Can articles sign digitally on the Form 102

Form 102 (Articleship Deed) must be executed on a non-judicial stamp paper of the prescribed value and signed by both the Article Assistant and the Principal. ICAI regulations require this to be a formal execution; typically, this means a physical signature on the printed document, which is then scanned for uploading to the Self Service Portal (SSP).

Key Guidelines for Form 102:

• Execution: You must print the deed on non-judicial stamp paper. It must be dated within 30 days of the commencement of your articleship.

• Signatures: Both the Article Assistant and the Principal must sign the document.

• Submission: You do not need to submit the physical copy of Form 102 to the ICAI Regional Office. Instead, you must scan the signed, executed deed and upload the PDF file onto the ICAI SSP Portal once your Principal has approved your application online.

• Verification: Ensure that your scanned PDF is clear, legible, and that all signatures are visible. Blurry or illegible scans are a common reason for application rejection or delays in approval.

While digital signature technology exists, ICAI's current process for articleship registration emphasizes the execution of the deed on physical stamp paper followed by the submission of a high-quality scanned copy through the portal.

Summary: You cannot simply "digitally sign" a PDF of Form 102; you must execute the deed on physical non-judicial stamp paper, sign it (handwritten), and then upload a scanned copy of that physical document to the ICAI SSP portal.

CA Articleship Registration Steps

This video provides a detailed, step-by-step walkthrough of the entire registration process on the ICAI SSP portal: CA Articleship Registration Guide