I want to become a ca, your suggestions please

Hi all,

           I am software engineer working in a mid range software firm, with 5 yrs of experience completed my mca. i am trying to switch my career from sw to any of the management side.

          Now i am planning to switch my life to become a CA. Myself i am favourable to any subject which i feel it is needed with a bit hard efforts.

        I have gathered much information and few materials to prepare for CPT ( yet there no approval of grauduates to go for IPCC directly.).

         I am planning to take CPT on December of this year. I would like to know some more information about CA. I am quite confident to allocate needed time for preparation to become a CA, i have no hurdles through my job.

        1)  As CA is ever green platform to build a better career, can I expect growth faster that a software engineer in salaries?

        2) How many times CPT,IPCC, Final Exams are conducted in a year? Please provide me the approximate time interval?

        3) I can see there are ranking compitition in CPT,IPCC, and CA Final. if one can't make those at best ranking and just passed, what will be the career of the CA?

Please make your time cool to give a good suggestion. Thaks a lot for making your Time.