The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has issued an important notification outlining the eligibility requirements for candidates intending to appear in the CA Foundation and Intermediate examinations scheduled for September 2026. Students have been advised to verify their records on the Self Service Portal (SSP) and ensure compliance with all prescribed conditions before submitting their examination forms.
Students Must Verify SSP Details Before Applying
ICAI has emphasized that candidates should carefully review their profile details on the SSP portal to avoid any issues during the examination form submission process. Students must have valid SSP login credentials and an active course registration before applying for the September 2026 examinations.
Candidates who do not have SSP login credentials are required to create an account through the ICAI e-services portal. Additionally, students with lapsed course registrations should complete the necessary conversion process on the SSP portal before attempting to submit their exam forms.
Course Conversion Mandatory for Certain Students
ICAI has clarified that candidates whose dashboard does not reflect the prescribed course codes must convert to the new scheme before applying for the September 2026 examinations.
The valid course codes are:
Intermediate
- NEWINT23
- CONINT23
Foundation
- NEWFND23
- CONFND23
The Institute has stated that no conversion fee is payable for this process. Students can complete the conversion through the SSP portal under the Student Functions section.
Photograph and Signature Must Meet ICAI Standards
Candidates must ensure that their latest photograph and signature are available on the SSP portal and are of acceptable quality. ICAI has prescribed detailed specifications regarding image size, background, visibility, and file format.
Among the key requirements, photographs should have a white background, clear visibility of the face, and must not be selfies. Signatures should be made using a black pen on a white sheet and uploaded in the prescribed size and format.
Foundation Course Eligibility for September 2026 Exams
Students seeking to appear in the CA Foundation Examination in September 2026 must satisfy the following conditions:
- Registration in the Foundation Course must have been completed on or before 1 May 2026.
- Candidates converted from CPT to Foundation should have completed the conversion before filing the examination form.
- Candidates must either:
- Have appeared in the Class 12 Board Examination from a recognized board and uploaded their Class 12 admit card on SSP by April 2026, or
- Have passed Class 12 and uploaded the mark sheet on SSP.
Intermediate Course Eligibility for September 2026 Exams
For the Intermediate Examination scheduled in September 2026, ICAI has reiterated the requirement of completing an eight-month study period.
Accordingly, candidates must be registered for the Intermediate Course on or before 1 January 2026, which serves as the cut-off date for meeting the mandatory study period requirement as on 1 September 2026.
Download Now: Guidance Notes for CA Intermediate Sept 2026 Exams
Group Registration Must Be Verified
Intermediate students have also been advised to verify their group-wise registration details on the SSP portal and ensure that they are registered for the group(s) they intend to appear for in the September 2026 examinations.
ICAI Advises Early Compliance
With the examination application process expected to commence soon, ICAI has urged students to complete all pending updates, including course conversion, document uploads, photograph and signature corrections, and verification of registration details, well in advance. Timely compliance will help candidates avoid technical issues and ensure smooth submission of examination forms for the September 2026 CA Foundation and Intermediate examinations.
Click here to view/download the official copy of the notification
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