such information can be found through the Coaching grapevine or friend-circle who are already into it. Shortlist a few names and then directly meet them. Then you can then judge under whom you would like to take training. At Indore, there are Practicing CA’s who are central council members and also ex-Chairperson of CIRC – they are fine persons.

Reply by Anup: You are adviced to contact the nearest ICAI Branch – often they have information on articleship vacancies. Or contact the Student adviser of your Branch/Region or even the CASA (CA Student Association) official of your place. Please remember you may get information on internet but you don’t get articleship through internet – and no one “calls” for articleship – you have to pursue your own case!

Reply by Anup: The format of the B/S as per Companies Act 1956 is already present in the article. For other details please checkout the Companies Act 1956. And if you are looking for just simple format of P/L and B/s – then please consult some basic book of accountancy.

Reply by Anup: Hi Amish. You should directly contact the PriceWaterhouse offices that are located in some of the metro cities. Also, usually they advertise their vacancy by putting their advert in the ICAI regional/branch office of that city. Usual requirements are either in merit list or clearing the required exam in first attempt.