Commerce
Chartered Accountant
The qualification that still opens every finance door in India.
Typical pay band₹8–30 LPA
₹0₹50L+
₹8–30L
Pay band
CA Foundation → Inter → Final
Gating exam
4–5 years
To first job
90/100
Demand score
Eligibility
Commerce streamScience stream
Minimum 50% in Class 12 (general category).
Great if you enjoy
Numbers & moneyScience & problem solving
Your roadmap
- 1
Year 1
CA Foundation (after 12th).
- 2
Years 2–3
CA Intermediate + mandatory articleship (practical training).
- 3
Years 4–5
CA Final, then qualify as a Chartered Accountant.
First job · ₹8+ LPA
Cutoff trend
Not rank-based — CA Foundation/Inter/Final are qualifying exams with a 40%/50% pass-mark structure, but overall pass rates are historically low (often under 15% at Final), which is the real "cutoff" here.
A day in the life
“Audits, tax filings, financial statements, and — every March — a season that tests exactly how much coffee a person can drink.”