The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has released official guidelines for candidates seeking to convert their exhausted exemptions into permanent exemptions for the upcoming September 2025 CA Intermediate examinations.
These guidelines specifically apply to students who had secured exemptions in the May 2024 exam, which remained valid until May 2025. Upon the declaration of the May 2025 results, such exemptions will be deemed exhausted. ICAI is offering these candidates a one-time opportunity to retain those exemptions permanently, as per the timeline provided in the "Permanent Exemption Window" available on the ICAI website: https://www.icai.org/post/exam-sep-2025.
Key Highlights of the ICAI Permanent Exemption Guidelines
- One-Time Option: Students can apply to make exhausted exemptions permanent through their Self-Service Portal (SSP). This option will be available only once before the September 2025 exam cycle.
- All-or-None Rule: If a candidate has exemptions in two or more papers of the same group (e.g., Papers 1 and 2 of Group-I), they must apply for all exempted papers together or let all lapse. Partial retention is not allowed.
- No Correction or Late Window: There will be no correction or late fee window for applying after the stipulated period ends.
- Marks Limitation: Marks for permanently exempted papers will be restricted to 50, even if the candidate had originally scored higher. These marks cannot be used to meet the 50% aggregate requirement for the same or other groups.
- Surrender Option Available: Candidates who do not wish to retain exemptions may surrender and reappear for the respective papers.
- Impact on Future Exemptions: Once a permanent exemption is availed for a group, no fresh exemptions will be granted in that group in the future.
- Passing Requirement: As per Regulation 37D(9), candidates must secure 50% or more in each of the remaining papers in that group to pass.
For queries, students can reach out via email at inter.exemption@icai.in.
This move is aimed at bringing transparency and fairness in the exemption continuation process and allowing candidates to strategically plan their exam attempts.
Official copy of the notification has also been attached
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